NEW STUDIO PRE-BUILD IN LOS ANGELES

I'm well on my way and am getting closer by the day. I'm working on my control room acoustical treatments now and I have some questions/concerns. Obviously it's not the best idea to setup my mix position in the narrow point of the room. I initially chose to do it this way mainly because of the slanted ceiling. I considered switching back but my wires come out on that wall, my lights are installed that way and my window is on the opposing wall based on where my mix position would be. All that to say, it's kinda too late to switch. I'm about to start building absorption panels for behind my speakers and i had the idea about soffit mounting my speakers. I started measuring to see how far my monitors would be into the room and how much space there would be between the mix position and the couch and it's not much..... I thought, if it soffit mounted the speakers against the front wall (not in the corners) but build enclosures I could have the speakers closer to the front wall and hopefully create some more space in the room. thoughts? suggestions? diagrams? I'm using NS-10M STUDIO monitors with a Yamaha HS10W sub.

Maybe you would explain the flooring you are putting down, the 2X4 sleepers you have under tham and how that actually works?

The laminate flooring that I got had some new and (maybe) improved technology that had tongue and groove not only on the sides but also on the ends. I had to measure, cut out, snap together and lay down the entire length of a row and snap it down as one piece. We laid the second layer of subfloor and then the laminate floors and it took one 18 hour day.... FML Flooring is: Concrete Slab / 1" Rigid Insulation / 3/4" exterior grade plywood / Quiet Glue Pro (2 tubes per 4x8 sheet) / 1/8" plywood / laminate floors (all layers are turned 90 degrees to the previous) any thoughts on the soffit mounting? i'm not really doing it for the huge amount of bass from my NS-10ms. I'm thinking of doing it for the fact that I need all of the space that I can get and it would allow me to have the speakers close to the front wall as opposed to 38% of the way into the room which means I'm mixing on my clients laps....

and it would allow me to have the speakers close to the front wall as opposed to 38% of the way into the room which means I'm mixing on my clients laps....

It's not the monitors which are placed at 38%, it's the listening position, which means that the speakers will be a few feet forward of this position. Also keep in mind that 38% is not a rule, it's just a guideline. What you hear will determine the actual placement.

thanks Gimli

xSpace wrote:

Maybe you would explain the flooring you are putting down, the 2X4 sleepers you have under tham and how that actually works?

sorry, i didn't totally explain this. i cut those 2x4 sleepers at a 45 degree angle. it allowed me to tuck in the tongue and groove at the angle all the way across the length so i could tap it in with a rubber mallet. i slowly backed them out (lowering the panels and decreasing the angle until it was flat.

gullfo wrote:

definitely look for the simpler solutions first - corner trapping, 4" absorbers on first reflection points. and yes, a cloud hung and angled over the mix desk - half your modes are the floor and ceiling. make it a rigid backed - 3/4" ply and 3/4" MDF with 4" cloth absorption on the front and angle it down in the front about 12" above your monitors and just below the ceiling over your seat (since you are mostly sitting at the desk it shouldn't be a problem...)

why do i want the cloud rigid backed? is that necessary? having it rigid back will help it reflecting backward? but have open backed would allow deeper frequencies to be absorbed right?

The rigid backing on the cloud has a modifying effect on the local floor/ceiling modes, angling this hardbacked cloud further helps to mitigate problems with these modes - similar to splayed walls for the wall/wall modes (angling an open backed cloud would have no such effect).

BriHar wrote:

The rigid backing on the cloud has a modifying effect on the local floor/ceiling modes, angling this hardbacked cloud further helps to mitigate problems with these modes - similar to splayed walls for the wall/wall modes (angling an open backed cloud would have no such effect).

Or introduce new issues. My concern would be why would you take something as heavy as MDF, and then back it with another 3/4 inch material? What does that weight get you but a potential headache...literally? There are only a few ways to support an overhead cloud, one is an adjustable tension bar, mounted at the four corners and at the center point to control gravity. My understanding of the original idea, the MDF with the Plywood backing, is to support the MDF from drift caused by gravity. Say what? The hangers that will be used will control the drift, support the weight, withOUT the additional weight and not be an issue to the environment. I had one in my room, clarified the mix and didn't drop on my head, and I even installed it by myself :) The addition of another layer of 3/4 inch material, would not have allowed this convenience, if you will. So while a hard backed might be of some use, it rarely seems fitting in a small room since the absorption needed is always more important.

I was wondering about all that. Brien, do you recommend a rigid backing at all in my situation?

BTW, my ceiling already slants upwards behind me

i finally got the absorbers and diffusers up on the live room ceiling. i'm gonna have the electrician install the lights in the diffusers tomorrow

Looks great! Nice job on those diffusers. Where did you find the specs to build them? I haven't seen any DIY like those before. -Doyle

realdoyle wrote:

Looks great! Nice job on those diffusers. Where did you find the specs to build them? I haven't seen any DIY like those before. -Doyle

Hey buddy, I designed them myself. I've been told that they're not deep enough to truly diffuse, but oh well... they also have 703 in them so they're absorbing as well

I used 4" lag screws with washers to attach 2x4's to the ceiling joists along the internal dimensions of the boxes. i held up the boxes over the frames and then nailed through the box to the 2x4's. i also used weather stripping between the framed edge and ceiling to stop vibrations... recessed cans are in with LED lights. the white panels are broadband absorbers. 3" of 703 and they're suspended 2" from ceiling. the sides were framed at 45 degree splays... hoping to cut down on the parallel surfaces... finished corner bass trap frames, sides at 45 degrees angles for a snug fit. 4" of 703 in the frames, wrapped in burlap, then 703 scraps behind it. front wall absorber, to go behind my speakers. It's 8' wide and 6' 10" tall. It has 6" of 703 since my depth is so shallow. up with the wrapped burlap. now i need to put up the molding view from live room. yay for helping friends

it's been a while since I posted, but the studio is open. I thought i should show some pictures. I'm happy to say that I can have a full loud rock band in the studio (drums, 2 guitar amps, bass amps, vox) and I can't hear it outside unless my ear is within 1 foot of the exterior wall and then I can hear it a tiny bit.

drewallsbrook wrote:

realdoyle wrote:

Looks great! Nice job on those diffusers. Where did you find the specs to build them? I haven't seen any DIY like those before. -Doyle

Hey buddy, I designed them myself. I've been told that they're not deep enough to truly diffuse, but oh well... they also have 703 in them so they're absorbing as well

awesome designed. great talent using LED lights. all i can say WOW! [SPAM SIGNATURE REMOVED BY MODERATOR]