Small Room Acoustics

Haven't seen John post in a while. I know he is busy with the book he is writing. He is more active on his Facebook group but even there, he is not posting much. Create a new post in the Studio Building forum and I and others can walk you through some of the basics. I am familiar with a lot of the tools he hosts on his website and the acoustic concepts behind them. Start with downloading the control room calculator Here
Haven't seen John post in a while. I know he is busy with the book he is writing. He is more active on his Facebook group but even there, he is not posting much. Create a new post in the Studio Building forum and I and others can walk you through some of the basics. I am familiar with a lot of the tools he hosts on his website and the acoustic concepts behind them. Start with downloading the control room calculator Here
I posted there
 
@ikemusiclive8 - the suggestion to start a new thread is the most relevant one. Yes, you can put a studio in a garage. "Home Recording" encompasses everything from recording in a blanket tent (recent post) to whatever. A former co-worker has a completely professional studio in what used to be a garage. Anything in between, but there will be compromises if it needs to remain functional as a garage.
 
"quoting online references that tell them to keep the speakers at least 'so far' away from the walls. Audiophiles are told to put speakers about 8 feet away from the front wall, etc. This is simply FALSE"
So everyone else is wrong and you are right......
Cheers
 
I’m about to build rockwool corner traps and I have two questions I can’t seem to find a definitive answer for:

Should the traps be away from the wall a bit or snug against it?

In regard to fibers escaping through the cloth, would a light spray of lacquer or some other substance to lock in the fibers, cause a loss of performance of the trap?

Thanks for a nice piece
Mike
 
I’m about to build rockwool corner traps and I have two questions I can’t seem to find a definitive answer for:

Should the traps be away from the wall a bit or snug against it?

In regard to fibers escaping through the cloth, would a light spray of lacquer or some other substance to lock in the fibers, cause a loss of performance of the trap?

Thanks for a nice piece
Mike
I've never read anything about corner traps being spaced away from the walls, only standard wall traps. I've always questioned the need for space (the soundwaves bounce off the wall behind the trap regardless of space or not, and then travel back through the trap...), but never seen any definitive studies/reasoning on why its better to have it.

Once you have the traps in place, no fibers will be 'escaping' - its only movement and handling that causes any rockwool dust/fibers to be released.
 
I've never read anything about corner traps being spaced away from the walls, only standard wall traps. I've always questioned the need for space (the soundwaves bounce off the wall behind the trap regardless of space or not, and then travel back through the trap...), but never seen any definitive studies/reasoning on why its better to have it.

Once you have the traps in place, no fibers will be 'escaping' - its only movement and handling that causes any rockwool dust/fibers to be released.
Very good. Appreciate that!
Mike
 
I found that stage sound blankets two thick, with a better-looking fabric to cover them, works great. It's cheap so I ended up deadening about 40% of my walls with that for really cheap. I have angled ceilings so that helps but still, super cheap good method.
My issue is ambient noise that I just cannot silence from my big computer. My solution to that, which was by far my worst issue, was to get a good and quiet laptop to track on then only use the big computer to edit and mix.
"stage sound blankets" - no such thing. If you mean those padded moving blankets, they work ok to absorb some of the high frequencies but do nothing for the low end which is where most home studios fail.
 

mjbphotos straight out called me a liar! It is the responsibility of good people to put liars in their place. It's called good character and apparently, it's becoming very rare. So, excuse me for calling out a dishonest salesman of overpriced foam!​

It was NOT ME being a dick. Did you just not read what he wrote or perhaps you do not care that others might get taken?​

If you're not part of the solution ---​

Name calling, 'shouting', yeah, you're proving who's a dick alright. I said I never heard of 'stage sound blankets', (never called you a liar or any other name) and from the link you sent, I see they're a step above moving blankets as they have grommets for hanging. At $40 each, there are better options that won't leave a small room an acoustic mess. Same thing about rolling carpet up and putting in a corner -there are much better options, especially for small rooms, which is what this thread is about.
If you had bothered to actually look around this forum and did some reading, you would find that I am not a proponent of foam, but you couldn't be bothered before name calling and accusations.
 
Hey, you guys, take it easy. You guys are just talking about sound material. If one person differs from the other person, so what. Name calling is not necessary, we are not all professionals here, at least I am not. So, take it easy with the words, it's just nice to read something nice on the forum.
 
I'm guessing because I'm in the UK and can't access that site. Film and TV folk always call things by different names - that's fine, but normally, we welcome new members open handed, but it's very rare for new members to behave like this - clearly, a slight was felt - but really because of a terms mismatch, I've heard sound blankets refered to in UK TV and Film, but never in a recording studio environment - they're into detail - so absorbers, reflectors, diffusers, traps and similar. Somebody in a studio would get odd looks asking where the sound blankets are kept, but in TV, you'd be pointed to the correct store location. Frankly, this blow up would not have happened if yelling and shouting hadn't started. Back up, and cool down. New members who steam in simply never bothered to get a feel for the forum they joined. No offence was intended, but it did read like a silly post here, when perhaps it wasn't? Context is everything.
 
Sorry - but was that pointed at me? Somebody who has never spoken to you before? I think that the people who destroy public forums really have one way glasses. Can you not see that the only person looking foolish here is Mr Danny Taddei.

