Hardwood/Laminate or Carpet in Small Square Room

[Kertbert]

First I want to thank this forum for all the help and advice I got a little while back in setting up a studio in a less than perfect small square room. The general consensus was that there would be so many sonic issues with the room that the best I could do is bass trap and absorb the crap out of the room and worry about adding ambiance in the box (eg. reverb at the mixing stage).

So I went ahead and put superchunks in the 4 main corners, and 4-inches of rockwool in all the usual wall placements as well as a few other places and then put 4-inches of cloud over the mixing position and the drum set. I record acoustic drums, acoustic guitar, e-bass, e-guitar, and vocals in this room.

My question is with respect to the floor. We are replacing all flooring in the house and there is an opportunity to put whatever flooring I want in the studio (currently it's carpet). Given my crappy room and the acoutstic treatment it has, do I still go with the philosophy of deadening the room and mixing in ambiance later, or should I consider adding a bit of life with hardwood or laminate and maybe throw a rug under the drum set and mixing position. If it's the latter, does it matter if it's hardwood or laminate?

Cheers,
Kris

 

[kidkage]

First I want to thank this forum for all the help and advice I got a little while back in setting up a studio in a less than perfect small square room. The general consensus was that there would be so many sonic issues with the room that the best I could do is bass trap and absorb the crap out of the room and worry about adding ambiance in the box (eg. reverb at the mixing stage).

So I went ahead and put superchunks in the 4 main corners, and 4-inches of rockwool in all the usual wall placements as well as a few other places and then put 4-inches of cloud over the mixing position and the drum set. I record acoustic drums, acoustic guitar, e-bass, e-guitar, and vocals in this room.

My question is with respect to the floor. We are replacing all flooring in the house and there is an opportunity to put whatever flooring I want in the studio (currently it's carpet). Given my crappy room and the acoutstic treatment it has, do I still go with the philosophy of deadening the room and mixing in ambiance later, or should I consider adding a bit of life with hardwood or laminate and maybe throw a rug under the drum set and mixing position. If it's the latter, does it matter if it's hardwood or laminate?

Cheers,
Kris

From what I understand hardwood and laminate have the same basic acoustic properties. I've been told that on this forum, but I could be wrong.
And carpet is apparently not too good for mids and highs.

Speaking from my own personal experience of going from carpet to laminate earlier this year, it's really opened up the sound of the room without necessarily adding troublesome ambiance.
I do have a rug under the drums though to not scratch up my moms floor
And another rug to sit on for the xbox

I think the general "rule of thumb" is that you want either a soft ceiling and hardfloor, or a hard ceiling and soft floor though.
Again I'm just piecing together some things I've been told here.

I've got hard ceiling and floor. SO. I need to get to treating that ceiling next!