Lighting and flooring

Loheswaran

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2014
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I am building a man cave in my loft conversion - it will give me a triangular shape.

I am following principles of a 'room within a room' construction. that said I am puzzled as to two issues:

1. What is the best lighting? - Energy saver bulbs really do introduce interference - the good old days of standard halogen bulbs are long gone now
2. Do I carpet the floor, or shall I put down wood and put a rug over the middle?

thanks

Lohan
 

Rodney Gold

Member
Jan 29, 2014
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LED lighting .. normal high voltage LED lights will work , if you want a dimmer , make sure the LED lights are of the dimmable variety .. use warm white .. the stock daylight gives a cold light
The most flexible floor is wood or fake wood over an acoustic underlay .. use rugs liberally
 

GaryProtein

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Jul 25, 2012
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LED lighting .. normal high voltage LED lights will work , if you want a dimmer , make sure the LED lights are of the dimmable variety .. use warm white .. the stock daylight gives a cold light
The most flexible floor is wood or fake wood over an acoustic underlay .. use rugs liberally

Why warm white 2700-3000 degK? I mean it's better than a candle, but not much.

On the other hand, real daylight 5000-5500 degK (call it cool or cold of you like) is the color of sunlight--the color of the light stars have been using to illuminate the universe for billions of years. Why shouldn't the light bulbs emit the same color light that shines in the windows?

The only warm white incandescent light bulb remaining in my house is in my oven. EVERYTHING else is 5000-5500 degK. Daylight is a HAPPY color.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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LED lighting .. normal high voltage LED lights will work , if you want a dimmer , make sure the LED lights are of the dimmable variety .. use warm white .. the stock daylight gives a cold light
The most flexible floor is wood or fake wood over an acoustic underlay .. use rugs liberally

Pretty much exactly what we did. acoustic underlay with engineered wood since we've got underfloor heating, 3000K dimmable LED/Lutron. We do have a few large lambskins, with 3 large pieces hanging on one wall...the other still to have large art/photos hung on them.
 

Folsom

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Oct 25, 2015
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LED's make more noise than incandescent, but the major source is dimmer switches. They're one of the worst. It's best to have the dimmer switch on another circuit than the audio gear. Even then, they're kinda nasty.

If it's all on the same circuit I'd probably just have brighter and darker lights for use, with the darker ones maybe being lamps of sorts.
 

GaryProtein

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LED's make more noise than incandescent, but the major source is dimmer switches. They're one of the worst. It's best to have the dimmer switch on another circuit than the audio gear. Even then, they're kinda nasty.

If it's all on the same circuit I'd probably just have brighter and darker lights for use, with the darker ones maybe being lamps of sorts.

Incandescent bulb filaments BUZZ when they are dimmed. Maybe you can't hear that! :D
 

Folsom

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Incandescent bulb filaments BUZZ when they are dimmed. Maybe you can't hear that! :D

When I say noise it's about noise on the electrical system. For what reason would I be talking about self noise, say, of switches (sliders really) that don't make audible sound? If bulbs buzz, I dunno, use other ones....
 

jdza

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May 3, 2010
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I am as guilty as everyone in the use of LED bulbs. The fact remains that each and every one of these bulbs has a small and very nasty switch mode power supply built in.

A friend of mine who is into ham radio has a nasty habit of walking around one's house with a portable cheap AM radio tuned off-station. The amount of noise picked up from LED bulbs is absolutely frightening.Try it!. Not applicable to audio? Well all that noise gets fed into the mains supply. Conditioners and mains cables may be wonderful but not having that noise on the line in the first place must surely be better?

A small AC suppressor cap across each bulb does work wonders .
 

Folsom

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Oct 25, 2015
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Well all that noise gets fed into the mains supply. Conditioners and mains cables may be wonderful but not having that noise on the line in the first place must surely be better?

Not exactly. Both is best. It works by division (no "brick walls") and there was plenty there before LED bulbs.
 

Bobvin

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Jun 7, 2014
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If you go LED, as I did in my remodel, be aware LED lights do not color shift to warmer color when dimmed (like a campfire or the setting sun) and depending on the temperature you choose can have a gastly grey color when dimmed. (You can buy color shifting bulbs and controllers, for much more expense and hassle.) For this reason I returned all my 3000 degree bulbs for 2700 degree. LED lights do not emit much red light energy, and they do not rely on a filiment which emits thermal radiation, so the dimmed result can be 'interesting.' Also be aware LED does not dim down as low as a filiment bulb and may stop at 15% (for example). Also be mindful of the CRI or color rendering index, and don't mix brands. Even then you will notice each bulb may be slightly different which is more apparent when you dim.
 

LenWhite

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2011
424
72
375
Florida
systems.audiogon.com
I am building a man cave in my loft conversion - it will give me a triangular shape.

I am following principles of a 'room within a room' construction. that said I am puzzled as to two issues:

1. What is the best lighting? - Energy saver bulbs really do introduce interference - the good old days of standard halogen bulbs are long gone now
2. Do I carpet the floor, or shall I put down wood and put a rug over the middle?

thanks

Lohan

I used the Luminaire/E359867 LED strips (warm white) around the outside perimeter of the ceiling acoustic panels, and blue LED strips around the center cutouts. They're on separate circuits from the audio/video equipment and controlled independently so I can use only the blue for music listening.

