Air cond. work-around
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Posted on Oct 15, 2005 11:39 am
n.andrew munger
we prefer "percussionist"
Member Since: Jul 21, 2004
My studio's in a rental rehearsal space where I have no control over the AC system. The whiny hiss isn't too bad, unless I have a lot of tracks going and it keeps reinforcing itself. So, my idea is this - get a sheet of plywood a little bigger than the vent (it's in the ceiling), maybe line it with some type of acoustical treatment, and suspend it a couple of inches below the vent so I still get some airflow. Anybody know if this will cut some of the noise, or will I have to block the vent entirely and sauna myself down a pants size?
Related note - I've been thinking of making a similar baffle for the computer - it's on the floor, and if I'm using a bass drum mic or micing the bottom of a hand drum it tends to be pretty noticable. I'm hoping a baffle b/t the comp. and mic will cut the sound without blocking airflow to the comp. itself. Ideas?
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Oct 15, 2005 01:57 pm I'm considering building an entire secondary enclosure for my cpu that's lined with eggcrate foam and venting it on the top and bottom only. Have to monitor my cpu temps though. Do you have the capability to monitor your cpu temperature? That'd be the big thing that you don't overheat your core.
Oct 15, 2005 05:53 pm AC's a bugger alright. Record the AC noise by itself, and flip its phase in the full mix. See if that works..
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Oct 15, 2005 08:07 pm I ried the enclosure but it will need an external heatsink or the computer will overheat...very effective at quieting down noise though... now the plan is to simply keep it in a different room with a 25ft wireless keyboard and mouse and VGA extension cables...
el musicoFreeleance Producer/Engineer/GtrMember
Since: Aug 11, 2002
Oct 15, 2005 08:50 pm I would remove the AC vent and make a box with Duct board to extend into the room with the vent on the bottom of it. the duct board should help dampen the sound and orienting the vent at a 90degree angle should help further.
Oct 15, 2005 10:18 pm silence or mute tracks when the instrument is not playing... eg toms, only put the track "on" when the tom is being hit? Or vocals, only when the person is singing...
There is always noise going on at the shed I record at (e.g rain on the tin roof, carpenter saws, motorbikes, go carts next door etc). Just muting the tracks when they are not in use works wonders...
Oct 18, 2005 01:27 pm Thanks for the input, gang. I've done all the "mix" stuff- silencing out the "silent" parts, running a noise canceller/phase shifter. I was just looking for something I could do to avoid having to do that stuff. Unfortunately, I don't think I can actually remove the AC vent, but I'll see what I can come up with!
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Oct 18, 2005 05:06 pm if your on a computer, there are some very good noise reduction programs out there. Otherwise, I don't know what to do physically about the problem.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 18, 2005 10:06 pm n.andrew, the idea of the baffle in front of the vent works well. I run into the same situation here and that is what I do. As well I baffle the fresh air return as that can be a source of noise as well.
