UAN - new Control Room build

If you are auditioning speakers looking for "surgical precision", try a set of Adam A7x, or better still A8x... :) - Stuart -

Soundman2020 wrote:

If you are auditioning speakers looking for "surgical precision", try a set of Adam A7x, or better still A8x... :) - Stuart -

Hi Stuart, Always good to hear from you ! This afternoon I talked with one of the Pro Audio Dealers for info. We had a very nice conversation, with me explaining what type of monitors I need. The 'verbal' description seems a bit crazy, in retrospect ... :? Precision & accuracy. Sounds crazy [i know]. I need to be able to hear if something sounds good or bad ... and I need to hear a 1/2db eq change [without straining]. As an aside, I recall [many years back] a monitoring system delivered to a studio [can't quite recall the model --- unless I saw them again --- coulda been something like KRK [but I'm not sure] :| Anyway ... nearly EVERYTHING played in them sound good or acceptable ... EVEN stuff that I knew had issues seemed alright :shock: That great if playing for clients, but I need to be able to KNOW what is really there so that I can shape things with intention. I'm sure that fine tuning of my new room is expected ... obviously I'm more interested in mixes sounded great OUTSIDE of the control room. NOW .... I also have to be able to relate to them while working 8) Currently I have my original pair of NS-10's and Auratones [both from back in the early '80s]. These have been my reference tools. They each provide a 'unique' perspective. Neither of these monitors really excite me to listen to them ... but they are tools [within limits]. Because of the forwardness of the NS10's, I'd like to find a more neutral/clear mid-range.. not something that will fry the eyebrows ... guess they can be called non-fatiguing :roll: Well ... I have NO pro audio dealers worth anything in my area ... have to fly to NY City for the closest. Not good .... Anyway ... from the conversation, a few candidates came up. Focal Solo Be DynAudio BM15a Manley Tannoy ML10A [with DS mod, along with Yamaha 2200 power amp]. Out of these, the only ones I've actually listened to with the Tannoys while working with a producer tracking lead vocals. This was back in the early 90's ... what I recall was the ease of pulling up a mix ... it was a very nice sound stage ! They blew away the studios house system which were Tannoy DMT215 II. Of course, these modified 10" tannoys were going for about $12k back then. :shock: but they were nice:) Fond memories for sure ... but what do they sound like today :shot: The other 2 systems ... not heard them ... just read reviews/ opinions that seem to cover the gamut. Love/Hate. The brain is swimming ... need to clear the mind. Thanks for listening to me complain as I search for Nirvana :horse:

... in the meantime ... Although we have some busy days happening ... here's what happening. I've got a temporary setup going in the room ... including my old, beat, Altec. I've been just .... listening. After nearly a year of planning, design, & building ... I can now walk into this new room and feel like I have entered a higher dimension 8) This goes for everyone that steps in ... you can feel the transformation throughout your body and mind. I've been pulling up tracks, old and new ... listening, analyzing. Previous work that I goofed around with headphones only, now clearly expose sonic issues that playback in other systems [car] showed something was wrong. I can honestly say, the room, with the current [fundamental] treatment that Glenn prescribed, already sound better than some PRO studios that I've worked. Last night, my Dad came in to listen ... today [his 85th birthday], he's still marveling at what he heard last night. Can't believe we were in the basement. I could go on :blah: as you may know :blah: :wink: There is more to do. Things like ventilation :cen: and of course, cleaning up the room. But also ... taking some time to get comfortable in here. Thinking about desk size, and ergonomics. Additional room shoots. Thinking over some additional treatment .... and ... ... lots more listening. The decision on speaker monitors is one that I need to get right. With 'local' choices being quite slim, I need to make a calm, confident selection. More to come ... soon I hope :mrgreen:

Success! :yahoo: Congratulations!!!!! It's taken a while, but obviously all your careful attention to detail has paid off, and now you are reaping the benefits. :) Can't wait to hear your first mixes coming out of there... - Stuart -

