M&E and AV Integration for Professional Recording Studios
InDesign Engineering delivers specialist mechanical, electrical and AV integration design and installation for commercial and professional recording studios across London and the UK. With over 20 years of experience in this sector, our engineers understand the technical demands of the recording environment in a way that generalist M&E contractors cannot.
Recording Studio M&E and AV
Specialist Design and Installation for Commercial Recording Studios
A professional recording studio is one of the most technically demanding environments in the built world. Every aspect of the mechanical, electrical and AV installation must be designed and delivered to a standard that supports the acoustic performance of the space, the reliability demands of continuous professional use and the specific workflow requirements of the engineers, producers and artists who work there.
InDesign Engineering provides a fully integrated M&E and AV integration service for recording studio builds, covering mechanical HVAC design to NR15-NR20 noise levels, specialist electrical design and power distribution, and the full scope of AV system design and installation from structured cabling and bantam patchbay manufacture through to large format console installation, Dante network integration and control system programming. With over 20 years of experience delivering projects for some of the most respected names in the UK music industry, our team understands both the technical requirements of recording studio design and the practical realities of working within live professional facilities.
Recording Studio Services
HVAC design to NR15-NR20 noise levels
Specialist electrical design and power distribution
AV system design in Revit and AutoCAD
Large format console installation
Bantam patchbay design and manufacture
Structured cabling and fibre backbone design
Large-scale Dante network integration
Avid installation and configuration
Crestron control system design and programming
Machine room and server rack design
AV Integration Clients
Our recording studio engineers have worked on some of the most significant studio builds and refurbishments in the UK, including projects for the following clients.
Our Work
Our Three Disciplines
Mechanical, Electrical and AV Integration Under One Roof
Recording studio design demands close coordination between mechanical, electrical and AV disciplines. Having all three under one roof means that interface issues between disciplines are resolved at design stage rather than on site, reducing risk and ensuring that the completed facility performs as intended from the point of handover.
01 / Mechanical
HVAC Design for Recording Studios
Mechanical engineering for recording studios is a specialist discipline. Air conditioning and ventilation systems must maintain stable temperature and humidity levels while achieving noise ratings of NR15 to NR20 in live rooms and control rooms. Our mechanical engineers design HVAC systems from the ground up with these requirements at the core, covering ductwork design, plant selection, vibration isolation and all associated mechanical services.
02 / Electrical
Electrical Design for Recording Studios
Power quality and distribution are critical in professional recording environments. Our electrical engineers design dedicated power distribution systems that provide clean, reliable power to all studio equipment, manage interference and earthing to the standards required for professional audio, and ensure that lighting, automation and emergency systems all operate without compromise. All electrical design is coordinated with the AV and mechanical design to avoid conflicts and ensure seamless integration.
03 / AV Integration
AV System Design and Installation
AV integration for recording studios covers everything from the technical infrastructure of the machine room through to the studio floor. We design and install complete AV systems including large format console installations, bantam patchbay design and manufacture, structured cabling, Dante network integration, Avid systems, Crestron control and soffit-mounted monitoring. All AV system design is produced in Revit and fully coordinated with the M&E design package.
Technical Detail
Recording Studio Design from Concept to Handover
Our recording studio design and installation services cover every stage of the project, from initial brief and concept design through to commissioning, testing and handover. We work closely with acoustic consultants, architects and main contractors throughout the process to ensure that all M&E and AV elements are properly integrated within the wider studio design.
Large Format Console and Studio Infrastructure
The installation of large format mixing consoles is one of the most technically demanding aspects of recording studio construction, requiring careful coordination between structural, electrical and AV teams. Our engineers have extensive experience across a range of leading manufacturers, managing the full process from delivery and rigging through to cable management, dedicated power distribution, technical earthing, patching, alignment and sign-off.
Bantam Patchbay Design and Manufacture
Bantam patchbays are the signal management backbone of any professional recording studio. We design and manufacture bespoke bantam patchbay systems based on a detailed understanding of the studio's signal flow requirements and workflow, ensuring that the layout reflects how the studio will actually be used in practice. All patchbay work is coordinated with the structured cabling design to ensure that every signal path is accounted for within the technical infrastructure of the facility.
Dante Network Integration and Digital Infrastructure
Large-scale Dante integration is increasingly central to the technical infrastructure of modern commercial recording studios. We design and implement Dante audio networks that provide flexible, low-latency audio routing across multi-room studio facilities, integrating Dante with the studio's AV system, control infrastructure and physical patchbay. Our implementation covers everything from network switch specification and configuration through to device routing, control system integration and coordination with the facility's wider IT and security environment.
Multi-Room Studio Installations
Commercial recording facilities typically operate as multi-room complexes, with live rooms, control rooms, iso booths, machine rooms and support spaces all requiring coordinated M&E and AV installations. We have experience in delivering large-scale, multi-room studio installations where the technical complexity of managing signal flow, power distribution and HVAC across multiple interconnected spaces requires a level of coordination that only an experienced specialist team can provide. Having mechanical, electrical and AV disciplines under one roof significantly reduces the coordination burden on the main contractor and ensures interface issues are resolved at design stage rather than on site.
Full Scope of Services
Everything Required for a Professional Recording Studio Build
Our recording studio design and installation services cover the complete technical scope of a professional studio build. The following lists the key services we provide across all three disciplines.
Mechanical
HVAC system design to NR15-NR20
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
Ductwork design and coordination
Cooling load calculations
Humidity control system design
Vibration isolation design
Plant room design and layout
System specification and documentation
Commissioning and O&M manuals
Electrical
Specialist power distribution design
Technical earthing systems
Dedicated studio power circuits
Lighting design and control
Electrical automation systems
Fire alarm and detection design
RF and EMC shielding design
Emergency lighting systems
Electrical installation and testing
AV Integration
Large format console installation
Bantam patchbay design and manufacture
Structured cabling and fibre backbone
Large-scale Dante integration
Avid installation and configuration
Crestron design and programming
Soffit-mounted monitoring systems
Machine room and rack design
Speaker calibration and measurement
Some Of Our Clients
Get in Touch
Discuss Your Recording Studio Project
Whether you are planning a new recording studio build, a refurbishment of an existing facility or a technical upgrade to an operational studio, our team is ready to assist. We work with studio owners, developers, architects and main contractors across London and the UK.
Contact us to arrange an initial consultation and find out how our specialist recording studio design and installation services can support your project from concept through to handover.