gear and acoustic questions

A

Alonyamin

New member
Hey everyone :)
Im new in the forum and i haev some questions that i hope you could answer me.
I have a budget of 1500$ and i was thinking on getting some acoustic treatment in my home recording studio cause im really starting to record allot lately.
Im looking or something really really good and is tehre something that i can put in my room beside the acoustic that will make the room soundproof? (cause ive been told that acoustic and soundproofing is a different things).
Im looking for some good cables too and maybe ill buy a michrophone shield.
I really want to buy a good synthesizer and earphones,so please tell me waht you thinking :)
my room is very big one wall is 129.1ft² (square feet) and the other one is 64.5ft² (square feet) and then theres the door and the window.
 
Yes soundproofing is making the room quiet from the outside. Usually includes taking all the walls, ceilings, floors out and starting over with iso joints and then rehanging. Run more than your budget to do one wall, let alone by a soundproof door or 6" glass.

AFA acoustic treatment. Roxul, Owens Corning 703 (705 for traps) and plain old pink (for superchunks) works really fine. Can be had reasonably, held in place with fabric you can buy at the $1 table at your local Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby. Framed with 1x2 or 1x4 to hang on the walls. Hangers are relatively cheap.
Using those materials (Insulation, framing and cloth) You can make Superchuck corner traps, regular bass traps, ceiling clouds and get the acoustics in your room sounding dandy! Just went through the process. You can spend as little as $500 and have a very quiet room (assuming around 1000-1200cu'). More is better, but you can add. My 10x12.5x7.5' high room ran right at $1100 to buy kits from acoustimac, but I did not need as much as I put up. I just put it up to make it better. There is necessary, and then there is better, and then there is NICE! I'm at better. AND you can save money by building your own and not buying kits. Nice to have the frames built for you though.
Just had a shootout on cables (and believe it or not, they affect your sound) and the best of the best came down to 4 brands. One of which ran in the $160 for a 10' mike cable category :eek:, but my second pick Gotham Cables are actually in the reasonable range. Almost exclusive to ProAudio LA, but worth checking.
Headphones are usual suspects around here Sennheiser Pro 280s and 380s abound (and they're fairly cheap). There are some boutique boys around here as well...you'll get all kinds of answers, but the Senns are good and I'm about to buy a set of 380s as my Denon's just gave up (They were 12 years old).
 
Nuts and bolts. You'll want floor to ceiling traps in each corner. Look at the Relocation of Diesel Studios posts in the Studio building and Acoustics forum for a great example.
Primary and secondary reflections: Ceiling cloud above your head at listening point in the room (39%) should be 2" or 4" OC703 or roxul and 2x4 is plenty (also do one at 61%) Then hit the walls. JHBrandt (user name you should find or just go to the small room acoustics thread) has the spreadsheets on his site on how to figure where your primary and secondary reflections will be. 2-2x4 panels on the side walls, good coverage on the back wall. You've got a decent environment.
Just go look through some of the studio builds...
AFA a keyboard. Do you have a brand preference? I've always liked Yamaha, but am currently without one at home (mines at the church). I've got a great Kawai CE220 sitting in the studio, but I'm sure that's not what you're after. I'm classical trained and have a hard time playing most keyboards (why I like the Yamahas). This new Kawai is the closest I've played to a real grand...I digress!
You're going to spend probably 600-800 on the acoustics, leaving about the same amount for the rest. Figure $100 for cables (depending on how many you need) $100 on the 280s Definitely get something besides a pair of pantyhose draped over a hanger for your pop filter (but don't laugh too loud, that setup works great and is a great conversation starter). Figure $40 there. That leaves what, 200-400 for a synth. Now my suggestion there is get a great controller and wade through a bunch of VSTi synths. Cause for $400 you aren't going shopping at the Nord store.
Let's say something in the line of Novation's Impulse or the MPK61 from AKAI. Both solid performers.
Hope I'm being of some use here. :D
 
Yes, he posted twice. I deleted the other thread.

To the OP, please post your question only once.

Soundproofing a room is not something you can do by just throwing anything on the wall. You basically have to start with pre-construction and design transmission loss into the room. It's expensive and not easy to obtain for a DIY'er home recording type.

On the other hand, maybe you don't need a soundproof room. More than one time, I recorded vocals with an old window a/c running and you could not hear it in the final mix. If you are concerned about noise from neighbors or family, you can try approaching it with your schedule. Record when no one else is around or neighbors are at work, etc.
 