Hey ! Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm alive and well ... made it through turkey day ... received a nice cold from one of the kids :twisted: Yes, it was one of the colds that ... having wrenched my back running with some 5/8" drywall .... something I recommend NOT to do :cop: :cen: Start coughing .... and pull the back out ............... again :horse: and throw a 3 gigs in a row, with 3 different bands [my group doing stuff like Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Little Feat] ... 2nd group was Stones, CCR, AC/DC ... and the 3rd was a jazz quartet. Basically, I've been living on Z-Cam, Mineral Ice ... and chicken soup. :| As soon as I can bend down ... I've got to get all the construction tools, parts, experiments and other odds & ends picked up off the floor. I also have to get my desk put together ... still deciding what size to cut the old desk top down to. What I HAVE been doing is listening to all kinds of music in the new Control room. Though I'm only using the 'beat-ta-hell' Altec monitors ... that need to have the L-Pads seriously cleaned or replaced, and most likely a re-capping of the crossover ... nonetheless, the sound emanating from the front of the room is spell-binding. Having spent a good part of my audio life in pro studios, I can honesty say that this basic treatment [without any tweaking as yet] has confidence in the sound field. There is depth AND width to the entire sound stage. Phantom images both inside AND outside the monitors are solid. MOST importantly ... there are many tracks that I have used over the years to help me acquaint myself to a new room ... cuts like ... 'Liberian Girl'-MJ, 'Just to See her'-Smokey Robinson, A cut from Chicago10 - David Foster ... plus many many more .. The only surprise is getting to hear these works sounding really good ... again. Also ... pulled out some old, funky recordings ... old stuff from Harry James big band ... it had that sound from the 40's alright ... but the lack of quality was obvious ... unfortunately because it is some great performances, but the recording quality DOES show as horrendous. Some old 'Yard Birds' ... great songs ... 'interesting' as far as the recordings go ... :roll: Again ... what I'm trying to convey, was my hope upon hope, that given ALL the room restrictions, that could be designed, built, and treated so that serious study, work AND enjoyment of sound could be had. I knew that for, maybe, 90% of the people that heard the room would be blown away ... mainly because they are rarely in these environments ... maybe hit the concert halls a time or two, but for the few discerning [a couple engineers], I did see smiles. Anyway ... got to get off the DL ... still got my list of things yet to do ... but for tonite ... back to listening/studying :mrgreen: ... oh ... more pics to post ...

... and he returns to the scene of the crime. Talk about a break in the action ! Well, not really ... things have been crazy busy [in mostly a good way]. Lots of music going on. Getting a lot more drum work in ... happy about that, although the BODY feels a little differently about the beating IT'S taking :lol: Ahhh ... but the new Control Room ... like stepping into another Universe far away from ... ...... the NOISE :yahoo: Brother stopped in the other day as we are FINALLY going to finish up the 2 outer walls of the Control Room. We had the plaster guy in the past 2 days for mudding. Today I got busy and installed the backer rod along the floor, ceiling, and edge wall ... and then got in there with the ole caulk gun. Two gallons of primer await us as we, once again, commence with the Michaelangelo school of art' .... a study in 'white primer' . ... a real 'Gripper' of a program [thank you Glidden]. Other things ... Not sure if mentioned, but I did get a new pair of those Yammy HS80M monitors. The price was just to good to pass up. On top of that, the opportunity to truly evaluate any of the upper end monitors was just NOT coming together as hoped ... so rather than buy something unknown to me ... it just seemed good fiscal sense to get the HS80s into the room so that I can get a fair evaluation and testing of the room ... and my ears. And THAT is what I've been doing for the past several weeks ... listening ... and then more. Also trying out this DAW called REAPER. There are some nice things about it. ONE of the cool features are the configuration options. Like this: I now have 3 separate monitors going. The HS80s, a single Auratone ... and the 3rd is an old jam box that I have had with me since the early 80's. [and has traveled to many a studio over the years]. Well, with REAPER, I've been able to set up a small 'tool bar' that allows me to switch between all 3 systems at a flick. I also have a button to send a complete MONO signal to just ONE of the mains [this is something I always like to do when I worked behind a console]. This is the first DAW that has allowed me an easy way to flip through all references. So I bought a copy just because of this! :| I've also received several multi track projects that I can experiment with, AND be able to send out 'tests' to some close friends with good ears and experience. This is a combination of learning the room [as it currently], and getting my ears back ... while learning a new work flow. To be honest ... I'm finding myself spending MOST of my time listening to the various 'tools' that I have, and what they sound like. [more on that later if interested] :wink: Still ... much to do ... and of course, there is the whole other side of the basement that is going to get a makeover ... but at least I can escape into 'the other world' with a smile! Thanks for following along ... should have some pix coming. And I still try to follow all the other build going on here! Always needing to learn more :) THANKS!!!!

your bass traps look really nice!congrats Can you share a mini quickt tutorial for them please? I am enjoying your work. Thanks edit:why did you close one bass traps surface with the wood? Wasn't better too keep the double face free from any kind of cover (bi-directional absorbption)? Expecially the side facing the surface|Wall/Door|

why did you close one bass traps surface with the wood?

