FOH booth

[StradivariusBone]

Are there ways to get around this? In a work place, if everyone is a paid employee, you can make it adaptable. In a school where it's used for education, no. In a church, well, church vs state probably let's you get away it. But you I have to ask if you want to discriminate? I find it easier and better to design a solution rather than trying to find a way around doing the right thing.

I've built two booths recently, both were 8" raised off the existing floor with a 36" opening, but a step and no ramp. I set the desk height at 29". For both scenarios, an 8" rise was ample for line of sight issues. Personally, if the height of the desk going to bar height is due to visibility I'd rather raise the platform of the booth itself. It wouldn't be hard to add a wheelchair ramp to either of the two I designed and built as there is ample room outside of the entry on both.

The home improvement stores sell laminate countertops for reasonable rates which are almost not deep enough for most consoles. I supported the center of the desktop in the middle with a purpose-built 19" rack for gear mounting. I attached an in-progress pic of my most recent one.

 

[ruinexplorer]

Depending on your com situation, I have seen many smaller spaces put the SM on SR. He/She would need a FOH camera that could monitor the space, but then calling cues would be less bothersome to the audience. The light and sound op would only have to talk when necessary. In addition, to avoid the noise, you might be able to use cue lights to avoid the noise of cue calling.

 

[Skervald]

Thanks, @derekleffew. I had taken a look at those threads and there is good information there. I was hoping the discussion on this one would center more on little design features people like (or dislike) and less on the reasons to position audio desks in the house and safety concerns surrounding code violations. (though those are important topics!)

Depending on your com situation, I have seen many smaller spaces put the SM on SR. He/She would need a FOH camera that could monitor the space, but then calling cues would be less bothersome to the audience. The light and sound op would only have to talk when necessary. In addition, to avoid the noise, you might be able to use cue lights to avoid the noise of cue calling.

Great ideas and something I will suggest they try if noise becomes a problem.

Thanks for the photo @StradivariusBone. The bar height idea is off the table (or bar?) due to ADA concerns so I think your 29" counter height is closer to what we'll end up with. You bring up a good point about counter depth. Standard kitchen counter depth is 24". I was thinking about suggesting a 30" depth to account for larger consoles and to give a little extra room for cables. Of course that means gluing laminate but it seems like a little extra expense and work is worth it to have something that works. Do you think that's overkill?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Convenience - if not mentioned - continuous plug strip or equal with the USB receptacles as well as the basic 120 receptacles.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

And instead of plastic laminate, what do you think of MDO or HDO, with some edge of course. Seems about right color, tough, economical. Does come 4*8 so perhaps some waste.

Depending on the "wall" I like supporting it on brackets with no legs. Build from angle or a few companies make them. I think you said just float off wall for continuous wire way.

People, especially during tech, will lean on top of wall. A nice hardwood or plastic "top", not something painted or that will not clean easily.

If despite your efforts there will be beverages (drinks in the booth made me think of LDI and beer) consider cup holders.

Definitely plan for great chairs - adjustable in all ways - a super desk chair. 4 of those could cost more than the construction.

Carpet under. Dark surfaces behind and under. No reflective hardware.

Consider a cupboard - perhaps one each end - for valuables (head sets?).

Counter height - will sound have a half rack here? That might determine some things. Especially if on wheels.

Comfort and convenience - I'll think of more...

 

[TheaterEd]

Thanks, @derekleffew. I had taken a look at those threads and there is good information there. I was hoping the discussion on this one would center more on little design features people like (or dislike) and less on the reasons to position audio desks in the house and safety concerns surrounding code violations. (though those are important topics!)



Great ideas and something I will suggest they try if noise becomes a problem.

Thanks for the photo @StradivariusBone. Standard kitchen counter depth is 24". I was thinking about suggesting a 30" depth to account for larger consoles and to give a little extra room for cables. Of course that means gluing laminate but it seems like a little extra expense and work is worth it to have something that works. Do you think that's overkill?

My counter is 29" deep and my Yamaha M7CL just barely fits with the cables getting squished. I didn't like the abuse they were taking so I put a platform on the counter to get the board up to the height of the window and thus have more room for the cables to breathe (while also getting it the board up to a 'bar height' so I can mix standing or on my high chairs. It ain't too pretty, but it works.

Definitely a +1 to having usb ports for charging phones in the booth. The techs shouldn't be using their phones, so its a great time to charge them...

