AKARSH SHEKHAR
Save Your Studio From Power Disasters
Lights going out in the studio during a recording session can end up being an absolutely unmitigated disaster . You can lose out on unsaved recordings and even cause some of your expensive equipment to get damaged . If the power goes out in your studio during a session , it means you have a crisis on your hands . Read on to learn how to avoid costly study power disasters by implementing power conditioners and uninterruptible power supplies . UPS
What is a UPS ?
It is an uninterruptible power supply , a piece of battery-based equipment that will provide power in the event of a power outage . A UPS plugs into a wall outlet and offers sockets that will power your sensitive computer equipment . In the event of a power outage , the UPS makes an immediate transition to battery power , allowing your equipment to remain on even when the main power is out . In other words , a UPS gives you time to save your work and properly shut down devices like your computer . Without a UPS , your computer and other digital devices would instantly shut down , losing any unsaved progress and potentially corrupting your files . When the lights go out , you don ' t want to think , " Did I save that file ?"
What should be connected to your UPS ?
The general rule of thumb is that if a computer needs time to start up when turned 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 as well , otherwise you won ' t be able to see your desktop to save your work and shut down properly . Obviously , any drive or recording device must also be protected . You may also decide that it is advantageous to protect network equipment such as routers with your UPS in order to maintain network connectivity ( this is especially important in larger multiroom installations ).
So why not connect all your equipment to one UPS for maximum protection ? The main reason is that most of your equipment , such as monitor speakers , mic preamps , analog EQs and compressors , etc ., are not threatened by the prospect of a power outage . After all , you won ' t lose settings in your analog gear rack or guitar amp just because the power goes out . What threatens the rest of your equipment are power problems like power surges , transient voltage spikes , and brownouts .
Power Conditioner
What is a power conditioner ? In short , a power conditioner protects your equipment against damaging voltage spikes and other power anomalies . It would be technically accurate to call a power conditioner a kind of surge protector . It is a really important piece of equipment for your recording studio and you shouldn ’ t miss out on it . A professional power conditioner withstands transient voltage spikes with ease , reliably suppresses errant voltages , and will sacrifice itself if necessary ( such as in the event of a catastrophic lightning strike ) to protect your equipment . Most power conditioners also employ some form of EMF / RF noise filtering to prevent " dirty " power noise from leaking into your audio system . Some even offer sequenced power cycles to turn your equipment on and off in the correct order .
What should be connected to your power conditioner ?
Everything that is not connected to your UPS , such as your computer and monitor , must be connected to a power conditioner . Things like analog mixers , mic preamps , keyboards , and guitar amps generally won ' t suffer in the event of a power outage , but are susceptible to day-to-day voltage irregularities and transient spikes . A power conditioner offers protection against these dangerous voltages , while also offering a better way to turn multiple equipments on or off simultaneously .
The Score Magazine
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