Since this is my first post ever, I just wanted to say that this is the best online resource for anything related to studio design and acoustics; the wealth of information here is invaluable and the contributions and insight provided by the senior members and owners is incredible. I just can’t thank you all enough for all I’ve learned. With that off my chest, let’s get down to business.
Background: I live in Costa Rica and recently moved into my two floor condo/townhouse (see picture below). One of the spare bedrooms on the 2nd floor will be my home studio (control/mixing and tracking room). The layout I chose is the typical Bedroom Studio from the SAE website (http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/index.html). I intend to produce pop/rock music mixed with electronica elements from progressive house. I am a singer, drummer, guitarist and a bit of a keyboard player. In this room, I will be recording my vocals with a mic (duh!), the guitar through a POD and my drums will be electronic. Maybe in the future I’ll purchase an acoustic guitar so this and my voice will be the only things captured with a mic in the studio.
How loud I am:
-My loudest comfortable mixing level: 76db measured from a distance of 3 feet (C weighted, slow).
-My loudest singing level: 80db measured from a distance of 3 feet (A weighted, fast). This is me singing the chorus of U2's Vertigo, not giving my absolute loudest but in an energetic loud voice, comfortable.
-My comfortable/normal singing level: 70 db from a distance of 3 feet (A weighted, fast). This is singing Keane's Crystal Ball.
As you can see on the diagram and picture, one side of my house (the left one to be precise) collides with the next condo. We don’t share this wall, we each have our own wall, 6-inch of hollow concrete block but they are built side by side and probably mortared together, there is no air gap between them. Right now I don’t have neighbors but I’m sure they won’t appreciate me mixing or singing at night (if they can hear it of course)
Current state of things: The room dimensions are:
H: 2.5 meters
W: 2.62 meters
L: 3.43 meters
This is a small room where every centimeter counts. As you can see in the picture and plan below, two sides of the studio are exterior walls leading to the street inside the condo and the back of the house. The other two walls are shared with a bathroom and small living room. Every wall in my condo is 6 inch hollow concrete block, painted (2 coats) and with a thin coat of a white paste that I assume is plaster (I know the wall finish can be repaired with Red Devil Onetime). Actually some exterior walls are between 6.5 to 7 inches thick that I also assume are plastered since concrete blocks don’t come in that thickness. 6 inch hollow concrete blocks have an approx STC of 44. There is just one door to the studio that opens outwards (see diagram) and a window that has been plugged with the window plug explained in this forum (with 18mm MDF, the lumber frame, the pink insulation wool and caulk around the plug). I have a mini split type AC (see picture) which has a supposed noise level of 27db according to the manufacturer. I also own the JBL LSR4328P which are 8 inch monitors with the room calibration/correction software. In the near future I’ll be purchasing an Energy Recovery Ventilator to inject fresh air mechanically into the room and take the used air out. The floors are a concrete slab with a wood laminate on top. I purchased the following room treatment from Primacoustic for the walls and ceiling:
-Walls: Z14 room kit http://primacoustic.com/LZ14.htm
3D Model of the Z14 Room Kit
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7682/londonz143ddv2.jpg
-Ceiling: Cloud 9 http://primacoustic.com/cloud-9.htm
Window Plug:
External image, not preserved — original: http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/3172/windowplugmh6.jpg
AC Unit:
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/5544/acunitfa0.jpg
-Door: I purchased the door seal kit from Acoustical Solutions http://www.acousticalsolutions.com/products/doors/seal_kits.asp_
Two main goals: achieving the best isolation possible and the best internal acoustics via wall/ceiling treatment and monitor placement.
Budget: Under $1000 or more if necessary (this is in addition to everything I’ve purchased and detailed above)
Now to the specific questions:
1. To improve the sound isolation from the walls, should I:
a. Screw MDF boards (15mm or 18mm) to the walls (sealing every gap with caulk/acoustic sealant). This will leave holes for the already existing electric outlets and light switch
b. Attach a material similar to the Auralex Sheetblok that is 3mm high density vinyl (5kg/m2) that has the following dampening characteristics? 125Hz-18db, 250Hz-23db, 500Hz-28db, 1KHz-33db, 2KHz-38db, 4KHz-33db.
2. To reduce sound transmission through door, should I:
a. Build a hollow-core door 1-3/8 inches and screw 15mm MDF to both sides (of course taking care that the frame and jambs seal properly)
b. Build a solid-core door 1-3/8 inches and attach the aforementioned vinyl to one side or maybe both
c. A combination of the two choices described above
The door will have an automatic closer and I’ll use a door pusher plate so there will be no door knob penetrating the door through and through
3. To improve the internal acoustics, besides attaching the room treatment I already own, is there anything else I can do/build? Since the room is so small, I don’t know if anything could be built so the walls aren’t parallel. Any suggestions are really appreciated. Remember that my monitors offer room mode correction and calibration so this should make my situation a bit better than that of the average Joe.
4. Where should I place my monitors?
a. On my audio desk on top of Primacoustic Recoil Stabilizers (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RX7f/)? Just as in the Sketchup model.
b. Behind the desk on their own speaker stands (still using the Recoil Stabilizers)?
c. Soffit Mounted. I don’t know if I have enough room to do this. Remember my JBL speakers with room correction/calibration….
I could put the monitors on stands behind the desk but I fear that the 32 inch LCD TV that I use as my computer monitor will block sound coming from the monitors, thus messing up my stereo imaging. In my mind (someone correct me if I'm wrong), to avoid this, the TV should be in line with the monitors or behind them, but not in front of them.
Link to download the sketchup file: http://www.mediafire.com/?1mrndufumxk