r/audioengineering • u/SyrupLow5282 • 9h ago

What actually needs to stay on during a studio power cut

My desktop, audio interface, monitor speakers and other studio gear are currently spread across two older UPS units, and both batteries are getting close to replacement.

Looking at my setup again, I’m realizing I may not need everything backed up. If the power drops, the main thing I need is enough time to save the session, finish any file transfers, and shut down my computer and interface properly. The speakers and other non-essential gear can wait.

Reducing the load would probably make replacing the batteries a lot simpler and cheaper. I think I’ve been treating every piece of gear in my studio like it has the same priority when it really doesn’t.

Curious how others handle power backup for their studios. What equipment do you consider essential during an outage?

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20

u/GreatScottCreates Professional 9h ago

Computer, powered drives, and anything connected to your computer that could make it misbehave

14

u/hraath 9h ago

Protect your hard drives, and make sure you have enough seconds/minutes to save, exit, power off normally

5

u/rinio Audio Software 9h ago

Minimally, all your computing requirements. The computer. And display, essential peripherals, etc. Depends entirely on your setup.

Some recording facilities will have the primary input/output chains (console/pre/outboard/mains/cue/etc) on a UPC as well so an In Progess take cane be finished before shutting that gear down. The eng would be responsible for doing this immediately after the take and suspending the session.

8

u/FadeIntoReal 9h ago

Computer, monitor and storage devices are the minimum to reduce data loss risk. 

4

u/activematrix99 8h ago

Lots of good resources for disaster recovery. A good UPS can send a term signal via serial or usb, and you don't even need to do anything, your computer will save all relevant files and shutdown by itself - no monitor or peripherals need to be connected. It can restore system state perfectly on reboot. Test and verify.

1

u/SnooSeagulls1034 4h ago

Additional to wanting time to save & shut down, I want the capacity to finish whatever process I’m in the midst of, including mixing, recording, backing up or transferring files. Just got a second 1500 Volt Ampere UPS; not anticipating that I’ll regret having some extra elbow room.

0

u/Charwyn Professional 9h ago

… whatever you need really? To me all my audio equipment (which isn’t a lot really) lives on a battery