Measurement and tools

This topic collects threads about software tools used for measuring, modeling, and calculating acoustic and physical properties of home and project recording studios. Two tools dominate: SketchUp, a free 3D modeling program used to sketch studio layouts and room designs (including shared example files such as a small studio model and a basement studio build), and Room EQ Wizard (REW), a free acoustic measurement package used to analyze room response and guide treatment decisions. Alongside these are a number of member-built calculators and spreadsheets distributed as Excel or HTML5 files, covering room modes, wall bounce reflections off the front and side walls, reverberation time, Helmholtz resonator tuning, and transmission loss through wall assemblies, as well as the Harman Mode Calculator for identifying problematic room resonances. Together these threads document the practical toolkit members used to plan, measure, and evaluate studio spaces before and after construction, and to troubleshoot acoustic problems using data rather than guesswork. Readers new to studio design will find both the software recommendations and the calculation methods behind them explained across these posts.

Introduction drafted with AI assistance from forum posts.

1. Start hereHow to use REW to analyze the acoustics of your room... 36 replies, 2017–2020. Started by Soundman2020 in Acoustics. With Gregwor and DanDan.
2. Start hereSmall studio in 3D 103 replies, 2006–2021. Started by John Sayers in Studio Design. With Soundman2020, cadesignr and xSpace.
3. Start hereSketchup free 94 replies, 2006–2020. Started by John Sayers in Studio Design. With Soundman2020, Ro and Gregwor.
4. Start hereHarman Mode Calculator - new location 11 replies, 2006–2014. Started by knightfly in Acoustics. With Soundman2020, Eric_Desart and lilith_envy.
5. Start hereUpdated Reverberation Time Calculator 11 replies, 2006–2019. Started by John Sayers in Studio Design. With Soundman2020 and Waka.
6. Nearly completed after 3 years - (Studio 3 Productions) 33 replies, 2016–2021. Started by monstertraxstudio in Studio Construction. With Soundman2020 and John Sayers.
7. 3D of a Basement Studio in Sketchup 34 replies, 2005–2017. Started by John Sayers in Studio Design. With giles117, Aaronw and bassman.
8. MSM Transmission Loss Calculator *Version 2.05* 2 replies, 2018–2020. Started by Gregwor in Studio Design.
9. Corrected Helmholz Spreadsheet 0 replies, 2004. Started by knightfly in Acoustics.
10. Wall Bounce Calculator 5 replies, 2003–2009. Started by barefoot in Acoustics. With John Sayers and Ro.
11. Wall Bounce Calculator 2D 9 replies, 2003–2019. Started by barefoot in Acoustics.
12. Program to show room mode nodes and anti nodes 24 replies, 2006–2008. Started by lex in Acoustics. With knightfly, Eric_Desart and AVare.
13. html5 room mode calculator 19 replies, 2013–2015. Started by andymel in Acoustics. With Soundman2020 and RJHollins.
14. Updated Reverberation Time Calculator 11 replies, 2006–2018. Started by John Sayers in Acoustics. With z60611 and gullfo.
15. Sketchup Viewer 6 replies, 2005–2011. Started by John Sayers in Studio Design. With Soundman2020.
16. Portal Sound Technologies Studio 20 replies, 2017–2018. Started by PortalSound in Studio Design. With Soundman2020.
17. Low frequences problem, need help! 63 replies, 2010. Started by duki in Studio Design. With John Sayers, gullfo and lilith_envy.
18. Small top floor mixing room [in progress] 53 replies, 2011–2012. Started by aaronsommer in Studio Construction. With Soundman2020.
19. Excel TL and Resonant Frequency Calculator 5 replies, 2018–2020. Started by Gregwor in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
20. FREE STUDIO DESIGN TOOLS: 1) RAYTRACER AID and 2) ABSORBER 5 replies, 2019–2020. Started by Soundman2020 in Studio Design.
21. MODE CALCULATORS - THE MATHS.... AND SOME OTHER STUFF !!! 20 replies, 2011. Started by vinyljunkie in Studio Design. With gullfo, Soundman2020 and cadesignr.
22. Problems @ 94, 114, 320, 784Hz 16 replies, 2007. Started by liax1975 in Acoustics. With Ethan Winer, lovecow and John Sayers.
23. 3D Mode Template - SketchUp Dynamic Component 13 replies, 2011. Started by gullfo in Studio Design. With John Sayers, Soundman2020 and RJHollins.
24. Of Mice and Men 16 replies, 2008. Started by DanDan in Studio Design. With AVare, kendale and John Sayers.
25. Can someone recommend me a room mode calculator? 39 replies, 2007. Started by stevesdata in Acoustics. With Ethan Winer, lovecow and Eric_Desart.
26. REW cntrl room test plus video tour. Advice? 33 replies, 2016–2017. Started by Studio42brooklyn in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