Hey thanks guys :)
I currently use the m-audio stuiophile q40 headphones but i think ill buy new ones.
And i also thought that maybe i would sell my RCF AYRA 6" and buy a KRK rokit 5 g3,tell me what youre thinking.
I uploaded some photos of my room so you could help me more with the acoustics. (where to put,how much and what)
IMG_4396.JPGIMG_4397.JPGIMG_4398.JPGIMG_4399.JPG
 
This room is a study in compromises. I'm guessing it's a dorm room so lots of noise from other residents. No way to keep extraneous noise out. You're just going to have to deal with it until you move out of there. The SM7b should help keep unwanted noise to a minimum.

For the room, lots of OC703 panels. In the corners, behind your monitors, and on the wall with the map. It's possible to DIY it so you don't leave holes in the wall. You can use thumbtacks or small nails to hold them against the wall. Don't laugh, I've seen it done before.

Buy the panels, buy fabric to cover the panels and nail the fabric to the walls.

Or just mix with headphones and not worry about acoustic treatment until you move out. Keep the mic gain a little lower and sing right on top of the mic to minimize room reflections.

Hopefully, others will have more suggestions.
 
Then pet them all and mike the purring! It's amazing bass line and sometimes good percussion. Cute cat. Is it lynx point or seal point?
 
Headphones are subject to budget and you will get good recommendations across the spectrum. I'd start with Sennheiser HD-280 at about $100usd. Fairly flat and make you work to get a good mix. That's what you want.
 
Already gave my 2c in the post that starts Nuts and Bolts.

Door seals are sound proofing. If you're truly interested you're going to spend a ton of money...

Windows can be treated by using bamboo or other dense materiel (not plastic or aluminum) horizontal blinds REFERENCE and then using heavy drapes that are too large (slightly) for the window REFERENCE. Gives a vertical diffusion and a horizontal breaking of the sound waves (dispersal). Using this system you also can still see out the window when not using the room for recording by throwing open the drapes. Again, soundproof windows run $1000+ and would blow your budget.

I'd recommend 2-2x4'x4" ceiling clouds REFERENCE (Choose a color, pick the OC703 for better sonic absorption, select no backing) suspended (you can use eye bolts in the ceiling and the corners of the frames and then just zip tie or use fishing leader).REFERENCE and REFERENCE. Make sure you drill for anchors in the ceiling and try to find white ones if you don't own or aren't staying. Remember ceiling clouds need an air gap above to be effective. 3-5" is sufficient. and PLEASE don't drill through any wiring! :D

If you look at what was done to Diesel Studios for the bass traps, it's inexpensive and effective. You can pile regular R19 insulation in the corners in a triangle pattern and just use thumb tacks and cloth to hold it in place. If you stretch out the cloth and anchor the top with a board, it will look nice and be effective. Not exactly what Diesel did, but you can see the idea...

Sennheiser Pro 280 or 380 $99 or $126 @ amazon and other places are plenty adequate for home tracking and HP mixing applications. It's what I'm about to buy.
 
Last edited:
Unfortunetly i dont live in the US.
And ive looked around in amazon and found that diffusers are very expenssive,but from what ive learned i must have diffusers in the studio so what to do ?
 
Okay, diffusers are icing. The panels are the cake. You can buy a small piece of plywood and attach pieces of 2x2 to make a skyline diffuser (google diy diffusers) you can also make your own QRD diffusers by using full length boards instead of profile. It's much cheaper than buying the stupid foam versions from Auralex and others and much less expensive. Ask around on this site about the effectiveness of foam...yes it has some merits, but it by no means will perform anywhere near rockwool insulation.
Get the Acoustic Calculator from mhSoft. HERE
Use it to get the dimensions for your home-made QRD and skyline diffusers.
Check your local hardware stores for acoustic insulation + 2x2 and plywood prices. (Oh, and don't forget the formby's or gorilla glue...)
Check in amazon for rockwool insulation and see if there's any that can be shipped to you.

I have no idea why there would be a problem with shipping fire retardant, acoustic foam anywhere in the world, but the first thing you've got to do is get your reflections covered. Then worry about QRDs and Skylines. So actively seek a compromise, even if it's just using standard pink R-19 in bundles stacked in the corners behind some burlap cloth to absorb the bass, it's a beginning.

Sorry your climb will be uphill. :(
 
Alonyamin said:
Unfortunetly i dont live in the US.
And ive looked around in amazon and found that diffusers are very expenssive,but from what ive learned i must have diffusers in the studio so what to do ?
Click to expand...

Your room is too small for diffusers. You really want bass traps in the cornes and on the back wall. If you can't find OC703 or Roxul in your country, you might try pink fluffy stuff and compress it. I'm guessing you would need a lot and would have to bundle them tightly in fabric. I honestly don't see it as a good option for controlling your room.

You always have the option of using stuff like Auralex. I hate to recommend it, but if you can't get anything else....

BTW: Your mattress works as a good bass trap. Flip that up against the wall behind your chair.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top