I don't think RJ has any bass traps with wood on them. Maybe you are referring to this post?: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14794&start=399 If so, that isn't a bass trap. It's a hard-backed ceiling cloud, hung over his first reflection point and also designed to help break up the vertical modal problem in the room. - Stuart -

thanks for clarification Stuart. Now I have got it. Last question: Do you know the name of the brown material he ws using? Looks pretty nice. Sorry for my noobness. : )

manderc wrote:

thanks for clarification Stuart. Now I have got it. Last question: Do you know the name of the brown material he ws using? Looks pretty nice. Sorry for my noobness. : )

Hi manderc, The 'brown' material is the rigid fiberglass that I used for all panels, clouds, & traps. The product is" KNAUF Insulation Board 3.0# - Plain ____ with ECOSE. Product Code: E2367 [2" x 24" x 48"]. Also, as Stuart clarified, the 'wood back' panels are the 3 ceiling clouds at the front of the room above the mix area. Hope that helped.

and he's back ... well, never really left :) Current status: With the new Control Room in a workable state ... the major delay has to do with getting new video monitors, and finalizing my desk. At the moment, I have an old CTR monitor that is about 2 feet deep, propped up on a makeshift table with several cinder blocks. A portable 3-1/2 foot table serves as a temp desk. It ain't pretty :shock: :oops: But I need a place to work. I just need to do some better research on these newer LCD or LED thin monitors .... something around 24" that has better ratio for apps [as I read that 'wide screen' ratios are NOT comfortable for viewing DAW's ... even though great for movies [which is not a big concern]. The OTHER importable aspect is trying to find a monitor withOUT a high GLOSSY screen. I find it very distracting to see reflections in the monitor. 3rd ... wide viewing angles :) Once I get the monitor/desk issue decided, I think that I would then be in a better situation to 'shoot' the room, and see what the acoustical footprint is. I should point out, however, that whatever issues the current mess is doing ... this is still the best sounding room in the house !!! :yahoo: Which brings me to the current task underway .... the 'REST of the BASEMENT' :shock: Outside the front of the control room is a small room that is slated as a multi purpose dressing area, some storage, a place to hook up additional computer servers .... and a coffee maker :mrgreen: We have finished painting the drywall [front studio outside wall]. Two other walls are concrete foundations, that have been stripped of an old 'peg board' work area. Walls have been patched, painted with Primer, and 2 coats of finish paint. I've also installed the same type of flooring as in the control room. Next ... to install the new drop ceiling that I had torn out prior to the 'build'. Couple questions, as I've been searching the net for similar questions/issues. ??? adding INSULATION between the joist ... then the drop ceiling ??? Wondering ... is there any data that suggest any benefit from adding insulation between joists above the drop ceiling ? To distinguish ... we are NOT suggesting anything that would compare to the control room build ! What I have noticed, since removing the old panels in other parts of the basement is the 'dust webs' in the joists, and the dust/dirt that settles on the back of the old panels. Of course, the panels there are some 40 years old. They MUST come out and be replaced. Additionally ... I'm finding that I am able to leave my control room door OPEN while I am doing most of my work. Yes, sound does travel about the basement, but the upstairs has had no issue with sound leaking. STILL ... if adding insulation would make a significant mark on further reduction ... then I'd want to do this BEFORE the ceiling goes up ! I don't want to waste money [obviously] .... the 5 packages of [6-1/2" unfaced] R19 insulation sits in the garage .... if I DON'T use it in the basement, then I use it up in the attic of the main house ... which DEFINITELY needs re-insulating after 50 years! Want to spend wisely, but also want to do it right/ efficiently the first time :) As always ... big thanks to the resident Staff ! I still try to read and learn from all the new postings. Sincerely.

nudge :lol: First off ... to SoundMan2020 .... Hope ALL is WELL after hearing news on the recent quake!! 2. comments still welcomed re: insulation before drop ceiling install in remainder of basement. Thanks!

Hope ALL is WELL after hearing news on the recent quake!!

Thanks, RJ! Appreciate the the thought! :) Yes, all is well, thanks. No damage at my place. This one last night wasn't too big: just magnitude 6.7, but it lasted long: something like two minutes, until the shaking became imperceptible. But it sure did get our attention! Not fun. We are sort of used to them here (if you can ever really get "used to" earthquakes), but still, it isn't something pleasant, trying to run down stairs that are moving around pretty bad. Anyway, your update: I'm just heading off to bed now, so I'll take a look at your update tomorrow, and get back to you. - Stuart -

Wondering ... is there any data that suggest any benefit from adding insulation between joists above the drop ceiling ?

There probably is data on that, but I don't have any off hand. However, it simply makes sense to do that. I certainly would. If the drop ceiling is very solid and sealed, then you have a resonant cavity up there that needs damping. And if the drop ceiling is just light-weight (typical "acoustic" tiles), then you have a selective bass trap up there, so you might as well put it to good use! (Ordinary "acoustic" tiles are pretty transparent to low frequencies, and only deal with mids to highs, so the lows will get through). The insulation won't help very much with isolation (unless the ceiling is a proper MSM system), but it will help with treatment, if you want to use that area for tracking, for example. The effect on isolation would be minimal: just a couple of dB at best. But as treatment, it certainly has benefits. Now, if you are looking to improve isolation in that area, why not take out the drop ceiling entirely, put some resilient channel across the joists, and hang drywall from that with insulation above it? That sure would make a difference, if you seal it well and there are no other flanking paths. I bet you'd see an improvement of 10 or 20 dB, maybe more, as compared to what you have right now. That's probably worthwhile, and might allow you to work with your door open more often! :) - Stuart -

Time to update the thread ... Well ... to build the new Control Room required 're-arranging' ALL the stuff that ends up in a basement. Things had been stacked floor to ceiling, in a kinda, get it out of the way so that we can get the room built ... then reorganize. Thought it might take a month .... maybe 2. Little did I know it would take that long just to get to the structural beefing up, let along actually building the room ..... HAH ... I had moved my semblance of an office to what was a 8'x14' landing area from the floor above. No pix that I can find to show that 'little slice of heaven', as it was surrounded by overhead water lines, all varieties of electrical, tele, cable tv, extension cords ... you name it. The 2 concrete foundation walls had a 'Peg Board' mounted from a work bench area from another lifetime. It had evolved into a random, chaotic, 'dart board' where, IF it stayed up there ... it remained there. :roll: Just a mess ... and a storage system that just invites DISASTER for my natural tendencies :yahoo: Needless to say, the year long construction ... along with all the dust and dirt from lumber cutting to drywall & mudding had permeated the entire basement ... no matter HOW well covered [it seemed] :roll: The time had come to PAUSE further work on the Control Room proper, and begin cleaning up the surrounding area ! Due to the 'musical chair' technique employed throughout the construction ... I figured it best to begin the restoration in the small 'entrance' area. After an initial clearing out ... we had gotten the outside wall of the front of the control room taped/mudded, and 3 coats of paint. Since the concrete floor was having issues with paint trying to peal ... I decided, NO MORE PAINT ! Cleaned and scrapped the floor, and brought in the same 'fiber' flooring that went in the control room. Because I don't ALWAYS to things in the right order :| and, some reluctance ... I held to my ground. Clean and redo this room. The 'peg board' gets trashed ! We also had an old partition wall that was impeding the clean start ... so THAT had to go! The foundation walls needed some concrete patching from previous nails. So got it patched up .... then got a nice coat of Primer on there [actually several applications to deal with all the mini 'holes' and nubs in the wall]. THEN ... a couple of coats of finish paint. I had also gone in and re-dressed ALL the snarl of cables/ wires in the rafters, AND, used the pipe foam wrap to insulate/ cover all the hot water lines. Next was to put in a new drop ceiling. So began installing the new rails. It was decided NOT to put any holes in the outer control room wall ... so we went with a fully 'suspended' technique along that wall AND the 2 concrete walls ['cause nailing a board to the concrete just seemed like TOO much fun. So I bowed to the recommendations from the guys who actually install this stuff to suspend those sections. As with many things in life, I had to 'go around' certain obstacles in order to maximize other gains ... like ceiling height. So, a piece or two had to allow access to valves, pipes, etc. An early view of most panels put in: Of course ... the NEED to start getting things OUT of the other half of the basement began. But NOT before some 20 loads of clothes washing were done. :shock: Although the lighting is temporary at this point ... we have: Now I can start sorting through clothes to keep, and those to hand down, or 'Good Will'. 8) Hard to see from the pix, but there IS more light than is showing up :roll: At least we got a start going here. There are things that have NOT been gotten to in over a year! The 'OTHER SIDE' of the basement. The NEXT of the plan is to get access to the old drop ceiling, and get the panels to the trash. Then I want to re-set the old frames [level and re-wire] to prep for a new ceiling. I have an issue [cold air leak near the basement door that needs to be dealt with]. When the ceilings out, we'll be able to address that. That half of the basement is also somewhat of an area I want to try and improve. It is right outside my control room door. There are all the pipes, sump pump, and the upstairs kitchen above. It is HERE where I'm considering adding insulation between the floor joist BEFORE putting the panels in. I KNOW that this will not provide ANY form of isolation, but I wonder if may assist in some way as a 'spring' within the 2 surfaces. If NOT .... then the only benefit may be keeping dust webs from forming within the space :mrgreen: Still much to do ... but wanted to get an update here. THANKS for reading along ... and always, THANKS for this great site AND people!!! Sincerely.

