Need Input on Use of Space

Hi everyone, New here and really enjoying the discussions and like-mindedness and helpfulness of this place... (updated floorplan 8/26 1:30pm PST) I am trying to get a collective input on my narrow garage space that I am trying to design for a studio space. Purposes are not to record thundering acoustic drums or anything, but more just about mixing and some light overdubs - and more listening for composing, sound design purposes. Monitoring levels are to be your average'ish 85-95 db/SPL on the high end. Isolation will be straightforward based on SPL readings I have done. So, the issue is the narrow width - it's only 10'6" wide...! The overall ID is: 23'x10'6"x11'2" (avg. usable height) So studying room modes and input from others has led me to double think the floorplan and the mix position orientation, but the space is just tough - but, still I think very workable. Here is a drawing of 2 floorplans - what would you do with this space? I think the merit is with the length wise version (see SOS article on Ethan's products in Sept. issue)... But your alls creative thinking would be grand... :-) I think I have a problem still with: 1) not enough room for doors, and 2) the height and roof slopes, but just trying to get the floorplan in shape... thanks! All the best, David

I'd go with the second version but reverse it so you don't have to walk through the studio to get to the control room which is a no no. cheers john

Hey John, Yeah, yeah... you pulled it together, funny how interior spaces just take shape... Budget wise - the side window will not be utilized, plus the existing is a huge sound leak. The garage - yeah I love the idea of making it basically a window - but, budget wise have to put the money elsewhere now... Can make the door into the iso somehow transparent, but isolated?! I chopped it together based on what you drew... so I would have a copy to mess with in SmartDraw... Need to finalize room dimensions and see how the modes look and then figure out the issues with the roof slopes... It's taking shape... thanks David

Here's my smartdraw file of it. cheers john

Cool thanks John... I forgot to ask - your drawing has the monitors soffited (I am assuming, it could just be a shelf?). I am just using nearfield monitors and always think of the soffit concept as being quite difficult to achieve and with such small/medium output monitors - would it be worth it? Or was it more a aesthetic/interior design type thing to get them the heck out of the way? I like it. With that said - I am figuring with this limited space that monitor distance and the subsequent listening "triangle" - about 4 ft. from monitor to ear and 4 ft. between each monitor. Does this seem plausible? Your drawing has them about 5.5 ft. away from the listening position. I am trying to keep the monitors a decent distance away from the splayed sidewalls and from the front wall while maintaining a larger distance from mix position to backwall. Maybe there are all sorts of little secrets in your drawings - that is why I am asking 8) Best Regards, David

I added soffit design intentionally - even a set of NS10s sound better soffit mountded IMO. Otherwise it's there should you desire to soffit later. For me the ideal distance is around 9ft between the speakers but you can't get that in such a small room. cheers john

Ok, I will consider the soffit concept, in such a small room I am concerned with the stereo imaging and having it be as wide and clear as physically possible. With that said - I am updating the drawing to include the roof lines and the issues there as I think I have to turn the mix position 180 degrees cause I am dealing with a backwards sloped ceiling (backwall towards front wall). The iso room will be at my back but I can't see how else to deal with the asymetry of the roof. The discussion I started was over with Ethan at his site, so the link to the text is: The image is here since I can post files here. Sorry, to be talking about the same project at both sites hope this doesn't annoy anyone. The roof and my proposal is sorta hard to visualize even with drawings. I have to refactor the average height or maybe consider flying some traps at angles to create the balance symmetry. It is great to be able to hash this out with everyone - if I was getting paid to do it I would pay everyone (maybe we can work something out). Best Regards, David

Attaching the 2nd image with the overhead views of the angles of the slopes and the cutaway showing a piece of the proposal and the ceiling... There is a discussion on some other topics and the roof related to this project over with Ethan at his site (want to give credit to him and to John here too)... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimate ... 6;t=000433 David

Example outside view of the garage hipped type roof - and proposed lines to create inner symetrical ceiling. (again requires turning mix position 180 degrees from above drawing)

Yeah - tricky roof - I'd do it sortta like this cheers john

John, that drawing is great man! This is basically what I was thinking for fixing the roof symmetry, but as I looked at the garage today - my idea seemed overly complicated. And I just did not see the solution... you hit it I think! Probably the best solution because the mix position didn't have to move and I don't have to compromise anything else... I will go look at the garage roof framing and see how simple this might be to execute. Bugger of a roof though - hopefully get started on the framing and isolating this week of the space... Kudos to you, David