Fabric Audio - Studio Construction

[fabricaudio]

Photos of the lounge with the couch and carpet. We are working also on the door handles

Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

work in progress in the control room

Nikolas

[mellitacas]

Niko, hello from Heraklion, Crete! I just got to read your thread and I also checked your website, quite impressive!

Just a quick question regarding your wall's structure... I noticed that you have 3 layers of AlfaBlock installed, inner layer for the CR, inner layer for the LR and an additional middle layer. Is there a specific reason to use a 3-leaf system instead of 2-leaf (Mass - Air - Mass) considering that you will get a better TL for high frequencies but worse for low with additional expenses? And the way buildings are constructed in Greece, you need as much isolation for low frequencies as possible...

Thank you in advance for your time!

John

[fabricaudio]

Hi John


There only two layers of alfablock between the two rooms, but there are three layers of rockwool.

Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

Originally Posted by mellitacas

Is there a specific reason to use a 3-leaf system instead of 2-leaf (Mass - Air - Mass) considering that you will get a better TL for high frequencies but worse for low with additional expenses? And the way buildings are constructed in Greece, you need as much isolation for low frequencies as possible...

Thank you in advance for your time!

John

I agree, three layers of alfablock can make things worst

Nikolas

[mellitacas]

Originally Posted by fabricaudio

There only two layers of alfablock between the two rooms, but there are three layers of rockwool.

Right, my bad...

Originally Posted by fabricaudio

three layers of alfablock can make things worst

3 or more layers of mass in a wall assembly: baaad! That was the first thing I learned since I started studying recording studio design and acoustics...

Any particular reason why you used alfablock (it's the ytong block, isn't it?) instead of normal cement blocks or bricks?

Have you done any tests regarding the isolation you achieved with that wall assembly?

Cheers,

John

[fabricaudio]

Yes i dont have the figures with me but the wall between the control and live is in theory 80 db, the rest of the walls are about 60 db and and we went close enough in practice.


Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

The third floor has a load capacity about 125 tonnes, although is a lot i needed to be sure that i will not be worried with the rest of the materials, for example each door is 100 kg. So i used alfablock-ytong (this just a company name) because it was easier to use. cleaner in construction and less risky for the weight. The idea of plasterboard also was too expensive since it is not a popular construction material in Greece.




Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

Originally Posted by mellitacas

Right, my bad...


That was the first thing I learned since I started studying recording studio design and acoustics...


Cheers,

John

Where did you studied ?


Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

We also launched our new layout in our webpage


FabricAudio


More photos and details will follow



Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

More photos from the progress in the control room, also a possible suitcase for our mics!!!


Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

some more progress


Nikolas

[takman]

Hey fabric audio, the build looks great.

I just moved to greece 9 months ago. I live 1 hour away from patra.

I want to build a rehearsal/live/practice room in my fathers house......i will have a lot of questions for you in the near future.

[fabricaudio]

Still on progress. Some rockwool is installed on the top corners


Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

More progress

Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

More photos

Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

The wall frames are on. We are working also on the console desk design

Nikolas

[matskull]

awesome place, congrat!

[fabricaudio]

Thanks matskull

Nikolas

[fabricaudio]

Start thinking for the patchbay too. I am aware of the ''hot'' wiring that may occur and especially since the studio is commercial many sound engineers may come and go. So the TT patchbay may seem a universal idea and space effective but nevertheless it may end up dangerous.


So i am seriously thinking this option too

XLR PATCH BAY

But of course as ALWAYS there is a possibility to make on our own!!!!

So these are the ingredients

1. THON RACKBLENDE 2HE 32XLR - U.K. International Cyberstore

2. NEUTRIK NA 3 FDM - U.K. International Cyberstore


A draft cost is about 200 eyros for 16 inputs 16 outputs.



Disadvantages

1. No half-normaling, normaling etc
2. Double rack space than the TT patchbay
3. More connections between modules with the extra plugs
4. Not very common



Advantages

1. No soldering
2. Simpler construction
3. More space to work between patch cables
4. Cheaper
5. No danger for 'hot wiring




I would appreciate some comments if there are any problems with my idea in terms of signal loss with the extra plugs



Nikolas

[matskull]

There's not a lot of option available, unless someone has one...?

