Do clouds tilt?

[HapiCmpur]

I'm preparing to hang a piece of rigid fiberglass over my mixing position and another one over my main recording area. I've heard that these things are often called clouds. I've also heard that they should be tilted. Are there any rules of thumb relating to how much they should tilt and in what direction?

Let's just consider the one over my mixing position for now. (Actually, I plan to hang it over the point of first reflection on the ceiling, which is halfway between my mixing position and the monitors.) If I really need to tilt it, which edge should be lower, the one closest to my head or the one closest to the monitors?

Now, what about the cloud over my recording area? Since no monitors are involved, should I bother to tilt that one?

 

[HangDawg]

I don't think it matters unless it's reflective, in which case it's not doing what it's supposed to do anyway. I have (4) 1" thick sheets just sitting on the rafters above my mix position. It works well.

 

[mshilarious]

Ethan's floating cloud design from his article uses insulation above ceiling tile, so the ceiling tile will be partially reflective. It might be cool to angle that although it costs ceiling height (to the drop ceiling). I don't see a big difference just using fiberglass.

 

[HapiCmpur]

It might be cool to angle that although it costs ceiling height (to the drop ceiling). I don't see a big difference just using fiberglass.

Would you agree with HangDawg then that tilting a fiberglass cloud is pointless? I'll be recording and mixing in a room with a finished (and textured) ceiling, so I think I should put something absorbtive up there, especially now that I've installed a hard floor (Pergo). Or am I just making unnecessary work for myself?

 

[mshilarious]

Would you agree with HangDawg then that tilting a fiberglass cloud is pointless?

Not sure. You can maximize absorption by placing the cloud a given distance from the ceiling, and tilting it would vary that distance. I don't know what effect that would have.

 

[Ethan Winer]

HC,

> tilting a fiberglass cloud is pointless? <

Yes, pointless. Spacing the cloud below the ceiling extends its absorption to lower frequencies, but there's no value in having different distances as with an angle. That is, just make the overall distance as large as you can afford to reduce the ceiling height by.

--Ethan

 

[HapiCmpur]

HC,> tilting a fiberglass cloud is pointless? <
Yes, pointless. Spacing the cloud below the ceiling extends its absorption to lower frequencies, but there's no value in having different distances as with an angle. That is, just make the overall distance as large as you can afford to reduce the ceiling height by.

Thanks, guys. I think I can get 4" of space between the fiberglass and the ceiling without sacrificing useful headroom, so I'll just hang it up there paralell to the ceiling.

By the way, MS, I have to say that I'm a little disappointed to see that you've gotten away from The Simpsons as your avatar theme.

 

[mshilarious]

By the way, MS, I have to say that I'm a little disappointed to see that you've gotten away from The Simpsons as your avatar theme.

Don't worry, it'll be back, as soon as I'm tired of the Canadian chainsaw massacre