Topic: AC no AC (Read 3734 times)

Thomas W. Bethel · « **on:** June 28, 2009, 09:45:44 AM »

Just wondering if any one does not use their Air Conditioning in the summer when they are doing a session due to noise problems or other factors.

My room with the AC running is measured at NC-25 which is fine with me. The other day a client asked me to turn off the AC while we were mastering a very quiet acoustic piece as he said he was having problems hearing with the system shutting off and then back on and the background noise was interfering with his listening to the recording.

It was 86 degrees outside and it did not take too long for the studio to go from 74 degrees to over 80. It was not a comfortable temperature for me and after about two hours I again switched it on. I put the fan on manual and left it that way for the rest of the session.

So I am wondering if other change the environment of their mastering studios to suit their client's wishes?

Thanks in advance.

tom eaton · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2009, 11:03:16 AM »

I'll happily change temperature and lighting. I can hear fine regardless of either. I like cold and relatively dark, but know not everyone has the same ambient comfort needs.

tom

jdg · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2009, 12:48:12 PM »

the small in room unit i have is too loud for me, but it has a remote so i can switch it off when needed, but it comes back on during bounce downs/ non critical times.

one of the systems i'd love to put in is one of those slim new mitsu units.
i have heard them in a studio environment, and they're amazingly quiet.

Peter Beckmann · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2009, 05:25:57 PM »

With all the Class A electronics, tube gear and amps etc, no AC is not work able for me.
My AC [Fujitsu I think] has a super quiet mode, which is very very quiet.

I think there's been a lot of progress over the last few years in efficiency and noise levels. My system also has a heat mode for winter, although I think I've only ever needed it on for a couple of hours one day ever!

Like Tom I like it on the cool side, helps my concentration.

Peter

Jerry Tubb · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:01:19 AM »

About the only time I turn off the HVAC unit is during the final tweak of the transitions between songs, to hear the tiny details of the fades and crossfades without cranking it up. Most of our sessions are attended, and I get the client really involved in this part.

That said it's been over 100 degrees everyday in Austin for the last week or two, looks like it's gonna be a record hot and dry summer, extreme drought conditions continue. I'm ready for a mild rainy summer instead : - )

JT

tom eaton · « **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2009, 11:04:41 AM »

Move here. Mild and rainy every day. This summer anyway. I've had the ac running for a total of 8 hours so far this year.

t

Jerry Tubb · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2009, 09:55:29 AM »

tom eaton wrote on Mon, 29 June 2009 10:04

Move here. Mild and rainy every day. This summer anyway. I've had the ac running for a total of 8 hours so far this year.

Nice!

40% chance of rain here today, I'm hearing thunder, oops, now raindrops! ... I may go out and dance in the rain.

Last Friday my friends at the Threadgill's (aka Armadillo World Headquarters) had their annual "Fan Drive" to buy fans for elderly folks.
Lots of live music, great food & spirits.

JT

bblackwood · « **Reply #7 on:** June 30, 2009, 10:34:07 AM »

Hot and humid here all summer long, AC is not optional to me.

If it's too noisy, work to make it quieter.

prolearts · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2009, 12:18:53 PM »

We spent an awful lot of money on AC design and implementation here but the upside is that the AC in our control room is literally silent, I cannot ever tell if it is on or not.

This was mostly achieved with lots of bends in fully lined ductwork with some very nice duct silencers on both the feed and return sides, and also having a unit that can be made to move the air slowly is a big key.

I was just in Houston for a few days and I don't think AC is optional for many people down there right now.

jdg · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2009, 12:59:45 PM »

im very thankful it only gets to about 80deg for 2mo here.

how you wonderful ppl who can stand the hot and humid weather is beyond me.

(and im sure you wonder how us PNW ppl handle the 9mo of cloud clover)

dave-G · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2009, 01:33:55 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Tue, 30 June 2009 10:34

Hot and humid here all summer long, AC is not optional to me.

If it's too noisy, work to make it quieter.

Indeed and agreed.

Here in Florida, life is dithered by air conditioning. The only thing as essential is beer refrigeration.

There are ways to minimize noise, and I've seen some installations of the mini-split type rigs mentioned above that are impressively quiet, if you can do with their smaller capacity.

-dave

Waltz Mastering · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2009, 02:05:56 PM »

tom eaton wrote on Mon, 29 June 2009 11:04

Mild and rainy every day. This summer anyway. I've had the ac running for a total of 8 hours so far this year.

Haven't needed to use the AC yet this summer in New England as well.

It's been more like Seattle here lately. Wasn't there supposed to be the big global warming thing. I haven't seen it...

TotalSonic · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2009, 03:14:58 PM »

Waltz Mastering wrote on Tue, 30 June 2009 14:05

tom eaton wrote on Mon, 29 June 2009 11:04

Mild and rainy every day. This summer anyway. I've had the ac running for a total of 8 hours so far this year.

Haven't needed to use the AC yet this summer in New England as well.

It's been more like Seattle here lately. Wasn't there supposed to be the big global warming thing. I haven't seen it...

