Has anyone built themselves a studio and NOT used a proper hvac ventilation system?

Any good ideas on how to get fresh air in and old air out yet still maintain soundproof-age?

Thanks.

full point wrote:Has anyone built themselves a studio and NOT used a proper hvac ventilation system?

Any good ideas on how to get fresh air in and old air out yet still maintain soundproof-age?

Thanks.

I built a practice studio that had a miniature split air conditioner (compressor outside, air handler inside connected via hose and pipe). The air handler was dead quiet. I mean super "is it on?" quiet.
An air purifier (outside the space) pumped fresh air through flexible duct which snaked behind the wall, then into the room. On the other end of the room there was another duct of equal length (buried as well) wich was used to equalize the pressure and be the exhaust. This worked out well for this room. It was also expensive though.

Some guidelines:

-Line ducts with acoustical lining (blankets - not the bedding type)

-Insulate outside of ducts

-high-volume, low-velocity supplies will be quieter

-bends in insulated, low-velocity duct will provide isolation from the AHU/supply equipment

-no bends within a distance approx. 6x to 8x the width/diameter of the duct to the opening

-no dampers in proximity to openings (if at all)

-supply grilles should have little surface area to restrict air flow or generate noise

*apply the reverse to return/exhaust systems

Good luck!

One of my pet peeves in high-end studios is horrible HVAC.


The thing to understand about any reasonably sound proof room is that it's exactly the same construction as an industrial furnace. Getting it hot or cold is less of a problem than an ordinary room while simply moving enough air in and out to be comfortable is way more of a problem.

Almost all HVAC contractors use a book that tells how to spec an ordinary, relatively uninsulated, leaky room. This is dead wrong for studios and the result is that you need to chill it way down in order to avoid suffocating. When they tell you they are an "expert at studios," it generally means they know how to mechanically isolate the system and damp the ducts so they won't rattle.

OK, our priority is moving lots of air. The quietest way to accomplish this is a high speed fan and a muffler system much like what you use on a car engine. Low speed "acoustical" systems almost never move enough air and the low resonance frequencies are almost impossible to get rid of. Great for a movie house where you don't want to spend a bundle and rumble is acceptable but bad for a studio.

So let's say you have the high speed fan.

Couldn't you turn it on and off at will and move a hell of a lot of air due to it's speed? Turning it off would stop the low frequencies you speak of, no?

Absolutely!

There's also "New York quiet air conditioning" where the record relay turns on the "recording" sign and kills the air.

Too bad Slow Tools hasn't got a record relay...

olh wrote:Absolutely!

There's also "New York quiet air conditioning" where the record relay turns on the "recording" sign and kills the air.

Too bad Slow Tools hasn't got a record relay...

That has to be rough on the compressor right?