AKARSH SHEKHAR
Avoiding Power Disasters In Your Studio Is Easy
When the lights go down in your studio during a session ( along with everything else ), it means you have a crisis on your hands . Instead learn how to avoid costly studio power disasters by implementing power conditioners and uninterruptible power supplies .
UPS :
UPS provides battery in the event of a power outage . In this case , the UPS makes an immediate transition to battery power , allowing your gear to stay on even though the main power is down and even save your work and properly power down devices .
However , UPS is not a generator and you shouldn ' t expect to have your entire studio ( amps , mics , console , speakers , lights , outboard gear , etc .) running through a UPS . Don ’ t simply keep a session going in the event of a power outage . A UPS will just buy you the time you need to save your settings and files if you need to shut down everything with little warning .
Another rule of thumb is if a piece of gear needs time to boot up when powered on , it should probably be protected by your UPS . The most obvious example is the computer running your DAW — and don ’ t forget your computer monitor too , otherwise you won ’ t be able to see your desktop to save your work and shut down properly . Obviously , any drives or recording devices need to be protected as well . You may decide it ’ s advantageous to protect network gear like routers with your UPS too so that you can maintain network connectivity ( this is especially important in larger multi room facilities ).
Always plug all your gear into UPS for maximum protection !
Power Conditioner :
A power conditioner will protect all gear against harmful voltage spikes and other power anomalies . A professional power conditioner resists transient voltage spikes with ease , clamps down on errant voltages reliably , and will sacrifice itself if necessary ( like in the event of a catastrophic lightning strike ) to protect your equipment . Most power conditioners will actually utilize some type of EMF / RF noise filtering to prevent noise from “ dirty ” power leaking into your audio system . Some conditioners even offer sequenced power cycling to turn your gear on and off in the correct order .
However , a power conditioner will not keep your gear running after a power outage like a UPS will ; it will only protect against surges and spikes associated with the initial outage . And it ’ s important to note that a power conditioner will not actually correct or stabilize irregular voltage levels — that is a job for a voltage regulator and is outside the scope of this article . Basically , a power conditioner is there to provide clean power to your gear , to salvage against surges , and in the event of a power surge that the power conditioner cannot completely absorb , to sacrifice itself to salvage whatever gear is plugged into it .
What Should I Plug into My Power Conditioner ?
If not already plugged into your UPS , your computer and monitor , should be plugged into a power conditioner . Things like analog mixers , mic preamps , keyboards , and guitar amps typically won ’ t suffer in the event of a power failure , but they are susceptible to day-to-day voltage irregularities and transient spikes . A power conditioner will prevent against any harmful voltages , while also offering a better way to power on or turn off multiple pieces of equipment simultaneously .
Now you know how to power and protect the gear in your studio . You should go ahead and get a combination of UPS and power conditioning solutions for maximum protection against electrical issues . Even more ideally , you will have an emergency shutdown procedure in place to quickly and safely power down your studio when it ’ s running on a UPS .
The Score Magazine
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