Progress! Progress is GOOD! Especially when it is done nicely.

I KNOW that this will not provide ANY form of isolation, but I wonder if may assist in some way as a 'spring' within the 2 surfaces. If NOT .... then the only benefit may be keeping dust webs from forming within the space :mrgreen:

Well, insulation has a bit of mass, so it will increase isolation very slightly, and the drop ceiling kind has some mass to it, and is somewhat resilient, so I guess there might be some form of MSM going on there, but hard to say what! I wonder if there is any research on drop ceilings and isolation? It would be interesting to see what effect it really has. And of course, you could always paint it with some of that "acoustic silencing paint" that we've been talking about on another thread!!! :) :roll: :wink: - Stuart -

Well, slowly ... but hopefully surely, the time has come to pause from listening, testing of the new room. Also a break from remodeling the 'other' parts of the basement. Yes, there is much left to do ... for one thing, time to get my working desk together. Though I do have some equipment that will be available to use [keyboards, drums machines, bass, guitar, etc], the primary functions will be mixing & mastering. The main work desk is planned to be a modified office desk that will basically support a computer monitor, mouse, & keypad ... along with 'space' to write, etc. Using my temporary setup, I've narrowed in on the sizing of the desk. I've been trying to be very mindful that anything in the listening zone will have 'issues' ... yet I also need functionality. Here's my initial design. The wood top is 1-1/2" thick mahogany, from my 1950's office desk. The legs are from a office warehouse from a newer designed metal desk. My thought is to trim down the top into a, sort of, T-shape that would provide a nice work surface AND an area to hold a new ~24" LCD monitor. The hope is that removing some of the desk surface area [that really is unnecessary] will help minimize reflective surface area. Although 'tilting' the desk is a consideration, the practicality [at least with this design] could be more of a problem. Other things I'd need to consider: The under surface of the desk would have surface areas that I'd be able [somehow] to soften down with something like 1/2" rigid fiberglass [much like is used in certain drop ceiling tiles] Just an idea :roll: At this point, I have all the materials. I will need to do some cutting both to the wood AND the metal support beams ... and then, of course, the finishing colors. Thinking of the dark mahogany [reddish] finish, with the legs in a type of charcoal gray. May the critique begin :cop: Thanks!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ! And a huge THANKS for all the guidance, insight, and kindness. :yahoo:

And Merry Christmas to you too, RJ! Hope it's a great year for you, full of health, prosperity, and fully completed, successful studios! - Stuart -

As to tradition ... and a little superstition 8) I am booked on New Years Eve in my new room. Working on a restoration project. Great jazz guitarist & rhythm section recorded live [through the vocalist mic] ... from a 'wire' recording [transfered to cassette] :shock: :? It's a slice of Heaven in hear :mrgreen: Before getting back to work .... I just wanted to wish Stuart [SoundMan], Brian [xSpace], and .... Glenn [Gullfo], along with our host, John Sayer ... a most Happy, Prosperous, New Year ! Thank-you for the guidance, insight, and especially your patience and generosity. Sincerely RJHollins [Up All Nite Studio]

Say. RJ! I just noticed it's been a while since you last posted on your thread, and I'm REALLY hoping for some great photos of the finished, and cool-looking REW graphs, so I can add your thread to the "Completed Studios" list! :) - Stuart -

