My new studio in Sketchup. Needs suggestions. Please help

Ok. Here is the deal. I got this space wich is one floor under where I have my studio at the moment. I need som advice on how to build my perfect studio in this space. Since I have made (feels like) 1000's of drwaings of how it could be I thought I might ask the guys here to help me out. This is what I need: Controlroom about 30 square meters + - Main room about 30 square meters + - 2 small dead rooms for amps or vocals around 10 square meters each+ - A small lounge where the sink is connected An small entrance from the elevator A small office around 10 square meters + - witch I am going to rent out. The wall around is concrete. There are neighbours under and over me. So I prefarble need floating floors, even though I read somewhere here that it is not smart/helpfull. The controlroom should be located with view to the city. I willspend around 33000 dollars in materials and me and some carpenter friends will build it. All the mesurements in the file is aproximatly but very close to the real size. Couple of centimeters differ. If anyone would give it a try I will be very happy because I am getting frustrated and tired. I have made some sketches myself, but I won't post them, because they might drag you in that direction and what I want is a totally subjective response. Please help! Bluemusic

For those who doesn't have sketchup is is possible to get a demo for 30 days! I added a picture so you can use that instead.

Nobody?

Hey BlueMusic, I know how you feel, I've just organized all my sketchup files and exported design pics into folders, by the date and phase of thinking (confusion) I was in. I had no comments on my thread for a while too, so I just kept on posting ideas, ran into a fellow 1st time desisgner and then discovered it's really up to me to figure out the design of my studio. It was sure nice to have some other input though :D Maybe... you may want to post some of the design layouts you have come up with. It's better to keep in 2D to start, plus it's easier to move things around in scketchup. :idea: Under: Camera> Perspective, make sure that is unchecked for working in 2d only as a kind of gets rid of the blue (height) axis. This also makes a 3d drawing look 2d for export. Just try and keep it within the boundry of proven designs, there are a lot to choose to mimic on this site. I did try posting a blank outer studio wall of my space... and I did not get to much of reply. I am the only one who knows (or I think I do) my build limits. For me the layout of my studio is a real personal thing, I've comprimesed a bit to try and make mostly out of but still a littlle bit within my house. Plus it's time consuming. I'm still a newbie and above is just my opinion I hope no one takes offence. :D Marc

Hey BlueMusic, I have to agree with Marc, people make suggestions based on what would be perfect acoustically, but can't really know all of the personal reasons for why you lay out your rooms a certain way. Best is to get suggestions or filter out all of the advice that other people receive and come up with your own plan based on that. The other thing I noticed once I started construction is that it will all slightly change unless you are an engineer and have taken EVERYTHING into consideration. That being said, it might be time to put up some of your plans, you might get more of a response... I would be able to help with my minimal experience based on what you have already thought. After constructing my basement studio (drywaller is just finishing as I type) I would recommend doing a floating room or a room within a room for complete isolation if it was anyone other than family above and below you! I can certainly still hear my dog and my daughter running around upstairs, but the difference is good enough for me. I simply did the RC on the walls and ceiling, 5/8" drywall and rockwool insulation (in the ceiling) due to budget constraints. I can't comment on the shape of my room yet as it's not finished! I tried to make as few parallel surfaces as possible. But man, you have a decent enough budget and a large enough room to do something great! (especially after realising how much you can save by doing it yourself... except mudding and taping... no thanks!) Not a whole lot of help here, just replying to stir up the pot for you!

Thanks for the replies. Yes, as you guys said, I was wondering if anyone would reply. I will post some scketches in the future. I have some great ideas already.

I look forward to your sketches. I'm really wondering how your going to incorporate CR with the view of City. Marc

Blue - did you get the sketchup file I PM'd you?? cheers john

Hi guys. Sure, I got. I helped me alot. Thanks again. Here is a picture of a sketch as an attachement.

Side view

Jef Gibbons, guitardad72, John Sayers...?

Anybody?

Your room(s) looks great. I am not a design expert I am in this forum seeking out advice just like you. Having said that: I'm jealous of the amount of space you have and the fact you’re planning to keep a window in the CR. Have you figured out your sound isolation requirements in STC and LF TL (Low Frequency Transmission Loss)? Have you looked into the load weights of the building/floor you plan to put all this material on? With your budget I would seriously think about using John’s Phone service: http://www.johnlsayers.com/Pages/Phone.htm BTW you mean $33,000 USD equivalent or 33,000 Norwegian Kroner? What's your estimate tim frame to start building? Marc

Blue - your general layout is fine and will work really well and you can use those windows down the side of the control room and look out etc. My only concern is your control room geometry. I'm not sure where you intend to have your speakers etc. cheers john

Thanks! The load weights should be fine. The building is a big solid concrete one, with atleast 0,7 meter concrete floor. Monywise I mean around 220 000 Norwergian kroner. I estimate to start in a month when I settle everything with the owners of the building. I am trying to get the rent down at th moment:-) I put up a picture of the way I was thinking the control room should be. I will of course check out all angles and be sure wverything is correct. By the way, what is the best possible wall angle for setting up big speakers? Is there a correct answer or does it depend on serveral things? Edit: I am not able to upload more pictures. The file size for this picture is 229 kb so that should be fine. ????

Blue, try your upload again; we had some problems with server that are at least partially fixed, pix seem to work now... Steve BTW, your city view window - no problem, just use thick enough glass not to compromise your isolation. Isolation depends on mass-air-mass, heavier is better and wider air space is better. Depending on your noise situation, 12mm and 15mm glasses with 300mm space between (separate inner and outer frames, of course) should get you enough "quiet time"... Steve

Blue - the control room dimensions were correct in the model I initially sent you. cheers john

Ofcourse. I will check that one again. I will try to upload later today. Thanks for the replies. You are a bunch of nice guys!!

Here is the controlroom the way I though it should be. As you hopefully could see, I have angled some walls in the front.

Here is the side view again. It got deleted.

No - you are seated in the control room backwards - those are the rear 5:1 mounts. cheers john

Yes. I know. Would that be a problem? If it is I will certainly fix it, by turning the room around. If I use your angles the perfect listening position would be in the back of the room of course:-) If I angle the speakerwalls would that fix the problem?

Yes. I know. Would that be a problem?

with statements like that I doubt I can help.

Hi John. I think you misunderstood me. I of course know that it is a problem facing the wrong way. I have been in many big studios that looked different from what your tip did. Some are widest at the listening position and some are widest at the back. Some does only stereo and some full 5.1. I also know that a symetrical design is the perfect way to go. My control room is still symetrical, the only difference (together with the speaker wall angles) is that my room is widest at the front. My design is also not a exact copy of your controlroom design. I had to do some differences concerning the room that I am going to build this in. My question was if I change the speaker wall angles to be correct to the listening position, what other problems will I have to deal with from that design? I guess my bad english caused the confusement. I have a lot of experience with studio building and studio work, but sometimes I feel that speaking in english makes me sound like a kindergarden kid:-) Also I must say that if I new all the answers I would never attended this forum in the first place. My angles would be something like this: See picture. Now, please explain to me why this is a bad design? Count in that I am NOT the best in drawing in sketchup, so the angles may not be 100 percent correct. I find it very difficult to move and turn things around in this program. The angles will of course be finetuned before building.

I see one problem: your side walls are parallel at the listening position. That's a no no...