27. How to test room acoustics objectively? 15 replies, 2012. Started by Chris C in Acoustics. With Soundman2020, John Sayers and RJHollins.
28. Whats causing the 140Hz peak and what shall I do with it? 16 replies, 2013. Started by MartinB69 in Studio Design. With Soundman2020.
29. How good are your frequency response 18 replies, 2010. Started by ThomasT in Acoustics. With Ethan Winer, John Sayers and Soundman2020.
30. Is this a good dB meter? Bruel & Kjaer? 17 replies, 2007. Started by CidyZoo in Acoustics. With Eric_Desart, AVare and xSpace.
31. Ray Tracing In SketchUp Tutorial Video 4 replies, 2020. Started by Gregwor in Studio Design. With Paulus87.
32. REW reading accuracy and beginning of room design 10 replies, 2013. Started by clyde67 in Acoustics. With Soundman2020 and RJHollins.
33. What Software for Layout 10 replies, 2003. Started by Barefoot-Studio in Studio Design. With knightfly, cadesignr and John Sayers.
34. Measuring Acoustics 0 replies, 2020. Started by DanDan in Acoustics.
35. Frequency Profile 20 replies, 2003. Started by AlexW in Acoustics. With Ethan Winer, barefoot and giles117.
36. REW Results - Analyzing HELP Needed For Optimum List. Postn. 19 replies, 2020. Started by mrfye17 in Studio Design. With Gregwor, Waka and DanDan.
37. Help interpreting my REW graphs 18 replies, 2017. Started by wiz1der in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
38. Roomtune spreadsheet download 1 reply, 2003–2009. Started by knightfly in Studio Construction. With DanDan.
39. checking outdoor noise level with Radio Shack SLM 13 replies, 2007. Started by student77 in Acoustics. With Ethan Winer, Eric_Desart and lovecow.
40. Online RayTracing Sketchpad to plan RFZs and similar stuff 17 replies, 2015–2016. Started by andymel in Studio Design. With RJHollins and Soundman2020.
41. SKETCHUP STARTER HELP..? 24 replies, 2016–2017. Started by johnv in Studio Design. With Soundman2020.
42. Trying to address a null in a relatively small studio. Help? 21 replies, 2017. Started by CurtZHP in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
43. Measuring, again... 26 replies, 2006. Started by moby in Acoustics. With knightfly and SonicClang.
44. Basement Redo In Stages 12 replies, 2006. Started by leester in Studio Design. With John Sayers.
45. Anyone with Auto CAD? Suggestions sought for layout. 14 replies, 2005. Started by chazmuz in Studio Construction. With cadesignr, knightfly and AVare.
46. Looking for some sketchup models 13 replies, 2009. Started by JustinAiken in Studio Design. With John Sayers and Soundman2020.
47. Could anyone tell me what's wrong in this acoustic graph? 11 replies, 2011–2013. Started by hugo_inside in Acoustics. With gullfo.
48. New mixing space, how can i tweak/prepare for the future? 6 replies, 2013. Started by TheChemistTree in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
49. Post your sketchup files here!!! 14 replies, 2005. Started by SittinIdol in Studio Design. With John Sayers.
50. Free acoustic measurement tool 19 replies, 2008. Started by Sigert in Acoustics. With Eric_Desart, xSpace and Ethan Winer.
51. Determining Room Frequency Response... 6 replies, 2010. Started by Sparky4444 in Speaking of Speakers. With John Sayers, gullfo and Soundman2020.
52. Valve mic preamp? 23 replies, 2006. Started by Mario Petrinovich in Acoustics. With Eric_Desart and knightfly.
53. Need some advice on my REW maps... 18 replies, 2015. Started by BrianJ in Studio Design. With Soundman2020.
54. Standard to metric conversions (and vice versa) calculator. 10 replies, 2004–2019. Started by puppypuree in Studio Construction. With Ro, knightfly and z60611.
55. Hello everyone, what do I need to make 3D drawings? 10 replies, 2005. Started by Craig B in Studio Design. With giles117, AVare and John Sayers.
56. Studio plan construction 9 replies, 2004–2005. Started by mattssons in Studio Design. With John Sayers, Sen and bassman.
57. Help tuning my room 16 replies, 2009. Started by tlsaudio in Acoustics. With Soundman2020 and Ro.
58. Bob Gold's Room Mode Calculator 12 replies, 2013–2014. Started by Sixstringer in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
59. Room Test 21 replies, 2009. Started by Felix Hoo in Acoustics. With Ethan Winer and Soundman2020.
60. 74hz dip in a 4x3m room 14 replies, 2016. Started by diogodasilva in Acoustics. With Soundman2020.
61. "Noising" a room? 13 replies, 2003. Started by s3 in Acoustics. With giles117, Ethan Winer and barefoot.
62. Ceiling in mixing room and then some.. 17 replies, 2016–2017. Started by Jakob De Wittig in Studio Construction. With Soundman2020.