It's pretty obvious you don't like the forum, or the membership you've interacted with. You cannot see your own faults but very keen to point out other people's. Willie waving about experience is totally unnecessary and in the words of the famous song "that won't impress me much". For info - he did NOT call you a liar from how I'm reading it, he pointed out your comments were incorrect - accurate in one recording world, innacurate in another. If you really cannot see that, we cannot help you. If you want to abuse people here, it won't work - note - we do not always agree on here, but we do it civily and people rarely lose their temper like you did. why did you rejoin? It certainly wasn't to build relationships. It seems to me you can post - nicely, with manners or people will simply ignore you and write you off as trouble. Are you sure you are old? Your attitude sounds more like an entitled teenager from your vocabulary and style. Maybe where you are manners hasn't been built into your education and work life? Such a shame. Have a good day.
 
You said they don't exist. You thought you were a big man and would call me a liar. I take offense to that. Back pedaling doesn't remove the truth. You're a loser salesmen worried about losing sales.
As for new member, I was here years ago and got bored dealing with pissant losers with nothing to offer, like you. It's people like you that destroy the public forums. And what you're doing is called projection. Look it up. It's psychology so it could help a loser salesmen like yourself.
Go away
oh, I thought I should add… you said to look around and figure out who you are. Did YOU think to check to look around? I was recording records that were getting airplay, acting in front of the camera for nationwide film, working stage for film and theater and scoring films before you were born. You’re calling me a newbie. I wrote a hit in 1988. Newbie?
some of you young dung piles are disrespectful piles of crap and you make it hard for real players to use a forum like this. I don’t have time for a loser. Im looking for people to hire that have value. That is my purpose here. You certainly wont be getting offers!
They are actually called "sound dampening blankets". Never called you a liar, I said " If you mean those padded moving blankets, they work ok to absorb some of the high frequencies but do nothing for the low end which is where most home studios fail."

You evidently have a big chip on your shoulder, whether its from your life or last experience here.

You seem to have mixed up replies from Rob and I in your post. You would have a hard time doing all those things before I was born - I'm 6 years older than you! Not sure why you are calling me (or Rob) a 'salesman', we are certainly NOT selling anything here.

"Im looking for people to hire that have value." - well you are in the wrong place. maybe you thought this was a different place and you wound up here by accident. This is a forum for home recordists - and more experienced recordists and studio people - (hence the NAME OF THE PLACE) to share information, their knowledge and music.
 
I'm a room treatment newbie and getting overwhelmed with the technical information. For years, I've had my DAW setup in an open asymmetrical family room space roughly 12' w X 18' L X 8' h. There is no room treatment, and I've never done any measurements to evaluate how true my sound is at the listening position. I assume it's not great, and I generally check my mixes on headphones rather than rely on the room. Definitely there are dead spots in the bass when you walk around the room.

I am going to move to a new house. It has a large open tile floor family room / eating area / kitchen space 18' w X 40' L X 10h. I could throw my stuff in that large area similar to my current set up, but I will also have the option of using a 14 x 10 x 9 bedroom. The room is currently carpeted with a closet. I would like to have my studio separate from the main area, and I would also like to have the best possible acoustics for mixing and recording vocals.

Should I set up my mixing desk in the 14x10 room? Based on my research, it seems like the dimensions are a little small, but should work with treatment. My plan was to rip out the closet and replace the carpet with tile. Then, I would add a rug and room treatment and measure the results. Is this a good plan, or would I be better off just setting up my desk in the large main area of the home? I am single, so no restrictions on where I put my stuff. I could also set up my stuff in the master bedroom 14x14x10, but that's not preferable and is also a perfect square. It seems like going with the 14x10x9 room is my best option, but I wanted to get some opinions before I contract the work to rip out closet and carpet. (let me know if ripping out the carpet is a bad idea... my research said tile with a rug would probably be better for acoustics and ability to roll chairs around)

Also, I am getting a bit overwhelmed regarding the room response analysis. My plan is to use REW. I'm watching tutorials and getting confused. I'll continue watching them, but let me know if there are some simplified explanations / rules of thumb for interpreting the charts generated by REW. I won't be moving to my new home for a couple of months, but I was going to go ahead and start familiarizing myself with the measuring process using my current room. I've already ordered a measurement mic.

I'm also not really interested in doing DIY on the room treatment. Everyone on the forums says acoustic foam is crap and you need fiberglass or rock wool. Any suggestions on vendors, products, or approaches based on trying to treat a 14x10x9 room? My plan is to face the exterior wall that has windows. The 14' sidewalls and 10' back wall will be interior walls - just drywall. I'm thinking my first move will be panels on the sides and ceilings. I was looking at products from GIK Acoustics and Real Traps and getting confused on which products I would initially want to purchase.

Thanks in advance for any advice you're able to provide.
 
My current room is about 15x11x7.5' ht, so I say use your spare bedroom, But don't use tile for the floor, too reflective and noisy. Hardwood would be best, otherwise consider laminate. But for now, leave the carpet, and see what things are like. The larger family room would only be a good option if you could add acoustic treatment in it.
GIK Acoustics and ATS Acoustics are two good sources for rockwool or compressed fiberglass panels (and it is very easy to make your own).
 
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