I'm building a sound proof room dedicated for audio recording its in my backyard and a couple feet away from my house...I'm at the stage where I need to call a electrician to install my wall plugs...what can i ask him to do to help make my audio equipment run smoothly and more efficiently?....any help would be appreciated
What do i tell my Electrician to do
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JimmyS1969
MOODerator
^YEP^
rob aylestone
Moderator
Being British, our rules are a bit different - grounding of out buildings here can be tricky - but the basic things I would do would be to separate gear that must remain on (in my case, that's some computers, the broadband router and a NAS drive) and the rest, which I have working via a switch on the wall, near the exit. This means I can walk out, hit a switch and the power to the amps, the keyboards, computer monitors, the other gizmos, all goes off. Best idea I've had. On my return, that one switch, powers everything up.
In the UK, we use ring circuits as standard, but my studio is run from radial circuits, not a ring. This would confuse UK electricians who rarely do radial circuits nowadays.
My lighting circuits are also split - one switch is work lights - hard and bright, and the second switch is lights that illuminate the work area, like the desk with the DAW and keyboard. A third one, puts pools of lights on a keyboard area and of course, my guitar collection.
In the UK, we use ring circuits as standard, but my studio is run from radial circuits, not a ring. This would confuse UK electricians who rarely do radial circuits nowadays.
My lighting circuits are also split - one switch is work lights - hard and bright, and the second switch is lights that illuminate the work area, like the desk with the DAW and keyboard. A third one, puts pools of lights on a keyboard area and of course, my guitar collection.
Slouching Raymond
Well-known member
Good idea Rob. In my little Esmono room, everything is powered from one dining room wall socket, just outside it.
Inside the room are a bunch of 6 way extension cables, which have little switches on each socket.
Can't get to the main wall socket, due to storage racks full of music related junk in the way.
Those little socket switches are un-reliable, and often remain on when switched off.
I have to grovel on the floor in the dark to hit 6 of those little switches to power up everything.
However, I know I can just press the button on my amp simulator, plug in an electric guitar, and listen on headphones.
rob aylestone
Moderator
In the UK we are simply not allowed to bang in ground rods like this. Funny how rules, based on safety differ in certain countries. In big organisations like the BBC, it used to be common to have a technical ground and an electrical ground, but that is now frowned upon because current can flow between them, and so much gear nowadays has chassis bonded to electrical ground causing, not solving ground loops.
Plus, most 'domestic' supplies here employ "Protective Multiple Earthing" whereby the house earth/ground and neutral are bonded to the armour of the incoming underground cable which is in intimate contact with Mother Earth all the way back to the sub station, you can't really improve on that.
We all have to abide by "regs" and "code" but if I were wiring a studio and I had a free hand, I would put in 'radials' for colour coded "technical" outlets for audio gear and wire them in heavier than 2.5'mil'? Probably use conduit and 'tri rated' 6mil?
N.B. It has been 20 years since I 'knocked about' with a sparks so my knowledge is well dated!
Dave.
Thanks for the replies.. I have another question...I'm spending some good money on soundproofing the walls to the room im building...but I was thinking I'm also installing a ac window unit in the room..I was planning to turn off the ac unit when recording..but either way wouldn't the vents on the ac unit bring in outside noise...how would I go about soundproofing the ac unit from outside noise?...I wouldn't really mind to much outside noise but the location of the room I'm building is a couple of feet away from my main homes central air motor and my neighbors aswell and with both units on it can get pretty loud..
TalismanRich
Well-known member
Rather than a window AC unit, you can use a mini split system which separates the two parts of the AC. The only connection are the hoses that go through the wall, like a standard central AC system.
Definitely going to look into that..also do I really need some type of ventilation system going on? if so what would you suggest I'm really trying to keep any outside noise from coming in..my room is going to be 10×10 8 feet high
keith.rogers
Well-known member
You absolutely will want ventilation. An audio engineer I worked with used those “mini-split” systems when he converted a 2-car garage to a studio. It was a room-in-room construction with double door entry and a small control room. Dead quiet and very comfortable. (You couldn’t live where we do without A/C - Texas gulf coast.)
Yes I live in the Texas gulf coast aswell it gets pretty hot down here...I was thinking about purchasing one of those ductless ventilation systems that go from the inside directly outside..I saw a YouTube video on a product called "prana ventilation system" where a guy had it in his studio it looks like a fairly easy install....do You think that would be an OK option in a soundproof environment.i don't really know anything about ventilation systems..I'm really trying to learn and i don't want to waist extra money if I don't need to..
keith.rogers
Well-known member
Sizing an AC unit is beyond my capabilities and I really think that’s where someone in that business can help. The “prana” system seems to rely on a temperature differential between the inside and outside and it’s not something I’d expect would work well in the extended hot months of the Gulf Coast where you really need that A/C cooling to pull the moisture from the air. But it’s a topic I know zip about.
I record inside our house and for several months I simply cannot really use my small converted bedroom because closing it up and turning off the house AC (with its large, noisy return outside the door) for recording only lasts for maybe 3 takes before I’m dripping
. If I really want to record, I go downstairs to the family room and use the Zoom. I can continue to mix in my treated room with the AC running, though I depend more on headphones then, too.
Good luck!
I record inside our house and for several months I simply cannot really use my small converted bedroom because closing it up and turning off the house AC (with its large, noisy return outside the door) for recording only lasts for maybe 3 takes before I’m dripping
. If I really want to record, I go downstairs to the family room and use the Zoom. I can continue to mix in my treated room with the AC running, though I depend more on headphones then, too.Good luck!