My father was a Master Electrician who wired MANY well-known studios in
Los Angeles and Orange County, CA. I asked him about this and he told
me the answer is two-fold; first a low voltage solution takes the 60Hz
hum out of the room and and remote switching removes the actual
controls to a remote location in the studio where they are soundproofed
(like a acousticaly dampened wiring closet.)
These controls can be one or the other solution or both. He told me
most "high-end" studios use remote controls (radio or infrared) to dim
studio lighting. These lighting systems are not inexpensive, however
you can put something together ad-hoc that will accomplish the same
thing; check
www.dimmers.net and look at RadioRA systems which are a
cheap version of the commercial systems that the studios use (for
example.)
As a side note, dad says never use flourescent lighting anywhere in a
studio, period. All wiring should be properly isolated (in other words,
booth wiring should have it's own circuits isolated from studio outlets
and lighting at the bare minimum) and conditioned. He says there are
many studio noise problems that stem from improper electrical
installations. He ought to know, he's 73 (semi-retired) and is still a
paid consultant for several large commercial studios and film
production houses.
-Jeff
Dude Japan wrote:
I am aware that some light faders (rayostats?) give off a buzzing
noise. There is one in my parents house, for example, that bugs the
dickens outta' me. Can someone recommend a specific light dimmer for
the track lighting that I am putting in my studio room?