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Punch

Joined: 07/10/09
Posts: 6

What lights for a suspended ceiling????
#997025 - 10/07/12 03:10 PM

I'm having a new rehearsal room built to spec which has a suspended ceiling using 600mmx600mm modular sound block.... however....I'm puzzled to know what to do with the lighting. There are offices above so I'm after the best way to get decent lights with minimum sound leakage. >>>> susp ceiling will be heavily insulated with acoustic quilting.

Do I a) get modular lighting (but thus reducing the sound conditioning leading to leakage)

b) get fittings that hand off the ceiling (like protected fluorescent tubes)...ugly...

c) get wall mounted light fittings (least sound leakage)

d) is there another way? can the modular lights be packed with sound deadening insulation and sealed with acoustic mastic? ... obviously causing a problem if a bulb goes!

Any ideas would be most welcome!

Joe

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James Perrett

Joined: 10/09/01
Posts: 9709
Loc: The wilds of Hampshire

Re: What lights for a suspended ceiling???? new

[Re: Punch]
#997032 - 10/07/12 03:52 PM

Don't waste money on a suspended ceiling - it won't cut down sound transmission by very much (been there, done that, had the noise complaints). Your best bet is to build a complete room within a room with the inner layer completely separate from the outer layer apart from where it touches the floor.

James.

--------------------
JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

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Punch

Joined: 07/10/09
Posts: 6

Re: What lights for a suspended ceiling???? new

[Re: James Perrett]
#997036 - 10/07/12 04:21 PM

...sorry...neglected to say we are building a room within a room....but with a suspended ceiling sitting on the wall structure (but decoupled)....

to my knowledge they're hanging a ceiling off the existing one and packing a foot void with sound....

so, not recommended?

Any tips on the lighting?

Cheers!

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James Perrett

Joined: 10/09/01
Posts: 9709
Loc: The wilds of Hampshire

Re: What lights for a suspended ceiling???? new

[Re: Punch]
#997148 - 11/07/12 09:52 AM

So you've got at least 2 new layers of plasterboard between the suspended ceiling and the existing ceiling? In which case there's no need to worry about sound leakage through the light fittings as the plasterboard will be doing the bulk of the soundproofing. I wouldn't even worry too much about packing the void with anything provided you are using acoustic tiles in the suspended ceiling. The function of the ceiling tiles is to control the reverberation time in the room - not to provide any soundproofing.

In my last studio we just mounted halogen downlighters in the suspended ceiling which worked fine.

James.

--------------------
JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

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Madman_Greg

Joined: 07/12/06
Posts: 709
Loc: The back of beyond

Re: What lights for a suspended ceiling???? new

[Re: James Perrett]
#997458 - 12/07/12 03:40 PM

if you plan on halogen downlights, be aware of the need for fire/heat protection, I believe you can now buy units with this built in as well

http://www.screwfix.com/p/halolite-downlight-fire-guard-220mm/97932?source =aw&cm_mmc=AffiliateWindow-_-DeepLink-_-Na-_-Na

--------------------
Madman_Greg

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Punch

Joined: 07/10/09
Posts: 6

Re: What lights for a suspended ceiling???? new

[Re: Punch]
#997565 - 13/07/12 09:13 AM

thanks folks.....really helped me out!

cheers

joe

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