Either you hard patch your wall-plate to your pre in, either you do like you suggested.

I don't think you'll have any loss.

[fabricaudio]

Thanks again matskull. The only reason i use feedthrough plugs is to avoid soldering.


Nikolas

[matskull]

Do you really need the option to patch mic to preamp in the control room?
At my place, not a pro studio but it gets the job done, I have a breakout box that is hard patched to my preamps in.

My pres are in my console so it's probably easier for me but if I had all kind of different pres I'd probably hard patch them and identify them on the breakout box.

Btw I did this box by myself, it has 16 xlr in (hard patched to my pre) and 8 tie (male xlr), those tie are available in my TT patchbay, it uses Db25 connectors to connect to the snake, it took some time to build but I like it.

[fabricaudio]

Originally Posted by matskull

Do you really need the option to patch mic to preamp in the control room?
At my place, not a pro studio but it gets the job done, I have a breakout box that is hard patched to my preamps in.

My pres are in my console so it's probably easier for me but if I had all kind of different pres I'd probably hard patch them and identify them on the breakout box.

Btw I did this box by myself, it has 16 xlr in (hard patched to my pre) and 8 tie (male xlr), those tie are available in my TT patchbay, it uses Db25 connectors to connect to the snake, it took some time to build but I like it.

Nice, it looks cool
My idea is to have any possible input and output from any module (mic pre, eq's compressors etc) so any engineer will have options, instead of going in the live room and changing mic input on the xlr box. My main argument is to avoid soldering, so i was only afradi if one more plug instead of soldering with downgrade my signal quality

Nikolas

[matskull]

Originally Posted by fabricaudio

Nice, it looks cool
My idea is to have any possible input and output from any module (mic pre, eq's compressors etc) so any engineer will have options, instead of going in the live room and changing mic input on the xlr box. My main argument is to avoid soldering, so i was only afradi if one more plug instead of soldering with downgrade my signal quality

Nikolas

It's gonna be pretty versatile.
I don't think that using a connector is going to degrade your audio signal.
The only problem I could see is oxidation on the connectors creating problems over time compared to soldering.

[Cold Jazz]

Originally Posted by fabricaudio

1. THON RACKBLENDE 2HE 32XLR - U.K. International Cyberstore
Nikolas

I went with the Thon Rackblende you mentioned above.

But the difference is that I bought gold plated Neutrik XLR plugs - which I of course had to solder.

I only used high quality cables - Mogami, as well as high quality soldering materials. So I'm not worrying too much about any quality loss.

The upper section of the "Rackblende" is hardwired to the studio, and connected to a similar XRL-rack. The lower section is hardwired to the mic pre's.

The other patch bays I'm using are TRS ones from Signex - also gold plated.

But I don't think you have to worry too much about signal loss with your solution. Because I take it for granted that you only will use high quality cabled...

[fabricaudio]

Originally Posted by Cold Jazz

I went with the Thon Rackblende you mentioned above.

But the difference is that I bought gold plated Neutrik XLR plugs - which I of course had to solder.

I only used high quality cables - Mogami, as well as high quality soldering materials. So I'm not worrying too much about any quality loss.

The upper section of the "Rackblende" is hardwired to the studio, and connected to a similar XRL-rack. The lower section is hardwired to the mic pre's.

The other patch bays I'm using are TRS ones from Signex - also gold plated.

But I don't think you have to worry too much about signal loss with your solution. Because I take it for granted that you only will use high quality cabled...

Thanks Cold Jazz

I forgot to mention the patch cables. These are the ones i am thinking

CORDIAL CFM 0,5 FM SW - U.K. International Cyberstore

Nikolas

[matskull]

Originally Posted by Cold Jazz

Mogami, as well as high quality soldering materials.

Which material did you use?

[fabricaudio]

Originally Posted by matskull

It's gonna be pretty versatile.
I don't think that using a connector is going to degrade your audio signal.
The only problem I could see is oxidation on the connectors creating problems over time compared to soldering.

The environment is controlled in the room, humidity and temperature. But even if it comes in oxidation i can just change them.


Nikolas

[matskull]

Originally Posted by fabricaudio

The environment is controlled in the room, humidity and temperature. But even if it comes in oxidation i can just change them.


Nikolas

Exactly.