Recording Studio Power

[xport]

I am building a recording studio behind my home in seperate building. I live in a rural area with overhead power lines. I have 400A 120/240V service to my garage, with 200A service going to my 1800sqft home. 200A spare- I had extra power brought out when i built home for the studio.

Objective is to have power on one "clean" dedicated phase/leg for all audio equipment and other "dirty" phase/leg for air and lighting.

Since the 400A service is 3wire does this mean that the house is contaminating both legs already?

Any recomendations on how to get clean phase for studio?

Thanks i advance - Dan

 

[ultramegabob]

Isolation transformer feeding a sub panel for your recording studio.

 

[iwire]

http://www.b-p-t.com/balanced-power-ultra-isolators.html

 

[dereckbc]

Connect all lighting and mechanicals to the service and run all A/V gear through a balanced power or an isolation transformer. Equi-Tech is the leader of balanced power for recording studios

 

[ultramegabob]

http://www.b-p-t.com/balanced-power-ultra-isolators.html

I wonder what one of those suckers cost...

 

[Besoeker]

Any recomendations on how to get clean phase for studio?

Thanks i advance - Dan

A UPS would do it.
Transformers can do something about noise but not a lot about harmonics.

 

[iwire]

I wonder what one of those suckers cost...

I have no idea, Dereck may know, I think he may own a balanced power supply. :smile:

 

[iwire]

A UPS would do it.
Transformers can do something about noise but not a lot about harmonics.

That would have to be an online UPS not the typical homeowner standby APC units sold everywhere.

 

[Besoeker]

That would have to be an online UPS not the typical homeowner standby APC units sold everywhere.

Agreed.
...

 

[xport]

Thanks to all!

Thanks to all!

thanks for all our ideas - Dan

 

[xport]

$$$ How Much

$$$ How Much

Does anybody have a ball park price for any of these 150-200a panels?

 

[wireguru]

That would have to be an online UPS not the typical homeowner standby APC units sold everywhere.

and make sure its true sinewave

 

[dereckbc]

Transformers can do something about noise but not a lot about harmonics.

Harmonics in a single phase system? Balanced power systems are basically an isolation transformer with no grounded circuit conductor or neutral.

 

[dereckbc]

I have no idea, Dereck may know, I think he may own a balanced power supply. :smile:

Yes I have a Equi-Tech 2R system. It is a rack mounted type 2 KVA unit, 240 input, with 1 10-a output and 8-13-a outputs.

Can't tell you how much it cost because it was a perk from Equi-Tech at a Xmas party because I built a boat load of data centers using their isolation transformers. But I can tell you they are not cheap.

If I were to design a small recording studio I would use either one of their Wall Cabinet systems with built-in distribution, or just buy one of their dry-type isolation transformers. It would all depend on the volt-amps needed.

 

[ultramegabob]

Yes I have a Equi-Tech 2R system. It is a rack mounted type 2 KVA unit, 240 input, with 1 10-a output and 8-13-a outputs.

Can't tell you how much it cost because it was a perk from Equi-Tech at a Xmas party because I built a boat load of data centers using their isolation transformers. But I can tell you they are not cheap.

If I were to design a small recording studio I would use either one of their Wall Cabinet systems with built-in distribution, or just buy one of their dry-type isolation transformers. It would all depend on the volt-amps needed.

thats some slick stuff....

 

[brantmacga]

have you run any equipment on the service feeding your house already and experienced problems?

usually noise comes from the board (in a digital system; i presume that's what you're installing), and a simple power conditioner will clear that up. one had noise problem that couldn't be solved, until a 70' deep earth ground was installed. that left zero noise in the system.



From the equitech site:

Sound quality can also be affected by intermodulation distortion occurring as a result of the presence of ac noise in the audio or digital signal bandwidth. Even if the noise level is inaudible, it is likely that program material will be colored by the presence of electrical interference.

In more sophisticated areas of application, for example high-end digital signal processing (such as broadcast automation or even MDM recording), unacceptable error rates are often attributed to background electrical interference. Digital jitter is the "smoking gun" that points to high frequency AC noise. Digital jitter is caused in part by high frequency electrical interference approximating the bit stream rate of the digital signal.

those sound like plain old scare tactics!

 

[MikeGee]

Would using Furman Power conditioners solve your problem.

 

[TOOL_5150]

Bob [iwire] has it - balanced power. And yes, they do cost a lot. Having a recording studio of my own. I know how importand it is to have clean power.

I use an old apc matrix ups to isolate my recording equipment from the grid. Along with power conditioners and such.

Dont split the legs as you have suggested - you are going to seriously unbalance your full load.

~Matt

 

[TOOL_5150]

Would using Furman Power conditioners solve your problem.

furman power conditioners are a waste of money. Get a conditioner that has 3 stages of filtering, such as a monster pro 3500

~Matt

 

[Besoeker]

Harmonics in a single phase system?

Yes, certainly.
Pretty much every piece of electronic equipment takes non-sinusoidal current.
Computers, printers, copiers, FAX machines, televisions, light dimmers, CFLs, chargers, shavers, insect zappers, and other stuff.....it would probably a much shorter list of those that don't.