EVERETT, MA Studio Design

solo-bration wrote:

Funny how it's the least glamorous/interesting part of a studio, yet one of the most expensive aspects of a build.

until you run out of oxygen and then suddenly it's worth the price :twisted:

Haha, yes I know. This has been one of the toughest things to get people to fully-understand - when they offer cheaper/alternative ideas (all which do NOT include circulation of fresh air) :D

My contractor is attempting to pull permits tomorrow :D If everything goes well, we could be starting the build next Monday.

cool!

gullfo wrote:

30 amps for the CR and LR should be enough (unless you have an older large console...) - probably split it on 3 15 amp breakers (i know it = 45) where one is the light circuit (not likely to take more than a few amps but 15 amp breakers are typically as low as you go...) and 2 more circuits for the outlet power - one per room. use a single leg off the main power for the outlet side to avoid any potential for 220v due to wiring or equipment defects. use the other leg for your lighting and HVAC (or other induction motor equipment). star ground for the outlets etc etc.

1) Looking back at this Glenn, is "star grounding" something I'd need to explain to an electrician? I've looked it up, but I'm confused about what it really means. 2) Also, if we run the hvac (needs 30 amps) and all lighting (<15amps) on the same leg will that exceed the 30amps available on that leg? Does the available total of 60amps split evenly across the 2 legs (30/30)? or if one leg needs (for example) 3 3 amps, will it just take it?

HVAC is not run on the same breaker as anything else. If something requires 30 amps, then this is an expectation of a possible flow. If you couple a potential 15 amp on to that, not only is double lugging a code violation, it will most likely be a constant source of frustration since the 30 amp breaker being constantly pushed beyond it's ability will trip. Let your electrician handle those details, that is what he is getting paid for. If he is not certain of how to approach a star ground, then you guys should get educated together on this avenue since the electrician is the more qualified between the two of you, an he actually gets to become a better electrician because of your job :)

Hi Brien, I appreciate you stopping in with advice. The more the merrier! Just to clarify, I was saying that the HVAC and lighting would share a "leg" in the breaker box. They wouldn't share an actual "breaker". My electrical knowledge is (clearly) limited, but based on what I'm learning from Glenn... there are 2 legs to work from? The "breakers" are the switches inside, yes? Just wondering if working from 60 amps total, would a 30 amp(hvac) breaker + a separate 15 amp(lighting) breaker exceed what is available on one leg? I would love to simply let the electrician do his job, but because this is a studio - I'm afraid some of his standard procedures may not be ideal when it comes to power for clean/quiet audio. So that is why I'm looking for more advice/details, so I can better spell out what we need. Here's what I think Glenn is suggesting:

that is correct although it's often easier to put in a small sub panel - then you can terminate the star grounds (a single dedicated wire to each outlet terminated only at the panel) easily as well as ensure additional breakers etc do not inadvertently get placed on the wrong leg later and so on. plus you can located the sub panel with it's convenient for your studio...

"I would love to simply let the electrician do his job, but because this is a studio - I'm afraid some of his standard procedures may not be ideal when it comes to power for clean/quiet audio" It is not any different one from the other...The one leg gets the main breakers (those that consume the most amperage) and the other leg gets the basic devices. It is not rocket science, the electricians know this, and it is a natural process by the trades NOT governed by anything other than lack of education when a potential fear is imposed from one that knows little to one that has read to much. You can be assured, in a residential environment, there is no mystical wiring techniques that require you to get out side of the belief that your paid for help cannot achieve what is expected of them under a permitted job. If you are having doubts, then that is you...not your electrician.

So I have nothing to worry about. Exactly what I want to hear.

The only thing I might add is this. Your wiring should run high/overhead for 120V and low or under slab for low voltage/audio cables. Typically an electrician will want to run wire thru the studs, horizontally across the wall assembly. You want to eliminate this process in effort to eliminate the potential for 60Hz cycling thru mics, or amp heads, anything that can pic it up really. Keeping electrical and audio cables 24 inches apart and not running parallel to each other can help to reduce this detrimental effect that is hard to correct once the build is completed:)

YES! Thank you. That is exactly the kind of (unknown to me) issue I was looking for advice/warnings about :D

Well I'm excited to say we've finally begun building. Glenn, I see that you post occasionally over on gearslutz, so you perhaps have already seen - but if not I posted a few photos there of the first couple days. http://www.gearslutz.com/board/photo-di ... ction.html Thought about posting some photos here too, but I think that'd be overkill :wink:

Hi guys, hope everyone had a nice holiday. So I've nearly completed my build and I'm about to tackle the treatment of my Iso booth. Because we designed it with the ceilings pretty high (14') it is currently more like a reverb chamber (or perhaps 'flutter echo' chamber). the dimensions are about 5'X9'X14'. I plan to deaden it with 703 absorption panels and I have some Auralex panels too. Before I begin though, are there any tips other than 'the deader the better' with something like this? It's just so tall, I was maybe considering hanging absorbers ("hangers") to maybe help avoid having to cover every inch in 703? Any input is welcome. Thanks!

i would suggest hanging some absorbers from the ceiling - not hangers per se, maybe space out 4 2'x4'x4" absorbers about 12" apart and hung down about 2'. this will provide an open space above for LF absorbtion and still be close enough to dampen the ringing. then if it still needs a bit more, add some absorption onto the surface of the ceiling. another consideration - put some wires with hooks hanging down so you can suspend a couple of polys or space coupler in the event you want some more life in there - acoustic guitar, small drum kit etc. whilst still having the overhead absorption.

Thanks for the info Glenn. I'll try that in the ISO. I also have some treatment questions for my live room. I hung 4" 703 clouds on the ceiling covering about 80% of the rooms ceiling. I also have 4 corner traps (4" 703 w/FSK facing - about 7'X2' each). They really helped remove a lot of the flutter echoes and 'slapback' I was getting, but now I'm starting to think I've overdone it on the absorption - as the room is starting to feel a little too dead. So I'm wondering if I can "face" these existing panels with something more reflective? Wood slats? Sort of how slot resonators look? Or are those only effective in an airtight frame? Or maybe some kind of thin plywood that I could put behind the fabric inside the absorber frames? Or would that negate the absorbing? I'd like to find an inexpensive solution, but something that doesn't look too "hack" :? I'm thinking diffusers will help too, but I feel like I need to figure out these panels first.