"Global warming" was an unfortunate tag name that only tells one side of a multi-angle story - in what much more accurately should be referred to as "climate change." Essentially - what was expected and usual for an area is going to shift. i.e. When I was a kid just 30 years ago I could stay out in the sun for hours and just turn tan - now if I'm out in the sun for 2 hours I burn. And NYC also experienced a way wetter and cooler June than is usual for here. But for many places there is record droughts. So - the extremes in lots of different weather parameters are trending to go farther in both ways.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Waltz Mastering · « **Reply #13 on:** June 30, 2009, 09:02:56 PM »

TotalSonic wrote on Tue, 30 June 2009 15:14

"Global warming" was an unfortunate tag name that only tells one side of a multi-angle story - in what much more accurately should be referred to as "climate change." NYC also experienced a way wetter and cooler June than is usual for here. But for many places there is record droughts. So - the extremes in lots of different weather parameters are trending to go farther in both ways.

I did mean that jokingly.; ) I know globally (ice caps etc.) it's a serious issue.

bblackwood · « **Reply #14 on:** June 30, 2009, 09:20:32 PM »

Err, no need to get into political issues here - let's keep it on track...

crna59 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 01, 2009, 10:00:00 PM »

jdg wrote on Tue, 30 June 2009 11:59

im very thankful it only gets to about 80deg for 2mo here.

Unless you have 2 massive Pass Labs Space Heaters in your room!

Our AC is running year round. Thankfully we had baffles installed in lined ductwork. With the doors closed, you can't tell the AC is running.

Regards,

jdg · « **Reply #16 on:** July 01, 2009, 10:06:40 PM »

you guys out there are at least 15+ deg hotter/colder then us out by the sound.
for sure you need AC
and i got one of those pass labs heaters in here now too.
damned thing can fry bacon

bblackwood · « **Reply #17 on:** July 01, 2009, 10:18:39 PM »

jdg wrote on Wed, 01 July 2009 21:06

damned thing can fry bacon

Or any steaks that might be swinging about.

How can you only master with one?

Miles Cowperthwaite · « **Reply #18 on:** July 02, 2009, 08:30:44 AM »

I mostly lurk here, so forgive the tangential intrusion.

I have two questions.

1. Regarding this post:

crna59 wrote on Wed, 01 July 2009 21:00

Unless you have 2 massive Pass Labs Space Heaters in your room!

Our AC is running year round. Thankfully we had baffles installed in lined ductwork. With the doors closed, you can't tell the AC is running.

Do you actually have more than one person working there? I know it's common and good writing form to use a royal "we" in the brochure-speak of a website or similar copy, but when I see an individual's posts conversationally using 'we', I find it strangely grandiose.

And, wow you have two of those expensive amps? I keep telling my wife I wish she was an heiress or a wealthy widow or a supermodel or something. She doesn't appreciate it. Where did I go wrong?

Back to the topic:

2. Does anyone successfully use swamp coolers in a studio setting?

Thanks

tom eaton · « **Reply #19 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:07:45 AM »

1. Only takes a minute to visit a link...

http://pugetsoundstudios.com/studio/mastering/

I have always been a first person kind of person, though I could not say that I built my studio, or installed my HVAC system, those are definitely "we" projects... meaning me and a contractor, or me and my assistant. I can safely and honestly say I paid someone to install lined ductwork... so, if asked, I'd probably say "we" installed it... I did all the flex, holes in the rooms, baffles, etc., and the contractor hooked up gas and set the machinery up.

And, of course, Bruce is not the only one who actually works at Puget...

2. What the heck is a swamp cooler?

tom

Miles Cowperthwaite · « **Reply #20 on:** July 02, 2009, 10:53:52 AM »

tom eaton wrote on Thu, 02 July 2009 09:07

1. Only takes a minute to visit a link...

http://pugetsoundstudios.com/studio/mastering/

I have always been a first person kind of person, though I could not say that I built my studio, or installed my HVAC system, those are definitely "we" projects... meaning me and a contractor, or me and my assistant. I can safely and honestly say I paid someone to install lined ductwork... so, if asked, I'd probably say "we" installed it... I did all the flex, holes in the rooms, baffles, etc., and the contractor hooked up gas and set the machinery up.

And, of course, Bruce is not the only one who actually works at Puget...

We were unaware of this. Consider it an academic point. We think you could opt to use first person to describe actions you hired out, and we still wish my wife was wealthy, or a supermodel.

Quote:

2. What the heck is a swamp cooler?

Only takes a minute to visit a link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_cooler

Dry inland desert areas would have the low humidity required to support this type of cooling system. I'd imagine many on the East Coast wouldn't have ever heard of them, though.

tom eaton · « **Reply #21 on:** July 02, 2009, 11:11:49 AM »

Damn, man. Bruce provides a link in his signature if you wanted to visit his site, where you'd find both the amps in question and the other engineer who works at Puget.

No link was provided regarding swamp coolers. I'll check out the one you just posted.

Back on topic now?

TotalSonic · « **Reply #22 on:** July 02, 2009, 01:33:09 PM »

Miles Cowperthwaite wrote on Thu, 02 July 2009 08:30

And, wow you have two of those expensive amps?

Considering the ones he has are mono blocks you kind of need 2 of them to run a stereo setup. More cash than I would want to spend myself - but I have a Pass Labs amp also (a 2channel model bought second hand) and can understand the appeal of using them - even though are in fact serious space heaters as Bruce notes.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

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Author Topic: AC no AC (Read 3734 times)