Subject: Re: Question on sound booths From: "Hacihabiboglu, Huseyin" <huseyin.hacihabiboglu@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:03:30 +0100 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>--_000_C84F91921E09huseyinhacihabiboglukclacuk_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Leo, I have specified and acquired two acoustic booths (one for University of Su= rrey and a larger one for King's College London). In both cases we bought o= ur booths from Esmono (a Dutch company, http://www.esmono.nl/index.asp?ADID= =3D119) who shipped modular wall panels to London and installed the booth i= n location. Here are several points (in no particular order of importance) = which come to my mind: * There are two types of booths in general: single-walled and double-walled= . If external noise is a problem go for the double-walled version. * Dimensions of the booth. Make sure that you don't have standing waves in = the booth. Although it is not directly related, ITU-R.BS.1116-1 may be usef= ul as a starting point. * Floor material and its mechanical insulation. Typically they use carpet o= ver wooden boards and the wooden boards can cause creaky sounds. * Lighting inside the booth. 'Energy-saving' light bulbs (compact fluoresce= nt light bulbs) will cause more electrical noise than incandescent light bu= lbs (which unfortunately are currently being phased out in the UK, and will= be phased out in the US before 2014, so you may consider stocking ;)). * Power supply. Needless to say this perhaps, but the total wattage provide= d by the power outlets in the booth should be greater than the total power = requirements of the instruments (loudspeakers, projectors, audio I/O units = etc.) you plan to use inside the booth. Also, having a separate electrical = ground for the booth would help to prevent noise from other electrical inst= ruments connected to the same ground. * Ventilation. This is a tricky issue as no matter how 'quiet' the ventilat= ion units, they will produce noise. * Window or no window. For subjective tests involving visual monitoring of = the subject(s) this may come in handy. However, it will cause acoustical pr= oblems. It may also be a good idea to position a video camera inside the bo= oth for monitoring purposes. * Data I/O. The booth in University of Surrey has a single large hole to pa= ss many audio and video cables, while the one at King's College London has = several small holes. By experience I find that it is better to have several= small holes instead of a large single hole in order to minimise external n= oise entering the booth. Best, Huseyin -- Huseyin Hacihabiboglu, Ph.D. Centre for Digital Signal Processing Research (CDSPR) King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS T: +44 (0)20 7848 1857 | F: +44 (0)20 7848 2932 | V: husshho (skype) W: http://www.hacihabiboglu.org On 29/06/2010 05:18, "AUDITORY automatic digest system" <LISTSERV@xxxxxxxx= ILL.CA> wrote: > Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:08:45 -0700 > From: Leonid Litvak <lmlitvak@xxxxxxxx> > Subject: Question on sound booths > > --0016e649d84add4cc0048a1f3319 > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=3DISO-8859-1 > > Dear List, > > We are considering two different sound booth manufacturers available in t= he > California area. Both are offering the booths of comparable size and > nominally same specs, but with very different prices attached to them. Do= es > anyone have experience in ordering booths? How do we choose? Anything in > particular to watch for besides the specs? > > Thanks a lot! > > Leo --_000_C84F91921E09huseyinhacihabiboglukclacuk_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: Question on sound booths</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <FONT FACE=3D"Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:= 11pt'>Dear Leo,<BR> <BR> I have specified and acquired two acoustic booths (one for University of Su= rrey and a larger one for King’s College London). In both cases we bo= ught our booths from Esmono (a Dutch company, <a href=3D"http://www.esmono.= nl/index.asp?ADID=3D119">http://www.esmono.nl/index.asp?ADID=3D119</a>) who= shipped modular wall panels to London and installed the booth in location.= Here are several points (in no particular order of importance) which come = to my mind:<BR> <BR> * There are two types of booths in general: single-walled and double-walled= . If external noise is a problem go for the double-walled version.<BR> * Dimensions of the booth. Make sure that you don’t have standing wav= es in the booth. Although it is not directly related, ITU-R.BS.1116-1 may b= e useful as a starting point. <BR> * Floor material and its mechanical insulation. Typically they use carpet o= ver wooden boards and the wooden boards can cause creaky sounds. <BR> * Lighting inside the booth. ‘Energy-saving’ light bulbs (compa= ct fluorescent light bulbs) will cause more electrical noise than incandesc= ent light bulbs (which unfortunately are currently being phased out in the = UK, and will be phased out in the US before 2014, so you may consider stock= ing ;)).<BR> * Power supply. Needless to say this perhaps, but the total wattage provide= d by the power outlets in the booth should be greater than the total power = requirements of the instruments (loudspeakers, projectors, audio I/O units = etc.) you plan to use inside the booth. Also, having a separate electrical = ground for the booth would help to prevent noise from other electrical inst= ruments connected to the same ground.<BR> * Ventilation. This is a tricky issue as no matter how ‘quiet’ = the ventilation units, they will produce noise.<BR> * Window or no window. For subjective tests involving visual monitoring of = the subject(s) this may come in handy. However, it will cause acoustical pr= oblems. It may also be a good idea to position a video camera inside the bo= oth for monitoring purposes.<BR> * Data I/O. The booth in University of Surrey has a single large hole to pa= ss many audio and video cables, while the one at King’s College Londo= n has several small holes. By experience I find that it is better to have s= everal small holes instead of a large single hole in order to minimise exte= rnal noise entering the booth.<BR> <BR> Best,<BR> <BR> Huseyin<BR> <BR> -- <BR> Huseyin Hacihabiboglu, Ph.D.<BR> Centre for Digital Signal Processing Research (CDSPR)<BR> King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS<BR> T: +44 (0)20 7848 1857 | F: +44 (0)20 7848 2932 | V: husshho (skype)<BR> W: <a href=3D"http://www.hacihabiboglu.org">http://www.hacihabiboglu.org</a= ><BR> <BR> On 29/06/2010 05:18, "AUDITORY automatic digest system" <<a hr= ef=3D"LISTSERV@xxxxxxxx">LISTSERV@xxxxxxxx</a>> wrote:<BR> <BR> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">> Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:08= :45 -0700<BR> > From: Leonid Litvak <<a href=3D"lmlitvak@xxxxxxxx= M">lmlitvak@xxxxxxxx</a>><BR> > Subject: Question on sound booths<BR> > <BR> > --0016e649d84add4cc0048a1f3319<BR> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=3DISO-8859-1<BR> > <BR> > Dear List,<BR> > <BR> > We are considering two different sound booth manufacturers available i= n the<BR> > California area. Both are offering the booths of comparable size and<B= R> > nominally same specs, but with very different prices attached to them.= Does<BR> > anyone have experience in ordering booths? How do we choose? Anything = in<BR> > particular to watch for besides the specs?<BR> > <BR> > Thanks a lot!<BR> > <BR> > Leo<BR> </FONT><BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </SPAN></FONT> </BODY> </HTML> --_000_C84F91921E09huseyinhacihabiboglukclacuk_--