Audio Technical Requirements

Audio Technical Requirements for Secrets of the Magdalen Laundries

I. Overview

The audio for "Secrets" is played back from an 8-channel digital audio player. The player feeds four pairs of very small speakers that are attached to clothes lines along with four of the hanging bedsheets, and two sets of compact stereo speakers with subwoofers that are attached to the walls behind four wall-mounted bedsheets. The player runs automatically and continuously, looping an audio program which lasts about 15 minutes. Wires must be run from the player to the speakers. The setup, wiring, testing, and balancing of the audio system takes about two man-days of time, and we recommend that someone familiar with electronic audio equipment be recruited for the task. All equipment including hookup wire is provided, along with very detailed instructions.

The speakers are positioned to form, roughly, two concentric "circles" of sound. The outer circle is formed by the speakers on the walls. The inner circle is formed by the speakers attached to the clotheslines within the room. The "circles" do not need to be perfect, as long as the four speakers in each set are roughly facing each other and roughly equidistant. This requirement must be taken into account when deciding the location of the sheets. The playback equipment should be located as near to the installation as possible, yet out of site of installation viewers.

Independently of the main audio setup, two channels of sound from a CD player are fed to speakers located underneath two of the washtubs in the installation. Small motion sensors attached to the ceiling turn the speakers on only when a person is nearby. Both the speakers and motion sensors are wireless, so installation is simple.

A typical installation (varies with site geometry)

II. Complete Equipment List

Quantity

Equipment (all provided by artist)

1 Fostex VR-800 8-channel hard-disk-based digital audio recorder/player

4 preassembled pairs of 3.0" miniature loudspeakers

2 stereo 1 Watt power amplifiers for the miniature loudspeakers

4 computer-style 10 Watt self-powered flat-panel loudspeakers

2 adjustable-level subwoofers, one for each pair of the above

1 portable CD player

2 wireless portable loudspeakers with stereo transmitter

2 X10 wireless infrared motion sensors and low-power relays

1 X10 radio receiver for above

as needed white 28 gauge zip cord for transmission along clothesline ropes

as needed 4-conductor white unshielded cable (telephone wire) for mini-speaker hookup.

as needed dual-conductor shielded wire for self-powered speaker hookup.

3 surge protecting and RMI filtering power strips

custom audio connectors and adapters

Quantity	Equipment (all provided by artist)
1	Fostex VR-800 8-channel hard-disk-based digital audio recorder/player
4	preassembled pairs of 3.0" miniature loudspeakers
2	stereo 1 Watt power amplifiers for the miniature loudspeakers
4	computer-style 10 Watt self-powered flat-panel loudspeakers
2	adjustable-level subwoofers, one for each pair of the above
1	portable CD player
2	wireless portable loudspeakers with stereo transmitter
2	X10 wireless infrared motion sensors and low-power relays
1	X10 radio receiver for above
as needed	white 28 gauge zip cord for transmission along clothesline ropes
as needed	4-conductor white unshielded cable (telephone wire) for mini-speaker hookup.
as needed	dual-conductor shielded wire for self-powered speaker hookup.
3	surge protecting and RMI filtering power strips
	custom audio connectors and adapters

III. Electrical Power Requirements

110-120 Volts, 3 Amps.

IV. Replacement Value of All Equipment

$1,500