Feedback and questions on a simple mastering studio design

ok thanks John. Instead of the HRs, what if I were to build the walls at the angles that you have drawn here, cover with 703, and create superchunks for the corners? I have a fair bit of fleixibility, and always prefer simplicity where possible,

subvertbeats wrote:

ok thanks John. Instead of the HRs, what if I were to build the walls at the angles that you have drawn here, cover with 703, and create superchunks for the corners? I have a fair bit of fleixibility, and always prefer simplicity where possible,

Hi all, is this a good approach? Thanks,

Hi all, quick bump - can anyone answer? Many thanks

mate - I've already explained to you what I would do - I wouldn't do what you want to do else I would have suggested it wouldn't I?

John thanks for taking the time to reply. As I explained in my introductory post, Im new to this. Id understood that it was always a case of compromises. Compromises because of physical limitations, financial limitations, limitations in availability of materials etc. In this situation I have financial limitations, and I wasnt sure if the alternative I suggested was an alternative that would achieve anywhere near the same benefits at the HRs that were proposed Im here to learn and was hoping that if my suggestion was not good, that someone would explain why that was the case, Thanks,

sure - but I explained why I would do it the way I did and what the outcomes would be - low mid absorption, high end reflection. Superchunks won't achieve similar results as they will suck up all your highs.

Yes, thanks, and I acknowledged that. My question then was about building the walls at these angles and covering with appropriate panels. Acoustically how would that differ?

subvertbeats wrote:

... was hoping that if my suggestion was not good, that someone would explain why that was the case,,

Speaking for myself only, your questions are not based on anything except what you think will work and a few weeks of looking around here. This is a complicated process you are involved in when you have little to no experience. Complicated. The building procedures alone require much more time on the job then you respect at the present. The isolation ideas, the whole strategy is going to require a huge mental effort on your part. And I'm not just meaning asking questions;) Even asking questions requires education to ask the right kinds of questions and not simply to wonder will this work or will that work. The design Mr. Sayers has kindly done for you is most likely the best you will ever get for what you paid for it. But due to not having the minimum education in this diy area you are not able to see that and only have more questions coming from your lack of experience:) You have to read, and you may have to read for months, you may even have to purchase reading material. Rehabbing a structure and re-building it, sound isolation and audio acoustics, it is truly more then you can pick up in just a few weeks or sometimes months. And there is no guarantee to anyone that they will.

I agree. Building angled walls is hard to get the joins sealed air tight.

I honestly do appreciate the depth and complexity of this field, and I am taking the time to try and learn, piece by piece. I followed all the rules for posting including stating my budget. But it seems that this was ignored. So when I'm recommended to build a design that is clearly way beyond my budget it seems pretty natural to reply and ask what compromises can be made on the name of keeping costs down. Even if I didn't have the same budget constraints my inquisitive nature still drives me to not accept everything I'm told to do without querying for a better understanding. I'm sorry if you feel my questions have been wasting your time.

I think were having a communication break down. Building a rectangle room will be cheaper and simpler. If you ask a contractor to do anything more than the norm they will charge you and prob f*ck it up. Build in-side out- No need to build additional mid absorbers= less $$$ Once you've finished and you test th room, you may add the angled slat walls as John described and of course "super chucks" in the corners. Just listen to the guys- there not trying to make you spend money. ther ideas are the best bang for the buck lil

lilith_envy wrote:

I think were having a communication break down. Building a rectangle room will be cheaper and simpler. If you ask a contractor to do anything more than the norm they will charge you and prob f*ck it up. Build in-side out- No need to build additional mid absorbers= less $$$ Once you've finished and you test th room, you may add the angled slat walls as John described and of course "super chucks" in the corners. Just listen to the guys- there not trying to make you spend money. ther ideas are the best bang for the buck lil

Lil, thanks. If you look at the additional trapping that was added to my original design (completely cover back wall, huge floating clouds, the HRs), very quickly the cost becomes prohibitive. Per my original post, I have some flexibility with the landlord. He is willing to make changes like that without charging me any more. This is the guys trade so I have no worries about him being able to build the walls in whatever angle is specified, but of course if doing so is problematic acoustically then I wouldnt follow that route. As you know my knowledge is limited, but from what I do know, I dont see any issues with building the walls as such, and was just asking for validation. Id be looking to use panels to cover the angled walls covered appropriately so that they arent absorbing the HF. One of the things I was unsure of was that John stated the HRs were drawn as he did to focus on 125hz - 500hz. In such case, wont I have issues at the front in <125Hz ?

If you look at the additional trapping that was added to my original design (completely cover back wall, huge floating clouds, the HRs), very quickly the cost becomes prohibitive.

I'm sorry BUT! you said you are building a Mastering Room - that's the end stage of the whole recording process and you can't just say "I can't afford professional acoustic treatment." - That's what your clients come to get - otherwise you are just some other guy who thinks he can eq masters.

John Sayers wrote:

If you look at the additional trapping that was added to my original design (completely cover back wall, huge floating clouds, the HRs), very quickly the cost becomes prohibitive.

I'm sorry BUT! you said you are building a Mastering Room - that's the end stage of the whole recording process and you can't just say "I can't afford professional acoustic treatment." - That's what your clients come to get - otherwise you are just some other guy who thinks he can eq masters.

John, with all due respect, thats not what I said. I just have a budget to stay within for that treatment. I dont have the budget of a Sterling Sound, or a JackTheBear, but that doesnt mean I dont want to progress. It doesnt mean I dont value professional treatment, and I intend to keep improving the facility over time, but built on a solid foundation design. My current facility is in a crappy old building, but Ive spent a couple of years bit by bit improving the acoustics. Unfortunately its inherently limited by its size, and the site doesnt have the sort of facilities for clients that I would like. Hence me moving. I have a decent set of treatment to bring over from the current facility, and have budget for £1000 more in treatment. Im just trying to understand how best to spend that money. This is an opportunity to upgrade my current facility, but everyone has constraints. I read all the rules for posting and complied with them. Ive been very appreciative of people taking the time to respond, you included........but your last post is essentially calling me a fraud, and I think it was uncalled for. I understand and appreciate the point you were trying to make, but the reality is that I am constrained by budget, and this is something I view as an incremental, iterative process of improvement.

I was suggesting you would be a fraud to your customers if you thought you could present yourself as a mastering engineer in room that wasn't treated to basic mastering standards but that's bye n bye. All I suggested was two wall frames, some insulation for the cavity between the studs, some black cloth to cover it all and some nice timber slats to finish it off. - hardly a King's Ransom for a Mastering Room. If you treated the rear wall as I suggested and added the other units you would have a reasonable mastering room for minimum cost.

Appreciated John. It will be treated with the materials I have in the current facility, along with whatever I can buy and make within my budget. I almost certainly will be building the HRs at the front as advised, but Im afraid Ive never been the type to blindly accept what Im told without a better understanding of why Im being told it, and without understanding why other options are less optimal. Im reading texts (the only book I have at the moment is the Rod Gervais book) and articles on the net, but its still useful to be able to have somewhere i can pose questions to people far more experienced and knowledgable than myself.

subvertbeats wrote:

but Im afraid Ive never been the type to blindly accept what Im told without a better understanding of why Im being told it, and without understanding why other options are less optimal. .

me too :) :thu: