Room treatment?

Trap that bass !

billabob said:
Bear in mind i got no diy skills so i can only do the bare minimum of that.
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RICK FITZPATRICK said:
Bet if you were dying of thirst in the desert you'd learn some DIY skills real fast. Fact is buddy, you NEVER learn them by saying you got none.:rolleyes: This is where THINKING comes into play.
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billa, in his characteristically brusque way, Rick actually makes an important point there. A couple of years back, I decided I was going to retile our bathroom and toilet walls and floors. I'd never tiled before and I did alot of research and in the end it took me a few days and my knees hurt for nearly 8 months after and I never want to tile again.......but I look around the bathroom and toilet each day with pride ! Over the last 23 years so many people think I'm some sort of DIY freak........if only they knew. :D But the point is, you gotta start somewhere and it ain't the mystical art it's made out to be. You shall go to the ball !
 
Well, I think to make the traps is basically covering the panels with fabric. That's it. Some people like to build wood frames, either for looks or to help with mounting, or both. Frames are not necessary, though.

You're talking about making stands and these are called gobos. Gobos have a slightly different function, but I think you would still be able to use them for bass traps.

There are a few threads on how to make them also. Some are cheap and easy and some are extravagant. Your choice on how you want to do it, but do a search for gobos and see what ideas you come up with.

good luck.
 
Ideally, you would have bass traps from floor to ceiling, but not totally necessary. Standing them up is fine. I heard of someone using pushpins, or thumbtacks to hold them to the wall by the fabric. You're looking for a temporary solution, right?

The rockwool you posted earlier from insulationexpress is the stuff you want, not the stuff you posted from homebase. That looks like regular insulation and doesn't have the density needed to act as a bass trap.

Buy your panels from insulationexpress, cover them with a light fabric. Use thumbtacks, pushpins or small nails to hang them on the walls. One panel in each corner, one each at first reflection points, some on the back wall, some behind your monitors. You're good to go.
 
That stuff looks like regular rockwool, that looks good to use. Basically the same as Roxul, similar in density to oc705, if my brain is working today. Dimensions, well as said, floor to ceiling will work best.. Basically, the more the merrier. 4x2' panels are the standard, just bacause that's the dimensions the material comes in. A 6x2 panel in the corner a foot from the ceiling and floor would provide a little better than the 4x2. That material you last linked to comes in 140mm (5.5") thickness, those would make some very effective traps! For the volume, it costs exactly as much as the 100mm panels.
 
BLP said:
What's wrong with "acoustic foam" in a recording booth? Just wondering...
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Foam has a flatter absorption curve, meaning that it absorbs about the same amount at 4Khz as it does at 500Hz. However it does almost nothing below that. The result is a small space that's over absorbed on the top end and under absorbed on the low end...dry and boomy. That's bad.
 
BLP said:
So which was better for acoustic treatment of a mixing area?

1. http://www.insulationexpress.co.uk/insulation/multi-purpose-slabs/rocksilk-universal-slab-rs60.htm

2. http://www.insulationexpress.co.uk/insulation/multi-purpose-slabs/rocksilk-flexible-slab.htm


Also do you think they sell this stuff at Lowe's, Home Depot, or some local hardware store?

I will make some phone calls today and ask
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Universal Slab is what I used. I used RS45 in my own studio but RS60 when I offer acoustic consultancy. I order from a local builders merchant however and it's much cheaper: ~£18 for the 100mm x 600mm x 1200mm pack of 4 slabs.
 
I am an extreme fan of Owens corning 704 - it is inbetween the softer sound of 703, and the harder sound of 705. The perfect sweetspot. The only problem is that there is no tests done on OC704... no spec sheets. But I trust my ear, and for similar reasons - have faith in the performance of my new diffusor from good sounding rooms and recordings using them. And all my clients agree that 704 is the best. And from rockwool its Rockboard 60 for me.
 
Ive been looking at some pictures that the Foo fighters have been posting as they record their next alblum and dont see very much room treatments at all. Ive always felt that sometimes some people get carried away with all the crap they do to their rooms. This kinda proves it.
 
dreib said:
Ive been looking at some pictures that the Foo fighters have been posting as they record their next alblum and dont see very much room treatments at all. Ive always felt that sometimes some people get carried away with all the crap they do to their rooms. This kinda proves it.
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I see plenty of acoustic treatment/design. What pics are you talking about?
 
