Phillip Newell

Steve, Which Phillip Newell book are you getting? I will be very curious of your review. Eric

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... ETOFIXLINK sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/002-8844051-7782459?v=glance&s=books#product-details If that doesn't work, it's Project Studios - A More Professional Approach - Had to get it used, should be here in a week or so. Allowing another YEAR to wrap my head partially around it, the review should be done by... (what year was this again??!?) Just kidding on that part; I won't pretend to be worthy of reviewing this sort of book for accuracy and content, probably more for whether it's understandable at all for non-acousticians like us, or just something to put on the bookshelf to impress people who know even less :? ... Steve

Steve, I actually have read that book 3 or 4 times. It gives an interesting view that makes a lot of sense, but there is a lot of controversey on whether or not they are a good design. He is a firm believer in the "non-environment" room. I think you will find it a very interesting read.

Hey Steve, how are you doing with getting through this book? Eric

Hey Eric, not real quick so far, too many "gators still loose in the pond - I also bought his thicker one, Recording Studio Design, been kind of bouncing back and forth. I was probably closer than I thought with my little joke about when the review would be done. Still, it's been interesting so far. If I could just come up with a non-drug related way to avoid sleep, it would sure help. Every time I think I've just about pulled it off, I tend to lose consciousness... Steve

Hang in there!!! I get plenty of reading time, I spent 9 hours on a bus this weekend. I just can't get anything done at home when I do this. Eric

http://books.elsevier.com/us//focalbook ... focalbooks Glad I am an engineer!! Chapter 17 I believe... is the Non-Environment control room which I a total proponent of, I am building two of these control rooms as we speak. The key, hard, reflective/diffusive front wall and floors, lots of absorbtion and trapping in/on the walls and the rooms sound great and look even better. I am using pitted, wormholed reclaimed barnboard for my front wall and deep brown gunstock hardwood for the floors. You have to flush mount the speakers though, no stands and make sure your crappy NS-10m speakers are quite a ways from the front wall to prevent comb filtering.... at least 3 ft or in the garbage whichever is closer. I can't claim to have read the whole book, I got it in October and its like 700 pages but I have noticed that the sequencing of the chapters and topics is a bit confusing, I think I would have ordered them differently. I think this is the most definitive book on this topic that I have seen. BTW Focal press is great. cheers, ollie [SPAM SIGNATURE REMOVED BY MODERATOR. SPAMMER BANNED]

I'm pissed - somebody must have stolen a chapter from my copy, 'cause the NE rooms one is chapter 16 in mine - :cry: (just kidding, I'm allowed to do that 'cause I'm the mod 8) ) Not that it matters yet, it'll be a while before I get to that part unless I cheat (again) I may have to cheat anyway, I'm curious how surround is handled in a NE room. So far, everybody seems to be just absorbing everything and then putting back the ambience digitally... Steve

It is kind of tough to navigate. He goes on a few rants, but the info is worth it. The interesting thing to me is his design for his back wall traps, he includes some good explaination of why it works.

Yeah, that 2 foot thick trap is almost as convoluted as the stories some kids dream up to keep from having to do their homework - the theory sounds at least feasible from what I know, kind of just an extension of John's bass hangers as far as I can see... Steve

Hey fellas! Glad to see this group is back in biz. Anyone know how I can get the main page to wrap? Scrolling left and right is a pain. Anyway, I thought I'd chime in on the Newell books: EXCELLENT! I have read all of his work save for the new Recording Studio Design, a copy of which is setting next to me, begging for some alone time. If this newest one is anything like the others, I'm sure I'll have nice things to say. Book by book: Studio Monitoring Design - Good, but only two chapters on acoustics. This is the reference if you're going to build your own soffit monitors, though. (FWIW) Recording Spaces - Excellent. This book gives a lot of different approaches to different recording room setups. From small vocal booths, to large live rooms, all very informative. (I particularly enjoyed the part where he described the day he listened to the plaster dry in a recording room - literally! :) ) Project Studios - A more professional approach - Also excellent. He covers many topics outside of acoustics, such as wiring, gear, signal chains, ergonomics, etc. If you are going to start on something of Newell's, I'd go for this one. Recording Studio Design - Stay tuned... Steve and I will probably have our reviews ready about the same time! :D Best regards, Jeff D. Szymanski Chief Acoustical Engineer Auralex Acoustics, Inc.

Thanks Jeff, The one I've read is Project Studios. It sounds like recording spaces should be next. It's too bad we all live so far apart, we could start a library :D

knightfly wrote:

Yeah, that 2 foot thick trap is almost as convoluted as the stories some kids dream up to keep from having to do their homework - the theory sounds at least feasible from what I know, kind of just an extension of John's bass hangers as far as I can see... Steve

What page are we talking about here?? o [SPAM SIGNATURE REMOVED BY MODERATOR. SPAMMER BANNED]

Hi Ollie - referring to Project Studios - p. 173 and surrounding text. Just checked Recording Studio Design and couldn't find it ... Steve

Jeff, I'm at 1024 x 768 on a 17" LCD and no wrap problems with the main page - however, this and other BBS sorftware makes you scroll when someone posts a pic wider than about 750 - I usually try to resize those when I find them Enjoying your joust with Ethan over at RO, BTW - Proud to know both of you for keeping it as civil as it's been... Steve

Eric: I think if I buy one more book, my wife will throw me and the bookshelves out to the garage permanently. (Not too bad if that happens - it's where most of my guitar toys are anyway! :) ) Steve: The scrolling problem comes and goes. Seems like my browser has to get used to this site. After a few passes, it usually wraps like normal. Weird, though. Happy reading guys! Best regards, Jeff D. Szymanski Chief Acoustical Engineer Auralex Acoustics, Inc.

I knew there was a reason I never got married. I always thought it was because I'm ugly.

Guess that makes me the lucky one so far - my wife loves books and reading, to the point where she'll read the label off the toilet paper if there's nothing else close - loves music (to the point of either listening or "tuning out" the 147th pass on one of my songs ) - and most importantly, hasn't figured out in almost 39 years that she could have done better :? There are other reasons, but why push it? Steve

Guys, Thought I'd resurrect this thread. I started on "Recording Studio Design" last night. All I have to say so far is that anyone thinking about putting a studio together should be required to read Chapter 1 of this book. I have never read anything concerning studio design that covered all the considerations in so much detail, in so little space and in such clear and concise language. Wow. Looking forward to reading the rest!!! Best regards, Jeff D. Szymanski Chief Acoustical Engineer Auralex Acoustics, Inc.

I'm slowly working my way through it. Summer is a busy time for me and I usually take 3 or 4 times through a technical work before I really start to understand it. So I'm waiting for August when life slows down a little.