What to spend tax return on...more broadband ceiling or carpet?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Seeker of Rock
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Seeker of Rock

Seeker of Rock

Let us be unburdened by that which has been ?
So the IRS owes me a couple of hundred dollars it looks like. If I can get $200 of it from the wife, what do you think about ceiling absorption vs. floor absorption? By meticulously reading and asking questions here, my tracking/mixing room (room-within-a-room, treated inside with Auralex and Realtraps minitraps in the four corners halfway up from the floor, pitched ceiling of reflective wood, etc. from here, Ethan Winer reading and John Sayers' site) is pretty complete, but I'm wondering if I can't take just an inkling of the "live" sound from it. It sounds very controlled, even with the acoustic drum kit I have in there now, but after hearing the PCM90 I bought I'm thinking I may want to be a hair less "live" for a hair more "dampened".

Since the floor is painted concrete (for reflection I was advised back when) but the pitched ceiling is a wood surface plywood (on top of "Sound Deadening Board") so it is reflective as well, I wonder whether I should put some clouds on the ceiling spaced along the crotch of the top ceiling pitch(at least over the mix position by standards), or maybe go for broke and put carpet on the floor, which I fear may take away too much of the little bit of "live" left in there. Any suggestions on what you may do in the same situation?

Edit: Oh yeah, the treatment pattern and room size is this: 12'x13.5' interior space, 4x6" auralex 2" in front of the mixing position, approximately 2.5' from the wall; 2" Auralex 'Metro' stripes floor to beginning of ceiling angle for pitch, 2' wide and every 2' space down both side walls(spaced it so two of these "strips" falls to either side of the mixing position for first? reflections); 4" pyramid foam on back wall, approx. 65% coverage; Realtraps Minitraps in four corners, halfway up from floor to ceiling. No clouds yet in the pitched ceiling, and nothing on the floor but reflection.
 
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i would have thought the early reflections from the floor would be more desirable than the ceiling, and putting clouds is going to be more broadly effecient than carpet which could soak alot of yummy high end
 
How about a pair of nice rugs so you can tweak til your heart's content?

W.
 
Leave the floor lively and use it for a nice cloud over the drum kit.

Bryan
 
How about a pair of nice rugs so you can tweak til your heart's content?

W.

I was thinking about that, maybe under the desk chair.

Bryan, the floor is pretty live, but if you say ceiling cloud (and all articles I've read in the past agree, too), you know I trust your valued opinion, so cloud it is. Maybe a rug too, even if used intermittently like when recording drums.

I guess the next step is to call that fiberglass place and see what the hell they did with my order from five months back. Or maybe see if Ethan has a "second" in stock, since I guess I only need one 2x4' panel.
 
I'm going to send a message back to my government and not put my tax dollars back into the failing economy. I think I'll just make a payment to my credit card.

Sorry, feeling a little cranky tonight.
 
Clouds are better than fog...


wait, did that make ANY sense? :confused:
 
if your ceiling is already pitched you might not need any "clouds". "clouds" are good in rooms with low ceilings to try to eliminate the reflections. since your ceiling is pitched this shouldn't be a problem so you might not need any "clouds". I would instead recommend getting some portable absorbers so you can place them, or using different mics/mic placement to get a drier sound. you want to tailor your room for frequency response and clarity. nice to year you got an acoustic kit in there! dont be afraid of the room sound if it sounds good. your room is supposed to have a sound to it (that you like) you can still add some fake reverb on top of the room sound!
 
Don't forget, the tax "rebate" is essentially just a loan from next year's tax returns! Next year's returns will be skimpier than they should be. Here is a quote from The Consumerist (consumerist.com)

"In April 2009 or thereabouts, when you file your taxes for 2008, [the IRS] will run the calculation for the stimulus rebate again. If the results show that you would have received more (due to an additional child, for instance), you will be sent the difference (or owe less on your final tax bill). If your results show that you would have received a smaller rebate, then you get to keep the difference."

Start poppin off some kids!

:mad:
 
Personal preference. If you're doing drum work in a small space, pitched or not I'd want at least some minimal control on the ceiling with a hard floor.

Depending on HOW pitched it is, you might want to also consider hitting that acute corner at the wall/ceiling also.

Bryan
 
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