14'x16' Studio, Layout Feedback Desired, Sketchup included.

Hi all, I have an upstairs room that I'm using for my studio until someday I get to build a nice basement studio. In the interest in making the most of what I have, I'd love some feedback. Mostly, this is used for recording solo performers and MIDI composition, as well as mixing, etc. The closet is my machine room, which is kinda nice. It has two hanging, sliding, flimsy doors (that aren't represented well). The carpet is a medium shag with a decent pad, and the walls and ceilings are a knock-down texture. There is an omnirax desk, a keyboard stack, and an electronic drumset that are the major players in the room. Unfortunately, I have the room setup so it is deeper than it is wide. I figured the asymmetry due to having the windows on one side and the closet on the other was a bigger deal than the asymmetry of the closet on the back wall. But I'm open to your suggestions. I have about $2k US to spend. That brings me to my questions: 1. Do you have any alternate layout suggestions for the main room items? 2. Any advice on where to put the desk/monitors? 3. I have 4'x4'x3" foam blocks, and smaller ones as well. Suggestions for where to place them? 4. I don't want to block the windows, but I'm sure I need bass traps. More suggestions? 5. Should I put 2" wood slat blinds or duette-style fabric honeycome shades on the windows? I figure the former is brighter with a possible comb, and the later is more absorbent. 6. Any other relevant advice? Thank you so much for your time! Sketchup here: http://files.doctorobvious.net/UpstairsStudio2.skp Mark Phillips http://www.doctorobvious.com

I'd also be interested in ideas that involve changing out the hanging/sliding doors. For instance, could I put something slotted there that let it act more like a broadband helmholtz? Of course, that would run the isolation from my computer, but I could possibly relocate that to another room if I had to. Thanks for your time, Mark.

maphill wrote:

1. Do you have any alternate layout suggestions for the main room items? 2. Any advice on where to put the desk/monitors? 3. I have 4'x4'x3" foam blocks, and smaller ones as well. Suggestions for where to place them? 4. I don't want to block the windows, but I'm sure I need bass traps. More suggestions? 5. Should I put 2" wood slat blinds or duette-style fabric honeycome shades on the windows? I figure the former is brighter with a possible comb, and the later is more absorbent. 6. Any other relevant advice?

1. You're in the ballpark. The desk should get pulled out a bit, see #2. 2. You're going to want to pull the desk out from the wall a bit . One rule of thumb: calculate 38% of the length from the front wall to the rear wall along the center axis. Put an "X" in that spot. That's your listening spot, your chair should be directly over that spot. Then, pull your desk out from the wall until the 2 speakers make an equilateral triangle with your head. 3. What kind of foam blocks? Are they Auralex sheets? What are their absorption properties, do you know? Let's assume these sheets are effective absorbers. You'll want to use them to make a reflection free zone. Put them on the ceiling above you, and on the side walls, such that the first reflections from your speakers will be absorbed. This will improve your stereo imaging. Once you have a solid RFZ, I'd probably put the rest of the panels equally distributed on the back wall to absorb some rear reflections. 4. In small rooms like this, I'm a big fan of superchunks. This is where much of your budget should go, imho. I'd put superchunks on the wall/ceiling corner above the 3 windows, and on the wall/floor corner below the windows. I'd also put them on pretty much all the wall/ceiling corners in the room. You're kinda limited with your wall/wall corners. 5. I'd guess that the absorptive ones would sound better. But that's just a guess. 6. The biggest factor in the way you use this room is to make it an accurate listening environment. Design the room so that it sounds good, then make room for your electronic kit. That closet just feels.... in the way to me. If it were my room, I'd either build it out with isolation in mind (make a soundproof machine room/iso booth) or just take the closet out entirely. Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback! I'll try moving my desk soon. I'll go look for superchunks right now. I'll probably be leaving the closet for now. If anyone has suggestions for dealing with that assymetry or any other advice, I'm all ears. Mark.