Room acoustics: to measure or not to measure?

chava

New member
Okay here's the deal, I made a promise to myself not to make any music in my room until I treated it. So I was familiarizing myself with what I needed and I came across a post somewhere warning of the folly of doing acoustic treatment without measuring the acoustics of the room first to know exactly what's going on. Getting myself familiarized with this process will add a good 2 or more weeks to my wait.

So my question; for those who have treat their rooms, did you test it before? My understanding is that treatment can only make the room sound better so you can't really go wrong doing it with or without measurement. True?
 
the folly of doing acoustic treatment without measuring the acoustics of the room first
I would say just the opposite --

You can all but guarantee that almost without exception, your room sucks - bad. Not just "your" room -- Every room. If it's some sort of rectangular structure of basic construction, it sucks bad enough up front to just know that it sucks.

IMO/E, it's just silly to bother measuring the suck.

Drain the water before you try to clean the carpets. A basic "universal starting point" of treatment first. Obviously, all four corners, four high side centers, first reflection points.

*THEN* you measure. But instead of having a nightmare graph that doesn't even make any sense, you'll have a readable road map to what needs more attention.
 
I agree with John. If you do the basics - bass traps in corners, absorbers at all reflection points, and absorbers or diffusers on the rear wall behind you - you'll be 90-100% of the way there. One reason to measure is to confirm with science what your ears will already tell you. Another is to be sure all reflections are at least 15-20 dB down which ensures they're not a problem. But measuring is absolutely not necessary to treat a room. And I measure rooms for a living. :D
 
Okay here's the deal, I made a promise to myself not to make any music in my room until I treated it. ...

This part ?
Guess some of it depends on where you're coming from/meaning exactally.. But that about like saying I'm not going to get on with 'cooking dinner till we get our new kitchen up grade.
Umm.. it's music first and foremost?
 
I've read Massive's articles and watched every one of Ethan's videos multiple times.

One thing I came away with is that the one thing you never have to worry about is too much bass trapping and/or broad band absorption. So, the good thing about is is that it's not complicated. As far as I'm concerned, there's no need to measure anything. As long as there's a corner exposed, there's room for another panel.

I have super-chunks in the corners, 12 bass traps and 12 broad band traps in my 19X25 room. I'm building 8 more traps in a week or so.
 
Exactly what I thought all along. The post I read (on a different forum) kind of threw me off-course for a lil bit. Back on track now. Preciate the feedback.
 
Back
Top