Final Stages of Booth Treatment

studiogenocide

studiogenocide

New member
Hey guys- I started the thread "First pics of my new studio" back in February, and got a lot of awesome ideas to help me complete my building from the ground up. I need some advice on the final treatment of my small room.

It is a 6' x 16' rectangle "hallway" with a 7' 2" ceiling at its highest point and 6' 3" at the lowest. The room is completely carpeted in with the exception of the ceiling and booth glass. I am considering filling the corners of the room with leftover insulation (we have quite a bit), sealing it with cloth and finally wrapping it in more carpet to where it is rounded (no more corners) to help eliminate the lower frequencies. The insulation will be packed very tightly. I would like your everyone's thoughts on this. More expensive treatment is out of the question right now as Momma said no more $$ goes in until we start making some... I just want to make sure that I am not wasting my time by doing this. We can always upgrade later. I heard a suggestion that getting foam cut to fit in the corners and rounded on the outside was an option, but I have heard nothing good concerning foam. Let me know what you guys think!
 
pandamonk said:
I'd remove all the carpet. It's a terrible fire hazard and only affects the high frequencies. Build panels out of fiberglass for your booth.
Click to expand...

I concur. You can always add some rugs here and there to knock down floor/ceiling flutter. You'll need a bunch of 2" panels for that space since it's so much longer than it is wide.

Frank
 
Depending on what this booth will be used for, it will likely be a flutter echo nightmare. The mid-range and high frequencies will bounce back and forth like a super ball shot from a cannon. I believe 2" mineral wool or fiberglass panels are among the best for controlling that. (But then, momma said no mo money.)

Your next best thing for controlling flutter echo is indeed 2" foam. Barring that, the carpet is already reducing some or most of it for you. A lot of carpets now-a-days are made (or treated) with flame retardant fibers.

If it will only be used for vocals and occasional acoustic guitar, the cheapest thing would be to leave it alone and see how it sounds. If you will be playing instruments with loud low frequencies, then I would consider also adding corner traps.
 
Plan on scooping some mud if you have a lower voice.

I'm a baritone and when I started recording, using carpet like that, I always had muddy boomy vocals that had to be corrected with eq. Same with Acoustic guitar.

The cheapest, like mentioned, is just leave it all alone until you have a couple hundo to go back and do it the right way, which is with cloth covered insulation panels.
 
Thanks guys for all your input. When I added the carpet on the walls and floor, it made a dramatic difference in the echo, as in almost eliminated it. It is however boomy by nature, so bass traps are a definite must. It remains to be seen if I will have to add the panels at this point, we actually have not done any recording in it yet- I have just sat and listened. It really amazes me just how well built this thing is, and how well 2 layers of 5/8 drywall all the way around really made the difference. Insulation top and bottom didn't hurt anything either ! :) The proximity of the ceiling is too close to the floor to not have carpet as reflections would be unbearable. I got a little ahead of myself constructing this thing- had I to do it over again, I would have had at least 10 foot ceilings. Hindsight is always 20/20, this is just another lesson learned.
 
I overlooked some of the post from earlier- I do have most of the materials to build bass traps and panels- a ton of insulation and lots of 2 x 4. The only thing I lack is the cloth- I think momma will let daddy get that :) !

Thanks again guys I really appreciate you all!
 
Pics

Here are some PICS pre carpet installation. Keep in mind the proximity of the ceiling is too close to the floor to do anything differently. I know carpet is a no-no in most cases, but the room at its highest point on the celing is 7 1/2 feet tall which drops to 6' 3" at its lowest, and the width of the room is 6 feet.
 

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More pics post carpet

More pics after install- sorry room is dark, hazy!!
 

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I'd really look at 2" panels for that room...you're going to need low-ish end control. The way you're oriented in that little room makes it even more important. Foam will help with the flutter problem (which will be serious in a room that small), but that problem will be a muddy response I think.

Frank
 
PICS of the traps and panels!!!

I put up several 2" panels and bass traps in two of the corners in the room. The result: AMAZING. Almost all of the low end has been eliminated to the human ear anyway. I've got some pics here as well. Thank guys for all your help!
 

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Looks good, and I'm glad its coming together for you.

Just keep in mind though, the frequencies that can give you trouble, are the ones your not going to notice while standing in there. Its when it comes time to mix all the intruments/tracks together.
 
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