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dreib said:
Ive been looking at some pictures that the Foo fighters have been posting as they record their next alblum and dont see very much room treatments at all. Ive always felt that sometimes some people get carried away with all the crap they do to their rooms. This kinda proves it.
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It doesn't prove anything. That's where your lack of understanding of "room treatment" comes in. That room is probably treated way more than you think. It begins in construction, with the right dimensions, etc...The treatment was probably built-in to the construction with the right materials, they might have clouds on the walls that you can't see. Or, the ceiling was constructed with treatment in mind so that they didn't need clouds. And on and on....

A few weeks ago, someone here said the same thing you're saying about Motown Studios, claiming "they didn't need treatment". It was a ludicrous and un-informed statement.

Most home-recorders NEED room treatment because their basements or garages weren't exactly built with recording in mind.

But, of course, it's always easier to convince oneself that a nice, new, shiny piece of gear is much more important to getting a good sound than buying a boring piece of fibreglass. :D

Having said that, your statement claiming:
sometimes some people get carried away with all the crap they do to their rooms.
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is correct in the sense that too many people do a lot to their rooms, but they do it wrong and with the wrong materials.
 
Well for starters their doing it in a house, not a studio. I didnt see much when they track vocals or drums. I didnt say there was nothing at all just not over the top studio grade treated. Dont take my word for it go look for yourselves. Just sayin.
 
I am an extreme fan of Owens corning 704 - it is inbetween the softer sound of 703, and the harder sound of 705. The perfect sweetspot. The only problem is that there is no tests done on OC704... no spec sheets.
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But I trust my ear, and for similar reasons - have faith in the performance of my new diffusor from good sounding rooms and recordings using them. And from rockwool its Rockboard 60 for me.
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The king had faith in his clothing designers too. Trouble was though, they couldn't explain why the king couldn't see his new cloths in the mirror.

And all my clients agree that 704 is the best.
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I'm sure they do. Afterall, you're a self claimed wizard. Reminds me of one Alton Everest. He loved QRDs..had all the tests to prove they worked too. Lots of people believe him to this day. Trouble was...he couldn't explain why RPG used Polys in their OWN lab...instead of their OWN diffusion products. :laughings:

Ive been looking at some pictures that the Foo fighters have been posting as they record their next alblum and dont see very much room treatments at all.
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Oh, thats easy to explain in one word...iPods.:rolleyes::D Now THERE is the epitome of "translation":laughings:



Oh, btw You must think the Foo Fighters recording on youtube represent some kind of "validity standard". in acoustical reference authority, hmmm?. I submit ...:laughings:
 
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dreib said:
Well for starters their doing it in a house, not a studio. I didnt see much when they track vocals or drums. I didnt say there was nothing at all just not over the top studio grade treated. Dont take my word for it go look for yourselves. Just sayin.
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The drums are surround by 4'x4' rigid fiberglass traps (they look 6-8" to me) as well as some cupboards and fridges.

brqx.jpg


The pictures of vocals are usually too close to see acoustic treatment but I'm sure I saw some rigid fiberglass traps and diffusers in the background.

xh9p.jpg


Also, you can see the acoustic design of the "house" in these plans

ye0g.jpg
 
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The plan that you posted was their old studio that was built when grohl moved his recording studio from virginia i believe.

They are recording the drums in a garage{see garage door opener at the top of pic?} And are recording the alblum in his house.

Like i said before there are "room treatments" but not anything that anyone could duplicate rather easily. except for the appliances next to the drum set those can be spendy and of course im sure cost extra because of their superb acoustical quality.

Give me a freakin break guys i never said you dont need to treat a room I just feel that it can get a little carried away ecspecially when 99% of the people on this site are umm, recording at home.
 
dreib said:
The plan that you posted was their old studio that was built when grohl moved his recording studio from virginia i believe.

They are recording the drums in a garage{see garage door opener at the top of pic?} And are recording the alblum in his house.

Like i said before there are "room treatments" but not anything that anyone could duplicate rather easily. except for the appliances next to the drum set those can be spendy and of course im sure cost extra because of their superb acoustical quality.

Give me a freakin break guys i never said you dont need to treat a room I just feel that it can get a little carried away ecspecially when 99% of the people on this site are umm, recording at home.
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Those "appliances" next to the drums are exactly what we recommend on here because they're cheap, easy to make and work really well.

We dont recommend people get carried away, just do enough to make a domestic room acceptable.
 
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