Which to build & how...

Ive done plenty of reading & re-reading, and think I have the necessary info to build some traps for my room. However, I am no carpenter, so the plans all look like gibberish to me. A friend has offered to build the traps, & I have all the necessary wood (from a loft I took apart) to get started. Ive noted where to buy the insulation from, and fortunately, there is a place in Chicago that I can go grab it up with no problems. I also have d/l'ed ethan winers how-to, though the drawings are too small for my untrained eyes to really make anything out or understand whats up. I was hoping someone could maybe answer a few questions for me & lay out a step by step to build the traps that I can give to my buddy so he can get started. I'm not so swift on terminology, but I'm trying... Here goes... My room is roughly 9 ft high, 9 ft wide, and 20 feet long. It is rectangular in shape. On long wall 1 (the on that my gear is against) I have a HF microtrap mounted at a 45 degree angle above & between my monitors. On the 2 side walls I have an HF microtrap mounted - these are all for early reflections. I previously used these microtaps for a makeshift vocal booth in my dining room. My question is should my landlord make bass traps, or should he make broadband absorbers (or some other kind) to tame all the action in my room. (They are different, right?) Ideally, i want to be able to use the traps in another place when I move again (baby on the way!!!). If broadband, then the traps should be made with 701, 703, and 705 within, right? Also, on the back wall of my room (the other long wall) I wanted to buy 2 real traps to put on the back wall, but thats not gonna happen so I guess I need to have 2 more traps of some sort built (for the wall that my monitors are facing - my back is to this wall ), right? There is no problem with making the corner traps 8 feet high, but i am concerned about weight for the treatment I need on the rear wall. I hope I was clear enough to give an idea about what I hope to accomplish. thanks!!!!!!!! huck p.s. sorry about the lack of apostrophes, that key is toast on my keyboard.

Sorry for the delay; have you seen this page? http://www.johnlsayers.com/HR/index1.htm There are some details, a basic room layout, and these are more broadband approach (usually better results), and PORTABLE - Have you considered rotating your setup to be on the short wall? For most rooms this works at least as good, usually better. Traps as small as the ones you're using, probably won't be too effective at the distances your long dimension puts them - it's likely you'd get better results with larger DIY absorber panels - Your thoughts? Steve

Thanks for the reply & the link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to rearrange my room as you've suggested, but I have 2 problems (at least I think they are problems): 1) each of the short walls has a door that opens to closets (old house, doors don't shut all the way either) - i thought corner traps would render them useless (no access). 1 still has clothes in it, the other a mic... 2) the long rear wall has a window in each corner - though that may not matter at all... If you are still suggesting that I rotate my gear to one of the short walls, then I certainly would trust your advice, but it would make for a very tight squeeze to record vox (if need be, so be it)... Are the front & rear wall absorbers in your diagram exactly the same? Which insulation should I use? Side wall & rear wall = 703? Corner traps = 703 & 705? I will keep reading & re-reading everything I can find until a lightbulb goes off in my head and I better comprehend what's what, but aside from a little understanding, I really just want to get them built (rearrange my room?!?), and get back to work. Thanks for not treating me like some asshole who's too lazy to do the math because I have yet to fully digest all the info available re: diy treatments. I'm trying to get the basic principles together in my head simply so I know what the hell these things do & why they need to be what they are & placed where they are. I will pass your diagrams along to my buddy. Thanks again. If I need to post a room drawing, I'll try to do so this weekend... what next? :idea: thanks, tj

what next? The room drawing would be a good start; that way I can make some semi-informed blathering instead of total guesswork :? Are the front & rear wall absorbers in your diagram exactly the same? Which insulation should I use? Side wall & rear wall = 703? Corner traps = 703 & 705? They can be; the rears could also be slatted, with wide spacing between slats; but better NOT if the room is this small, and especially if you will end up putting your speakers on the LONG wall. In that case just plain 703 covered with cloth will be best. I would use this exclusively, and not worry about the slight differences with 705 - these are mainly for direct incidence, which rarely happens in a studio - for other angles, the 703 will catch up with and pass the 705 on a more practical basis. As far as the "not being nasty" part - It's taken me over 20 years messing with acoustics/sound proofing to get this stupid, so I don't expect others just getting into it to have either enough answers or enough questions; that's the point of this site, and I don't allow flames or other crap; this is a LEARNING place, not a war zone. Ask your questions, and all you better get is respectful answers; (some of them possibly even useful :=) BTW, welcome to the board... Steve

Thanks again for your insight, Steve! Held off on uploading a drawing of my room because it now looks like there is a chance I will be moving all my toys to the basement (ugh...) - IF I dont move out of my place within the next 2-3 months... If these treatments are to be portable, is there a standardized plan for building the panels so they can fit the most broad possible applications (rooms)? I have enough wood to have 4 corner traps built, as well as front & rear wall treatments (I think)... Still need a draft of the current room? thanks again!!! huckleberry (teej)

No draft needed if you're moving :roll: If you want portable, I would build units no taller than 6'6" tall; standard doors are 6'8", this would give enough room to get them through most doors. Those units can be used in nearly any room, you could even put them on casters if the room you're using has doors in wierd places; then, when you're mixing and want an even sound field, you could just roll an absorber in front of any acoustic obstacle and "remove it" from the equation (mostly) - If you end up in the basement, a drawing would be one of the first things to do so we can visualize what needs done easier... Steve

hey there huckleberry- wondering what your insulation source is in chicago. they carry OC 703/705, etc? your reply would be much appreciated! joel