Ahh ... my friend Stuart ! Always good to hear from you :) Been on the quiet side as far as the forum goes. Mainly visits to follow several builds going on. For sure ... a continual learning process. Plus, it's enjoyable to see other people looking to build. Ah ... my Control Room. THE most enjoyed room in the house !!! Since I last posted ... the only work I've done was to the remaining basement. The old drop ceiling on that side was pulled out. I did go into each bin and added a layer of attic insulation [R-30 I believe]. I wasn't sure what it would add to the 'noise quieting' aspect, but while I had it all opened, had the material ... put it in. I also wrapped the hot water lines with pipe insulation too. I then reset the old grid, and re-paneled the entire ceiling and new light panels. The look of the room improved so nice! I can also verify that the reduction in noise from upstairs has been significant [though I have no numbers to relay]. The flooring is next. I'm going to do the same laminate floor as the control room. This stuff has been great. Just waiting for this endless winter to end so that I can move stuff around. The control has several things yet to do. I still need to complete my desk. I have all the materials ... just haven't had the time. Also I need to replace my computer monitor with a more streamline LCD. The old CRT I'm using has been great ... problem is, it's HUGE [in every direction]. Plus it's rather old. I want to get this changed because it does impact my stereo field ... it's not bad [if fact, it's pretty darn good !] but I know it will be even better. My CRT is nearly 2 ft deep, and the table and blocks that I had to place under for support has got to go. What has slowed me ... trying to find a replacement LED or LCD or something that I can actually look at. :roll: Added to that, I don't want the 16:9 widescreen ... I need a taller resolution when using the DAW. The definitive REW analysis. No matter how good the room currently sounds ... I've no doubt that some improvements can happen. The work that has left this room has translated very well. Once I can clean out this monitor situation, and put the desk together, I will then shoot the room. Stuart ... I know how extremely busy you've been at this forum alone .... and I greatly appreciate you taking the time to check on my status with the offer to review the graphs. That part of study is something I need much better understanding of. I'll be working on things here to ready that. Again ... sincere THANKS! 8)

:thu: - Stuart -

Well GANG, Its been some time since I've posted in my build thread. There has been a lot going on. The 'Winding road of Life' can throw a few extra curves in there ... which brings me to this posting. I was so fortunate that have incredible help, guidance, teaching from some of the very special people here at this forum. They more than help me create a Mastering Control Room that exceeded my most ambitious hopes/dreams. Even though I didn't get the chance to do the extra-tweaking beyond the design GULLFO had made for me ... the performance and sonics rivaled some pretty major rooms that I had worked in during my career. Having a place to work at home, while being able to help care for my parents has been something I couldn't have planned better. Unfortunately, my Dad has had some very difficult health issues that forced full-time medical Nursing care. This was preceded by at least 1-1/2 years of progressively difficult times, particularly at night. It began most difficult for me to do audio work, as I needed to monitor [via intercom]. The stroke he had back then had led to dementia and sun-downers. Health care cost is plain enormous, and until all financial assets are drained, insurance with then step in. Add that Mom is up there in years, and we've had to make some major changes at the homestead. Our multi-level home is becoming more of a burden for her. To that, we have begun the process to relocate to a better designed home for her [Ranch]. The build start should begin within 2 weeks [we guess]. Estimated completion is approx 3 months. The home is being built by a rather large company, and seeing other homes going up, they do move to a schedule. Although so many mixed feelings, it is without doubt, the wise thing we must do. Even though I feel I've just begun getting back into engineering these past few months ... I have to put effort into packing for the move. Is there a 'silver lining'? I don't know, but what I do know is that I will be designing for a new Control Room. I've few specific details to the space proper. The basement has 8 foot ceilings, and is built using manufactured I-Beams. There will be a finish portion of the basement, along with a full bath. I have pushed for several modifications/changes which should help certain things. What obstacles we're left, I do not yet know. I'm getting up there myself ... but the fire has been ignited, and the passion too deep. I've got Sketch-UP running as I try to remember how to use it. There is no other place or people I can turn to but THIS forum. Everything I have is being put on the line. Thanks for letting me get some of this stuff out. Sincerely, RJ

Hey there RJ. So sorry to hear about your parents poor health, and your need to move, leaving behind your studio. But "life happens", as they say, and you sometimes do have to make sad choices like this. But I'm hoping that you will be able to set aside a room in the new place, and build a studio that's equally as good as the one you had to leave behind. I'll be looking out for your new thread, and I do hope I might be of some help in contributing a thing or two, as you move forward with that. - Stuart -