what's the best option to get SPL measurements?

FreshChops

New member
... as I wrap up applying acoustic treatment to my home-studio, I think it'd be to my benefit to get some SPL readings and make sure I'm not heavy anywhere along the spectrum. Admittingly, I'm completely unfamiliar with this outside of running through a basic Home Theater EQ program. I imagine it's something similar, but for starters, what program and hardware should I start looking for?

I also think that testing levels may help me decide where to place key stuff, such as drums, rec. console and amps.

any links with some good 101 info?
 
SPL levels for the control room you mean? or certain areas of the record room? You may get variable responses because what tends to make different studios popular is their particular frequency response/acoustics. In my opinion I would aim for as flat a response as possible in the record room, and depending on your rig, aim for a more isolated sound so that you can add acoustics and EQ to taste later. But I guess it more depends on what you're trying to do with it ;) haha. Hope this helps at all! Let me know what you're trying to do and I can try to answer more appropriately :)
 
jake, my situation is a little unique because I'm tracking in the same room I'm going to be mixing in. It's about a 22' x 23' x 9' (height) room. I've been focused on acoustics and have already received some feedback about the recoding console placement and more in this thread:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=307307

I'm taking the advice of others and getting the recording console out of the corner, but at this point, as I get everything in place and plug in acoustic treatment items, I want to see how the room is responding. I guess that the goal would be for a flat response while mixing and then let the tracking take advantage of that.

I've got a pretty raw room recording including guitars and drums. This is not ideal considering nothing is close mic'd or anything, but I guess it gives a crude example of what the rooms sounding like. This is two condensers, fig. 8, knee high in the center of the room:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6qML73rNfk
(I'm not happy with this but 'tis the live room sound as is)

I've got 5 heavy duty roll-away gobo panels that allow me to create as much isolation as I'd need per project / instrument. I might place these in different places while taking SPL measurements too and see what happens.

On that note, if you care to chime in..... I'm pretty set on much of the layout but I'm undecided on which wall I'm going to end up on with the recording console. If you can see any other scenarios with the layout aside from these either, I'm all ears.....

In regards to placement of the recording console, I'm not sure which of these two walls would be best:
01
tglstudiofloorplanmoves.jpg


02
tglstudiofloorplanmoves.jpg


thanks for the insight!
 
will side step commenting on layouts . . . translating schematics into 3D takes more thought then I want to do at the moment

assuming you have used some kind of calculator for room modes and positioned Absorbers, diffusers, bass traps effectively (while I'm not sure I object to more rather then less bass trap(s) not sure I understand logic of four, one in each corner, and you seem to have depended far more of Absorption, rather then diffusion . . . but side step that too) not sure I understand what you are trying to accomplish with SPL measurement. While you can download an SPL app to the iPhone, (probably Android by this point) . . . but for both acoustically and musically significant measurement gear is not particularly cheap

though from iPhone app (or Radio Shack SPL meter) SPL level from any single source to other points in the room should be a fairly easy calculation, then again you can just have some one else hit the drum and walk to the corner . . . but unless neighbors are particularly violent not entirely sure what you are trying to accomplish
 
As far as the layout goes, I think the first diagram is going to be your better bet. In your situation I would set it up more as if you are going to run live sound, but maybe isolate guitar amps to the sides. Along with what oratez said, you might benefit from some sound dispersion/diffusion. It will get you a more even response in all areas of the room. Just remember that lower frequencies tend to go wherever the hell they want to :). Though being in a house absorption is important due to neighbors :P. What I would do instead of taking SPL readings is set speakers in different parts of the room and run pink noise through them and use a spectrum analyzer to determine the areas you are lacking or have too much of something. This may help visualize the room acoustically. I think I would make the desk movable though, I can't imagine being able to hear clear between drums in the room and how they sound through the speakers with them aiming at each other. From what you have so far though it definately seems as though you are off to an awesome start with this room! Not to mention some sweet gear :D. If you haven't bought your board yet, make sure you get something with good preamps and you'll be set :). Hope this help, if not though, ask away! :D
 
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