AUMC AV Blog

So instead of going to sleep tonight (like I should), I am going to post here the layout of our new sound booth. Don't worry, most of this was typed out for a post at ChurchMedia.net (an amazing site, BTW), I just have to change a few things so it will flow here.

Anywho, on with the important (IE: fun) things. First the overlook, then I will explain:



(And when I say "Not Drawn to Scale", I really mean that! Click on the "photos" tab above for recent shots of the booth (remember to go to Page 2). They will give you a more accurate feel of the space.)

OK, here is the explanation. We decided to leave the "main rack" in the corner, and pull it out if we need to get to the back of it. This will allow the most space in the sound booth; it will also cordon off the back of the rack so that it would be hard to accidently bump something back there. I am not worried too much about the video guy needing room; we will buy stools for the booth, and there is plenty of space to sit/stand/move around (we were moving around it all day today and had no problems).

The audio mixing board will be in the booth, centered on the window. To the left there will be the lighting board. It won't be used much, but it is there. (On a side note: Good news! We will be able to control house lights from inside the booth... yea! Great job getting that done, guys! I think that this is a small thing that can make a huge impact when used well.)

To the right of the audio mixing board will be a short rack with audio stuff in it. This is so that the audio guy can have quick access to things he needs. To the right of that will be a short rack with video stuff, including the scaler/switcher. Above the video rack, we will hang the computer monitor(s) on the wall. This will be a great placement for the video guy, and it will give us more counter space.

We designed the space not only for the "now" but also thinking into the future. We know that there are some changes that we would like to make to make the system optimal, and while I hate not being able to make the system optimal now, I understand that it is not practical to make those things happen. So, the idea is to one day in the future renovate the sound booth to build it out into the sanctuary, basically adding another counter 5 feet in front of the counter that is there now. At that time we would move the audio mixer and other audio stuff to the new counter, freeing up lots of space on the back counter.

Once we free up all of that counter space, we could do something else: cut out the end of the counter and put the main rack where the "short video rack" is in the sketch up there. This would make even more room in the sound booth.

However, if we did that, we would run into a problem. The original plan was to run the wires under the booth and up the back wall to get to the rack (there is an access panel to get under the booth, so it is very easy to get under there). But if we move the rack to where the counter is now, then the cables would be strung the wrong way, we would have to re-punch all of the cables to the patch bay, and that is not something that I want to do.

The compromise is to build a "trench" along the back wall (it is the red line in the sketch above). It will be small (several inches tall, several inches deep), and because we are doing it now, it will be carpeted over, it will have a nice cover that is supported so if someone steps on it it won't break, and it will be easier to run cables instead of crawling under the booth every time we change something. Again, this isn't "optimal", but it opens lots of doors without closing any.

So that is the plan as it stands. I am confident that we have made the best overall decisions while limiting our loses. I am looking forward to getting in and actually installing some of these things in the space.

Matthew