Ceiling Treatment for Listening Room / Acoustic Guitar Playing

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philhjobim

New member
I am adding thermal insulation to a very cold room which is a converted stable with thick stone walls. Half of the exterior walls are also underground.

The ceiling plasterboard will be taken down and 75mm PIR foam sheet placed up into the cavities between the 5inch joists.

I would welcome advice on how to finish the ceiling surface, for the room to sound good for hifi listening and playing acoustic guitar.

The floor will be concrete>30 mm PIR foam sheet>22mm chip flooring>thick carpet
Three walls are thick stone>gap>concrete block tanking wall>50mm PIR foam sheet> surface finish will be decided last to allow adjustment to the acoustic.
One end wall is exposed original stone blockwork.

Room dimensions 7.0m long X 3.7m wide X 2.1m high

Thanks, Phil
 
For non-recording or non-mixing, you don't need to worry about ceiling reflections. Standard sheetrock/gypsum will be fine. How much acoustic treatment do you see in most living rooms? None. Soft furniture (couches, chairs) and a carpet will take up most of the annoying reflections for standard listening.
 
mjbphotos said:
For non-recording or non-mixing, you don't need to worry about ceiling reflections. Standard sheetrock/gypsum will be fine. How much acoustic treatment do you see in most living rooms? None. Soft furniture (couches, chairs) and a carpet will take up most of the annoying reflections for standard listening.
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Fair comment. Let me ask a follow on then. Suppose I have fussy ears, and an audiophile approach to sound reproduction, if I was going to reduce issues with the ceiling reflections what would be the first things to look at?

[Perhaps it would also be relevant that I might get out by Neumann TLM103 to capture a little Martin or Taylor sound from time to time......]

Thanks, Phil
 
2" fiber ceiling clouds' for sure. Though I've only done the same for my 'tracking room', I know the logic of it is an 'ougth to'. Ceilings can be as close or closer than side walls, and no one questions those as reflection points.
 
philhjobim said:
Fair comment. Let me ask a follow on then. Suppose I have fussy ears, and an audiophile approach to sound reproduction, if I was going to reduce issues with the ceiling reflections what would be the first things to look at?

[Perhaps it would also be relevant that I might get out by Neumann TLM103 to capture a little Martin or Taylor sound from time to time......]

Thanks, Phil
Click to expand...

Ok, so now it just became a tracking room .... :guitar: How big is the room (including ceiling height)? Do you want permanent acoustic treatment? A 2" ceiling cloud, suspended a few inches below the hard surface is good.
 
Thanks Mixsit, I am trying to avoid clouds due to low ceiling, so trying to get the room right at the surfaces themselves.

mjbphotos said:
Ok, so now it just became a tracking room .... :guitar: How big is the room (including ceiling height)? Do you want permanent acoustic treatment? A 2" ceiling cloud, suspended a few inches below the hard surface is good.
Click to expand...

I made it a tracking room, because you didnt seem to like the format of my original question. :cool: Some people like to listen to music anyhow in a room that has an acoustic good enough for tracking......

mjbphotos said:
Soft furniture (couches, chairs) and a carpet will take up most of the annoying reflections for standard listening
Click to expand...

After 3 years use of the room with soft furniture and a carpet I find it doesnt take up enough annoying reflections to be comfortable for me. The furnishing does damp some aspects of room mode and reverberant field, but the room has a very low ceiling, is long, and is a big stone box. Hence my looking for what is the right way to treat this low ceiling.

Room dimensions as given in my original question: 7.0m long X 3.7m wide X 2.1m high

Perhaps I should just fill the joist cavities with acoustic batts and cover with perforated sheet or fabric and use the whole area as a broadband trap, rather than adding a plasterboard / plaster surface and then having to add damping back.

Thanks
Phil
 
philhjobim said:
Perhaps I should just fill the joist cavities with acoustic batts and cover with fabric and use the whole area as a broadband trap, rather than adding a plasterboard / plaster surface and then having to add damping back.
Phil
Click to expand...

Exactly what I would suggest. :)

I did that in my drum room and it sounds great. I used Roxul because it is more dense and holds itself up in the space, but good ole pink fluffy will work as well. You can just staple up the cloth then add trim strips over the cloth on joists to make it look nice.
 
philhjobim said:
Thanks Mixsit, I am trying to avoid clouds due to low ceiling, so trying to get the room right at the surfaces themselves.
[snip]
..Room dimensions as given in my original question: 7.0m long X 3.7m wide X 2.1m high

Perhaps I should just fill the joist cavities with acoustic batts and cover with perforated sheet or fabric and use the whole area as a broadband trap, rather than adding a plasterboard / plaster surface and then having to add damping back.
Thanks
Phil
Click to expand...
2.1 being the smallest dimension.. I'd think you're on a good track there. Several inches of soft stuff above practically removes the effect of that dimension, and one of your worst 'bounce points.
If you've ever walked past a large ear level absorber... let's just say it's going to have quite an impact on that space.
 
Yes, now you've given us more details - filling between joists with rockwool and then (breathable) fabric covering would be the best option so you don't lose any more headroom.
 
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