Rectangular versus non parralel wall control room

Hi guys, this is my first post so hello everyone! I'm designing a new studio which will hopefully (depending on the shape of the building i find) mean i can build any shape of room i like. My question is whether there is any consensus on whether a rectangular room, with golden ratio proportions, and the correct treatment to control room modes and reflections, is better or worse than a room with non parallel walls and perhaps more than four sides. Obviously acoustically treated as well. A rectangular room is a lot cheaper and easier to build. Less angles to worry about a such, but what is the current wisdom on control room design? Do non parallel walls create more problems of their own? Probably an unanswerable question but if i can offset a wall or two to get a better sounding room it would be worth all the extra angle cutting and odd shaped pieces to fit together. The control room will be about 2.4m high by 3.84m wide and hopefully 6.24m long to fit with the golden ratio proportions if i've got enough space for that length of room. I may need to fit a vocal booth and a machine room into that space too, perhaps behind haas kickers in the back corners. I,m also wondering if i make the front wall very absorbent, with haas kickers and diffusion on the back wall could i get away with a shorter control room length if i kill all reflections from the front wall? I also thinking of using two sets of sliding upvc doors from control room to live room. Does anyone have experience of installing this kind of thing and it's effectiveness? Thanks in advance Jack Reynolds Any advice or thoughts gratefully recieved.

I would suggest looking for a somewhat higher ceiling if you can. Rectangular room should be fine, you can always add splayed slat resonators, clouds etc. to create an RFZ. I wouldn't worry too much about room ratios for the size of room you're considering. You might want to have more absorption on the rear wall. Haas kickers are not much in vogue any more as their impact on the room sound is minimal, particularly in smaller rooms where the size genrally hinders the effects of diffusion. You haven't given any regard to isolation issues. As it seems you haven't presently got a location, this might be a consideration, at which time you might want to reevaluate using angled walls.

please update your profile to include your location information. if you could also check the read-me before posting sitcky so you can include a bunch on information about your requirements and environment - neighbors, noise, etc. thanks!

BriHar wrote:

I would suggest looking for a somewhat higher ceiling if you can. how high would be high enough. A lot of the buildings i've been looking at have 3m ceilings which doesn't much room for a floating floor and isolating sound proofed ceiling. I will however try and find a space where more height is available. You might want to have more absorption on the rear wall. Haas kickers are not much in vogue any more as their impact on the room sound is minimal, particularly in smaller rooms where the size genrally hinders the effects of diffusion. So Haas kickers are out of vogue. What's in? You haven't given any regard to isolation issues. As it seems you haven't presently got a location, this might be a consideration, at which time you might want to reevaluate using angled walls.

Are you sure i haven't given any regard to isolation issues? I have not mentioned isolation yet as i would like to get the dimensions or shape of my room sorted first, then i think i'll float it and build metal stud walls and ceiling on the floating floor. Using at least two layers of acoustic plaster board on flexible channels, 100mm high density rockwool, that sort of thing. I'm not quite sure what you mean by re evaluate using angled walls. Are angled walls better than a rectangular room?

gullfo wrote:

please update your profile to include your location information. if you could also check the read-me before posting sitcky so you can include a bunch on information about your requirements and environment - neighbors, noise, etc. thanks!

I will essentially be building a large live room, which will incorporate a drum area (perhaps on a sand filled riser, probably two booths, one for bass amp and one for vocals and area for a grand piano. And a control room, with an air lock, probably two sets of sliding upvc doors, between the two. I have quite a large area of solid oak floor and also a large area of 50mm granulated rubber subfloor and 10mm of neoprene sheet. I'll probably float this on top of 50mm rockwool with 2x18mm mdf sheets crossed over other. I'm not exactly sure of my requirements and environment as yet. I am curently looking for space in central london. A lot of places i've been looking at are ex industrial. So concrete floors, 3m ceiling height but there are higher ones available. The studio i have at the moment has much higher ceilings in the live room but a quite cramped control room. So this is my first foray into researching the ideal control room design. I have a 36 input Cadac A type console and ATCSCM50 monitors as well as a few outboard racks.1176, summit eqs DBX160VU lexicon pcm 60 space echo that sort of stuff and a quarter inch studer b67. Mytek8X192 convertors RME fireface 800. UAD 2 duo. 8 core xeon macpro I am planning at the moment to build the internal isolated room with metal stud and resilient bars, and two or three layers of 15mm acoustic plasterboard and 100mm high density rockwool slabs. With the studs on the outside wall staggered against the inside wall, so the middle of one of the inside wall panels will line up with the stud of the outside wall. The outside wall will be made from 2X4 pine with heavier gauge verticals posts on the corner for load bearing. I'm looking for as much isolation as possible but it'll never be crazy loud in there and i will be working office hours. I will be recording bands, playing live, without headphones where possible. I will also be recording my piano and a wide range of sources so large room with various areas treated for a instrument. I am initially inquiring as to whether a golden ratio rectangle is preferable to a non parallel walled room. i will be building a soundproofed structure with another soundproofed structure suspended within it. i would like to know (if possible) whether a non parallel walled control room is better than a rectangle. assuming i will be trying to create an rfz. there is a lot of information around but it's hard to decipher what the most up to date methods are for avoiding problematic resonances. So far i've gathered that having room modes evenly spaced is important and that there are golden ratio related, room dimension ratios which give agreeable modes. I am also planning on using the 38% rule to place my monitors and listening position. ie monitors 38% from the front wall and listening sweet spot 38%from the back wall. Is this a good idea or has practice been superseded by something new? Or have i got it entirely wrong!? Any advice gratefully received. thanks jack