New Studio Build, Hello!

[amac2673]

I did the string trick you suggested and the only hard surface that the center of the tape hits is the floor. I haven't put the desk in the room yet as I am still finishing it. With the extra 100"s coming off the right speaker the only hard surface that the center is touching with equal distance between the tape is the right wall, which has no treatment, but either does the left. Kind of perplexing.

[Soundman2020]

Then it probably is the floor!

To double-check, put something soft and thick at that point on the floor, such as a soft blanket folded over a few times, or a large pillow, or something like that, then do a REW test with that in place, to see if the reflection went away. If so, then you are probably OK, as the desk will kill that. The desk will add it's own issues, but at least it will take care of that one!


- Stuart -

[amac2673]

Hey, thanks a ton for looking at my readings, it is much appreciated!

Can you tell me what graph and reading specifically it is that is telling you about the reflection so that I will know what to look at when I do the next reading with something soft on the floor to see if it went away.

I also seem to be having a hard time finding 705 in one inch thickness. Are two inch panels going to be ineffective for the 2-8k range or should I cut them in half?

I'm hoping that the additional mid-high treatment will take care of the 100" reflection.

Allen

[Soundman2020]

Can you tell me what graph and reading specifically it is that is telling you about the reflection so that I will know what to look at when I do the next reading with something soft on the floor to see if it went away.

It's on the "Impulse" button, which shows the impulse response of the room. (You can also see it on the "Filtered IR" button: same thing). Turn on the "ETC" curve, turn off the others, then smooth it just a tad, at 0.1ms, and switch the graph mode to show %FS instead of dB FS. Zoom in as necessary so you can see just the first 50ms or so. You'll see somthing like this:

amac-ir-etc.jpg

The first spike (at time=0ms) is the actual impulse itself. The second one (at time=3.18ms) is that reflection we are talking about. There's another smaller one 7.48 ms, which is your 100" reflection. You are probably right about that being the side wall, so that one will disappear when you put your first reflection point treatment on there.

Those are the two "biggies". There's other stuff in there, but not worth looking at yet, until you get your desk in and some more treatment done.

I also seem to be having a hard time finding 705 in one inch thickness. Are two inch panels going to be ineffective for the 2-8k range or should I cut them in half?

Here's the specs for the 700 series of products, from Owens Corning:

703-specs.jpg

Take a look at the differences in the properties for 1" and 2" 705: The 1" stuff absorbs practically nothing at 125 Hz, and pretty low at 250 Hz, and absorbs really well above 1kHz, whereas the 2" stuff is significantly higher in the low end. You don't want more absorption in the low end: you need it up around 2k and up. Both the 1" and the 2" do well up there, but the 2" also takes too much out of the low end.

If you can't get 1" 705, then you'd actually be better off with 1" 703, than with 2" 705.

I wouldn't suggest trying to split a panel of 705 in half: that might not be so easy!

I'm hoping that the additional mid-high treatment will take care of the 100" reflection.

It does seem to be the side wall, so I'd expect that one to die once you get your absorption on the first reflection points.



- Stuart -

[Soundman2020]

One other thing. You said: "the only hard surface that the center is touching with equal distance between the tape..." It doesn't have to be the center of the tape! It could be at any point along the tape... All that the graph tells you is that there is a path that is 44" longer than the direct path, but the actual point that is causing the reflection could be close to the speaker, or close to the mic: Not necessarily the same distance from both. Yes, it is likely to be the same, but not guaranteed: only high frequency sound acts like light rays, bouncing off surfaces at the same angle it arrives. Lower frequencies act more like expanding spheres, and less like rays, so the reflection point could be some other place in that case. All you know for sure is the distance of the increased path length.

So see if the tape will hit any other points in the room. I doubt it, but it's worth checking, to be certain.


- Stuart -

[amac2673]

Ya, I did check other to see if it would hit other things and it will touch the cloud in multiple places, but everywhere it touches it is on the fabric and not on a hard surface. My ceiling is angled as the studio is RFZ, the cloud follows the angle of the ceiling and is not hard backed, can't really adjust the cloud other than possibly moving it a 1/2" closer to the ceiling which would be a huge pain to accomplish. I'm really hoping its the floor and the wall. I

In the grand scheme of home studio design would you say I'm looking pretty good?

Thanks again!
Allen

[amac2673]

Ok found a place with 1" 705 and ordered 4 2x4' panels to start with, should be here in the next few days, in the mean time I got the rest of my laminate to finish my desk hopefully this weekend, I will post some pics of it today.

[amac2673]

Here some desk build pictures, just have desktop left to cut and laminate and then I'm in business.

[DasProductions]

Beautiful desk! great work!

[amac2673]

Thanks man! Can't wait to finish it and put in the studio...

[amac2673]

Thought I would add some pictures of the finished product. I put up some 705 panels per Stuarts suggestion to tame some of the 2k-8k stuff. Also, when I put the desk in the room it took care of the early reflections that Stuart noticed which were apparently coming off of the floor. I have tracked some drums, bass and guitar and I must say it sounds fantastic in there! I could not be happier with the way the room has turned out! I have installed the NS10s but having had time to hook them up yet or re-shoot the room since putting them in there, I don't think they are going to be an issue as far as room acoustics are concerned though.

Thanks so much for all of the advice and inspiration that I have received by being part of this community.
I do not believe I could have achieved such a high caliber room without it!
Thanks a ton to Stuart!

Allen

[DasProductions]

WOW! been following your work and your room came out awesome! Great work, enjoy!

[amac2673]

Thanks man!

I started construction on it around the first week of December 2013, and built it completely by myself with any spare moment I had. There were times when I thought I would never finish it and or unsure if all of the work would be worth it in the end, especially in regards to isolation. But in the end I am able to play a full acoustic drum kit with live bass and guitar at 2 o'clock in the morning and nobody else in the house can hear it!

Allen

[DasProductions]

" I am able to play a full acoustic drum kit with live bass and guitar at 2 o'clock in the morning and nobody else in the house can hear it! " oh man that's great! you gave me lots of motivation with that comment

[Soundman2020]

THUNK! That's the sound of my jaw hitting the floor...

WOW! I mean !WOW! Allen, that is one great looking studio. Really, really nice. A job well done. Congratulations!

It takes a lot to impress me, but I have to admit your place impresses me!

So it's now at the top of the "finished studios" list, where it deserves to be: http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 923#p40923

You more than met your isolation goals, and your control room acoustic goals, and you did a knock-out job on aesthetics and build quality, so I'd say that's a pretty darn successful build!



- Stuart -