Control Room Layout. Please Help!

Hey guys, We just moved into a new house, and I have my first actual "control room." I'd basically like to know the best way to set it up (where to put the desk, the listening sofa, etc.). I can't make any huge structural modifications to the room, but I can certainly do something like take the closet doors off. The tracking room will be a converted garage that's adjacent to the bottom wall. I've talked to my father-in-law (a trim carpenter) about helping me put a window here that looks into the tracking room. Would this be a bad idea? (We would put it back the way it was before we sold the house!) I just always see windows from control rooms to tracking rooms any time I'm in a studio. Sorry for the crappy drawing. It's my first attempt at this type of thing. It looked better before I shrunk it down. Anyway .... red = window (to outside) green = dual closet door yellow = entry door thanks much for any advice.

Anyone? Please! I've heard conflicting opinions on this subject, and I'd like to get someone's opinion who knows what they're talking about. ANY info is greatly appreciated. thanks

famous beagle wrote:

Anyone? Please! I've heard conflicting opinions on this subject, and I'd like to get someone's opinion who knows what they're talking about. ANY info is greatly appreciated. thanks

Start by reading and studying http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/index.html There is so much to acoustics that staring from scratch to teach someone is laborious and repettitve. Good Luck! Andre

thanks for the link. I appreciate it.

Ok, I've formulated a plan for the room and I've updated the picture to show my idea. I realized that I mistakenly said my tracking room was adjacent to the bottom wall. This isn't true. It's actually adjacent to the right wall. I got turned around earlier. gray lines = absortive panels/traps yellow box = listening sofa light gray box = hanging ceiling absorber green = closet red = window to outside (w/ heavy curtain) pink = window to adjacent tracking room (converted garage) yellow door = entry door Any comments on how this could be improved, or should it be all right like it is? I can't really put bass traps in the other two corners because of the doors. Is this a problem? If so, what are some possible solutions? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

As far as the wnidow goes, consider using video camera(s) and monitor(s) instead of a window. This would allow you to see into the room (and, if you want, vice versa) without compromising isolation. It can might be cheaper than the thick tempered glass, and it's easily reversed (i.e., no need to "unbuild" a window later).

Thanks for the tip! Yeah I've thought about doing that as of late, for all the reasons you mentioned. Also, it won't get in the way of my first reflection points like the window was. If you get a chance, please take a look at my panel absorbers question in the acoustics forum. Thanks much!

I've added to your drawing to show where you'll need absorbers in that room; if you're going to have frequent listeners at the couch position, you should re-aim the speakers at a point further behind the mix position (wider angle) - but not TOO wide, or it will create too narrow a sweet spot at the mix position (too little overlap) Also, if you can post the HEIGHT of your room, your head height when seated at the mix position, and center height of the woofers/woofer distance from each wall, I'll try to get a handle on which frequencies may be problem areas. HTH... Steve

Thanks Steve, I appreciate the tips. The ceilings are 8 ft. My head height is approximately 3 ft at listening position (same as woofer height. Woofer distance from side walls is 2'6". Woofer distance to rear wall is 21" from the cone. One question: Would a 2x4 sheet of 4" 703 work for the door absorber, centered at listening height? Or does it need to span the length of the door? Thanks