Engineered wood ("floating") was installed over the concrete slab.

I've put more detail regarding the acoustics of the room on my Audiogon virtual systems page https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5013
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,002
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com
I'm just glad my lighting system is totally separate from the studio. I also use JPS Labs Aluminata cables that have the best shielding I've used.
 

Loheswaran

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2014
432
99
258
I am as guilty as everyone in the use of LED bulbs. The fact remains that each and every one of these bulbs has a small and very nasty switch mode power supply built in.

A friend of mine who is into ham radio has a nasty habit of walking around one's house with a portable cheap AM radio tuned off-station. The amount of noise picked up from LED bulbs is absolutely frightening.Try it!. Not applicable to audio? Well all that noise gets fed into the mains supply. Conditioners and mains cables may be wonderful but not having that noise on the line in the first place must surely be better?

A small AC suppressor cap across each bulb does work wonders .

Hi Mate

This is the very thing I was talking about - electrical noise - it's creation and where it goes. I was trying to find a solution to have the interference not introduced I the first place. That being case are you suggesting a capacitor for each LED?

thanks

Lohan
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
2,794
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Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!
I just made some large cosmetic changes in my room, and changing from 2700K to 5000K (LEDs) was the most dramatic (and positive - even my wife likes them a lot). Here is a before and after photo of the lighting changes as well as the cosmetic changes. As far as LED's causing hum if dimmed - some do and some don't. I used the trial and error approach since what might hum in my room won't in your room.

Old Look: (The colors in this photo are not accurate. Much warmer than reality)

OldLook.JPG

New Look: (All room treatment is still the same but has been covered with black GOM - and the colors in this room are very close to accurate)

NewLook.JPG


FWIW, n my last two rooms, both of which were multi-purpose (music and HT), I had hard wood flooring for the first 7 feet, then carpet. In this room, I chose not to do that ........ but can't remember why (comes with the whole aging thing I guess).
 

Rodney Gold

Member
Jan 29, 2014
983
11
18
Cape Town South Africa
My lighting is not on my audio circuit (which is a battery fed 5kva pure sine wave inverter) .. no hum , no buzz etc.
One of the reasons I changed my whole house to led (circa 250 lights) is the fact that power delivery is poor , with surges and brownouts and it was killing my globes , spending large sums every 2-3 months for replacements..no such issues with LED... and of course the fact that they use a lot less electricity
 

Loheswaran

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2014
432
99
258
JDZA came up with a super suggestion relating to putting an AC suppression capacitor. But would the capacitor be used for the whole circuit, or individual LED lights?

As to the room I have decided to build a 'room within a room' and then use engineered wooden floors and rugs. That said I think the actual room treatment is gonna be 'fun' so to speak as the room is gonna be triangular in shape (being a loft)

thanks

Lohan
 

treitz3

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 25, 2011
5,455
949
1,290
The tube lair in beautiful Rock Hill, SC
I haven't experienced any issues with the Lutron dimmable switches yet (being broadcast through the speakers, introducing noise into the system or bulb buzz) and I have two in the audio room with two more in the bathroom off the listening room. No light bulb buzz either when dimmed.....but they do buzz in 2 of the other bathrooms when dimmed. Here are the exact ones I am using in the bathrooms...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-M...-CFL-LED-Dimmer-White-MACL-153MH-WH/203486488

Here is what I have in the stereo room;

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-M...D-Dimmer-Kit-White-MACL-153M-RHW-WH/203486520
^^^These are supposedly the same master switch as the one pictured first but these have no noise in the listening room.

The other one I use in the bathroom right off of the listening room has no noise, along with another one of the first Master switches for another light in that same bathroom

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-M...-with-Wall-Plate-White-MA-L3L3HW-WH/206196494

I do not know why two of the three bathrooms have noise and the listening room/listening room bathroom have no noise but I would sure like to know how I can eliminate the buzzing sound. It can get annoying when the ambient sounds are low. For now, I use primarily the listening room bathroom for my "gentlemen duties" but it would be nice to enjoy peace and quiet in the other bathrooms as well. It's only noticeable at night, even though the sound is present throughout the day when the bulbs are dimmed.

FWIW, I use all Cree 4 way LED bulbs (60w equivalent) and regular incandescent vanity clear globe bulbs (in bathroom off listening room only) for all lighting in all aforementioned areas.

Tom
 

GaryProtein

VIP/Donor
Jul 25, 2012
2,542
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385
NY
I just made some large cosmetic changes in my room, and changing from 2700K to 5000K (LEDs) was the most dramatic (and positive - even my wife likes them a lot). . . . .

When Gail and I met 15 years ago, I offered to change out all her light bulbs to 5000 degK and she refused. After a few months I insisted to change out the bulbs. After I changed them all, she said, "Why you didn't make me do this sooner?"

She would never go back to warm white 2700 degK. 2700 degK is dull, dingy and colors don't look anything like they should. 5000 degK is happy light.
 

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