Stepped Ceiling in the control room

[Michael Jones]

Hi all.
Because my roof trusses, which are vaulted, would constitute a severe asymetry in the control room ceiling, I'm going to do an additional flat ceiling in the control room using wooden "I" beams as the primary ceiling support structure.

I was thinking of enhancing this by doing what is known as a stepped ceiling. That's where you have a sort of box structure (or round, or oval) that extends below the "first" ceiling, and another smaller one below that.

The effect is very dramatic, especiall if lit well. Its purely asthetic, but I'm wondering if that would adversely affect the room acoustics?

The room is 10 feet high, and 2 steps, for a portion of the room would only eliminate, say 8 to 12 inches of height, and only for a portion of the room.

Any thoughts?

 

[Son of Mixerman]

Any thoughts?

Yes. Do whatever you can that breaks up standing waves along the ceiling, but don't do something that creates a LF trap that kicks back to the mix position. The last funky cieling a saw had support structure holding diffusers that pointed in a downward direction. Then there was a layer or 703 nested in between the frames. They then covered the entire ceiling with a pleasing fabric of their choice. They basically made the ceiling acoustically invisible. They hung various reflective panels in different areas, the coolest one were shaped like clouds, I think they were Birch laminate. I don't remember where it was done but it was designed by Pro acousticians.
Just a thought. Im planning an hanging some 703 panel in the shape of clouds from my ceiling. Hows that for a thought?

SoMm

 

[DigitalDon]

Hey Mike,
Is there a reason why you don't want a vaulted ceiling in your control room instead of a multiple level flat ceiling? I'm no expert but it seems like a ceiling like you are describing would be less "predictable" for acoustic treatment than a vaulted ceiling. That's assuming your roof structure allows for a vaulted ceiling.

Don

 

[Michael Jones]

My trusses are vaulted, but because the control room is not aligned along the center of the building, or the center of the trusses, it makes for an oddly asymetrical ceiling with just the trusses.
Probably not a good listening environment. Thats why I'm doing a second, flat ceiling in the control room. The stepped ceiling, or multiple flat ceiling is an idea for added asthetics is all.

I'm just wondering if this will create adverse acoustic problems.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Hello Michael, I know the effect you are refering to. SoMm is right. 703 and bass traps designed to visually do what your saying. In fact, the layers will have a reveal, between successive layers, if you are planning setback perimeter lighting above them. That is the effect. You can use cheap 120v rope lighting, as you won't see the strip. Only the reflection of its light on the adjacent higher ceiling plane. Too cool.
It would be as simple as building suspended frames..(IE Ethans traps/clouds/diffusers.) Plus, as clouds, they can be adjustable, like with turnbuckles or other hardware. I'm planing some of mine as movable track mounted fixtures with variable acoustics. Like absorbers with adjustable louvers which lock in to form maybe slot absorbers, or some damn thing like that. FLEXIBILITY should be a given. Different acoustics for different music. Right. Especially in the studio. Gobos with different properties, or large ceiling diffusers/absorbers.
Michael, have you drawn a reflected ceiling plan yet? That helps, and I'm sure you have. Any sections? This is exactly what I'm going to do with mine. Although, tieing it
in with other acoustical and fixturing details is a challange. Have you done any type of acoustical pre calcs, like total absorption, or ran a computer FFT...is that correct? Now,
the RT-60 stuff etc. is a real mind f.......
What about your HVAC? If your grills are in the ceiling, they should be considered in your ceiling plan, in relationship with other ceiling tiers. You have space above the interior ceiling I assume, that can also be framed in to utilize those spaces as bass traps, and from my understanding, your exterior shell(roof too) has its own set of low frequency modes, and perhaps the use of coffered and sheetrocked cavities might serve to save space on bass traping. Maybe panel absorbers or hidden cylindrical diaphamatic units, covered with cloth, same as other absorbers damn the possibilitys are endless. Thats what I like about design. Michael, heres a couple of
design studies I've been playing with. These are my interpretation of a rear wall. Only a few though. I'm no where near even getting my perimeter down, let alone the ceiling. But, some day Heres some doodling
fitz
http://home.rcsis.com/beachchic/1Rearwall-.jpg
http://home.rcsis.com/beachchic/2Rearwall-.jpg
http://home.rcsis.com/beachchic/3Rearwall-.jpg

 

[Michael Jones]

Rick - Great looking rear wall studies!

<<"...the layers will have a reveal, between successive layers, if you are planning setback perimeter lighting above them. That is the effect. You can use cheap 120v rope lighting, as you won't see the strip. Only the reflection of its light on the adjacent higher ceiling plane. Too cool. ...>>

Yeah thats the idea I'm kicking around.

I'm not sure what you mean by FFT?
I have done some preliminary calcs, but I don't know how to do them for a room with a vaulted ceiling. Average the height?

For the HVAC in the control room, the vents will not be in the ceiling in the control room, rather at the top of the rear wall off to the sides. This allows the ducting to be routed between the outside wall and the control room wall. Since the control room has a sort of attic above it some ducting can come through there as well if need be.

The drum and ISO rooms will have the vents in the ceiling, and the live room has furr downs to handle the venting.
No common trunk lines anywhere.

Right now, one of my main concerns is drum room acoustics.
Drums are awfully loud! And low frequencies are always a problem to deal with. I'm reading up on some info though to get ideas on how best to deal with it.
My drum room is of course an irregular shape:
13'-5" at the back wall
10'-6" at the front wall
Width or depth varies from 7'-0" to 10'-6"
Height is 10' at the back wall, and about 12' at the front wall.
There's 2 sliding glass door in the room too, so lots of reflective surface.
I was planning on floating the floor for the drums and doing a Random Pattern Diffuser on the rear wall, but the front and side walls, where the glass is, looks like it could be a problem.

Well, it's a nice day out and I'm off work today, so I need to go buy some wood and get to work!!