Small Bed-Controlroom

Dear Forum, my name is Lukas, I live in Germany and I would like to get a few suggestions from you. Right now I'm planning a small Control Room with the possibility to do some dry Vocal/Acoustic Guitar recordings too. I mainly mix Rock/Pop music and I don't need any soundproofing, but I would like to get the best possible result in this small space: It's a small quadratic (I know... not the best to start with) 4m x 4m x 2,5m room with a roof pitch at the back. I already planned a bit on my own, but I would like to here from pro's what I could possibly do better. :wink: Oh, I forgot to mention that I also have to sleep in this Room, I'm 16 Years old and at the moment I live at my parents house. But look for yourself... Thank you in advance! Lukas

Hi Lukas, welcome! Well, your basic layout looks OK, but with such a small room you are going to need some serious bass trapping, and especially so, considering the square shape! The modal analysis for those dimensions is not good at all. I'd suggest you try to add more bass trapping, thick and deep, especially in the room corners. Another thing I'd do is to get the speakers off the desk, and mount them on massive stands, right up against the front wall. You don't have enough space in there to do much else. - Stuart -

+1 Just an idea: How much room do you have under your bed? You could use that space for an additional basstrap. The matras of the bed will do some absorbing too, what kind of matras is it? H foam, federmatras, etc.).

MunchkinBrando wrote:

+1 Just an idea: How much room do you have under your bed? You could use that space for an additional basstrap. The matras of the bed will do some absorbing too, what kind of matras is it? H foam, federmatras, etc.).

Thanks! Thats a really good advice ;-) Well, my mattress is a foam mattress with the dimensions 2m x 1,4m x 0,2m. Under my bed there is some space, where I could put a Basstrap, will try it out, thanks again! Lukas

Well, my mattress is a foam mattress with the dimensions 2m x 1,4m x 0,2m.

Most likely that wont do much: it is probably closed-cell urethane based foam, which isn't a lot of use, acoustically. If it is some type of open cell foam (unlikely), then that would be good, but not closed cell. You could pack the space under your bed full of mineral wool or fiberglass insulation. That would help a bit, but you'll need much more than just that small area to treat the room. - Stuart -

Thanks for the advice so far! Do basstraps have to be in an angle of 45°? I basstrapped almost all the upper corners, but the traps there are only 25cm thick, If I could change the angle I could broaden them. I now also put a basstrap behind the bed and the desk. Is it good to hang traps above the listening position? best, Lukas

Do basstraps have to be in an angle of 45°?

No, not necessarily. Put them at whatever angle allows you to make them biggest and deepest. It's the total volume, depth and area that matter. Angle isn't very important.

but the traps there are only 25cm thick, If I could change the angle I could broaden them.

Then change the angle. 25cm is not bad, but more is always better.

I now also put a basstrap behind the bed and the desk.

Excellent!

Is it good to hang traps above the listening position?

Yes, but they are not really called "bass traps" if you put them there, since they accomplish a different purpose: The control your first reflections, which is good. In addition to bass trapping in the corners, you should also put absorption at all first reflection points in the room. That will help to improve your stereo image. - Stuart -

mellowmusic wrote:

Yes, but they are not really called "bass traps" if you put them there, since they accomplish a different purpose: The control your first reflections, which is good. In addition to bass trapping in the corners, you should also put absorption at all first reflection points in the room. That will help to improve your stereo image.

Sorry, I know that they are called absorbers ;-) Now I put my speakers on Stands and made the basstraps in the upper, rear and front corner a bit wider. Thank you for being so helpful soundman! :-) Lukas