 

[EdSavoie]

"shouldn't be on their phones"

Until the rights companies give you the accompanying track via iOS app...

 

[StradivariusBone]

Of course that means gluing laminate but it seems like a little extra expense and work is worth it to have something that works. Do you think that's overkill?

I don't. I was at one point considering that route with laminate on top of MDF, but in both these cases the mixer dimensions made using the pre-built stuff an acceptable choice. Both booths were built in such a way that removal and replacement of the desk would be a relatively simple task if need be. Bill's right about surfaces that are easy to clean though. These spaces take a lot of abuse. It's a tricky thing to build something that looks aesthetically acceptable in the house, but also will withstand a lot of abuse.

My counter is 29" deep and my Yamaha M7CL just barely fits with the cables getting squished. I didn't like the abuse they were taking so I put a platform on the counter to get the board up to the height of the window and thus have more room for the cables to breathe (while also getting it the board up to a 'bar height' so I can mix standing or on my high chairs. It ain't too pretty, but it works.

We've got a GLD 80 and it's about the same with our counter. However, it's been in the back of my mind to build a raked platform for it to sit on. The angle of the scribble strip LCD's on that board is such that sitting at the desk you have to lean over the top of it to see them at the right angle. Elevating the back would fix that problem and also allow a bit more wiggle room for cabling.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

"shouldn't be on their phones"

Until the rights companies give you the accompanying track via iOS app...

I tend to have the opposite view: everyone in sight is going to ask for a phone charge, and a 6- or 10-port Anker with 1 foot cables is -- what comes after Epsilon, in the pantheon of Capital Expense that's lost in the noise?

If you're gonna do it anyway, take up *one* AC outlet, and don't require people to be messing with the power strips all the time. And you're *gonna* do it anyway. ;-)

https://www.anker.com/products/A2133111

Oh, and get the good Anker cables, and spike tape them so they don't walk off.

 

[Chris15]

Oh, and get the good Anker cables, and spike tape them so they don't walk off.

Were it me, I'd not spike tape, I'd get a small padlock and just lock all of the cables together including the mains cable.
It works better with "full sized" connectors rather than micro USB or lightning, but it might slow people down...

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Counter depth - my standard is 36" plus a 3" gap to wall behind. It does seem some newer boards are a little less deep.

The comments on USB dangles and boxes taped to the counter are interesting but somehow recessed devices behind decora style plates sem cleaner and simpler and it it doesn't work any maintenance electrician can replace a standard part from the local supply house. Also, the redundancy of several devices with 2 or so ports seems better planning than one device with 10 for the long term.

Its been awhile since I built one but since I had what seemed like an unlimited supply of dance floor scraps - remnants from a well known manufacturer/supplier - that on ply, with a 1 x 2 oak strip on front edge, seemed great. Thin double faces tape on back edge held the vinyl in place and it floated so never buckled.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I must disagree, Bill because in my humble opinion, there's no call for having that many receptacles in the booth. All your tech gear with the *possible* exception of power amps (which might not be in the booth, if you're lucky) belongs on a UPS, and it only needs one wall outlet. The power bar, if necesary, goes *behind* the UPS. In-wall receptacles - such as much have built in USB power - obviously, can't. In other news, the Anker will almost certainly be better built than the ones inside the Levitons.

Few things make me crazier than 8 or 10 outlets on a wall, and one thing plugged into them: a UPS.

I generally recommend 2 20A branch circuits to the booth, with one duplex receptacle each, unless you have more load than that. If you can put them on separate panels, more power to you. (Pun *entirely* intentional, I assure you.)

 

[SteveB]

Attached some photo's of our sound and lighting position at the rear of the orchestra seating at the Whitman Theater, Brooklyn College.

This position was custom designed and built as in-house in 2004 after an extensive theater renovation. We took advantage of a new rear aisle design (concrete aisle extensions, ramps, railings) and laid in a 4"x4" divided trough to the side wall of the theater for cable'ing and power. Then built the position. It was designed by myself and our head audio engineer, who did the build. It's an all wood unit.

Approx. 18 ft. in length, lighting has approx. 7ft., audio has 11. The house right area of the platform has room for a 6ft table for video or a visiting sound console. The lighting desk has room for the Ion (with no wings) plus assorted visiting consoles. At the position are about a 8 or so E-Net cables, 2 DMX dry lines, multiple headset cables, the DigiCo digital snake, the obsolete 40 channel analog audio snake, ETC Unison cables and 3 x 20 amp power runs - Lighting, Audio and Video/Whatever.

The audio section has 2 pull out rack units for processing, though much of what was in here is now handled by the Digico built-in processing.

The lighting section lower right has a locked 3 shelf storage cabinet holding an ETC Net 2 4 port node as well as a local E-Net switch and a power station and I can store 2 2x20 wings when nit in use. The lower left pull-out drawer has a UPS as well as the connections for Unison and Ethernet. The trough on the upstage side of the lighting section has extra power, headset cables, ethernet and 4 DMX lines to the local node. As well there's a drawer for manuals, paperwork, pens, tape, etc... and there are 2 pull-out sliding flat desk tops for laying paperwork, etc...

The position closes up by sliding panels into grooves on L and R side sections. The front and rear panels then get 3 lid tops to close the top. There are 4 padlocks per position to secure. We also lock the chairs.

 

[derekleffew]

People, especially during tech, will lean on top of wall. A nice hardwood or plastic "top", not something painted or that will not clean easily. ...

They will also set everything imaginable on that convenient ledge. Consider sloping it specifically to discourage that practice.

 

[StradivariusBone]

They will also set everything imaginable on that convenient ledge. Consider sloping it specifically to discourage that practice.

There are of course more draconian methods...

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I must disagree, Bill because in my humble opinion, there's no call for having that many receptacles in the booth. All your tech gear with the *possible* exception of power amps (which might not be in the booth, if you're lucky) belongs on a UPS, and it only needs one wall outlet. The power bar, if necesary, goes *behind* the UPS. In-wall receptacles - such as much have built in USB power - obviously, can't. In other news, the Anker will almost certainly be better built than the ones inside the Levitons.

Few things make me crazier than 8 or 10 outlets on a wall, and one thing plugged into them: a UPS.

I generally recommend 2 20A branch circuits to the booth, with one duplex receptacle each, unless you have more load than that. If you can put them on separate panels, more power to you. (Pun *entirely* intentional, I assure you.)

That doesn't seem to cover tablets, phones, lap tops, coffee makers, other chargers, etc. I'd rather that than be a nazi on the users or have all manner cube taps and power strips.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

They will also set everything imaginable on that convenient ledge. Consider sloping it specifically to discourage that practice.

They'll still lean on it, sloped or level.

 

[RonHebbard]

There are of course more draconian methods...

Forget the notion of having a row of sharp, pointy, spikes. I'm liking the notion of having it patrolled by a clean, non pooping, falcon or a small moat with a couple of hungry gators. Maybe even a few pirannah. Does anyone remember the row of musically tuned flaming gas pipes that someone posted some years back on ProSound and suggested he'd like to have installed across the top of his meter bridge and activated by an spare aux bus?
It was something that began as a physics experiment as a proof of performance of feasibility and then progressed from there.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[Chris15]

They'll still lean on it, sloped or level.

Yeah, but leaning is much less problematic than the inevitable glass, bottles, etc that can spill.
If angled, it should slope away from the booth and into the house for fairly obvious reasons...

 

[Jay Ashworth]

That doesn't seem to cover tablets, phones, lap tops, coffee makers, other chargers, etc. I'd rather that than be a nazi on the users or have all manner cube taps and power strips.

Well, that's what the second outlet is for; shore power on a separate circuit.

[ More: ]

Another reason this is important is that, in most circumstances, you want to be able to master-switch *all the devices downstream of the UPS*, but not the UPS proper; you still want that on so it will charge. (Some UPSs charge while plugged in but turned off; some, I have found, do not). Putting a power bar behind the UPS gives you the best of both worlds. It also means there isn't a power switch for someone to accidentally turn off -- though in a UPS environment, instead of losing the show, you just get a loud, equally irritating thought that might be.

So, in general, as I say, I lean towards dual power bars -- TECH and SHORE -- plugged into independent 20A circuits feeding a single 5-20R receptacle, one with a UPS in line. If you can get a UPS with a 12AWG line cord, so much the better -- switchover UPSs can get into coffin-corner on long runs, where they can't charge the battery fast enough after power returns because the line cord has to carry the whole load as well as the charger.

If you can afford a line-interactive or online UPS, so much the better, as discussed in a Toodleoo Thread earlier this month. ;-)