Garden Studio

[Matt F]

Hi Everyone

Been reading through the wealth of knowledge in this great forum and was hoping someone could answer a question about my build.

Studio 1.3 (DownView).jpg

Im building a studio in my garden, I have decided on most of the design and construction but one aspect. The internal wall which separates the monitor room from the (small) live room. I understand one larger room is often better but my work really warrants a separate room. All external walls have been built this internal wall is not yet built. I would really like to keep the control room at the front of the space as this will allow a nicer working environment with the large window giving natural light (instead of the usual dark 'man cave' I've become accustomed to)

As well as the proposed bass trapping which can be seen in the corners the ceiling joists will be filled with 7" or so of insulation covered with cloth adding further bass trapping.

...and so to my question..
Whilst taking into account my level of bass trapping.
Do you think the monitoring rooms shape is OK. Considering there is a corner directly behind the listening position?

Thank you. Matt
(London UK)

[Soundman2020]

Hi Matt, and WELCOME!

I completely missed your first post somehow! Sorry about that!

I would really like to keep the control room at the front of the space as this will allow a nicer working environment with the large window giving natural light

It's great to have natural light, but for a control room, the acoustic response is generally more important. Right now, your window is exactly at the first reflection point for the left speaker: that position needs to have deep absorption on it.

Also, symmetry is critical for control rooms: your left ear needs to hear the exact same acoustic "signature" as your right ear, but your room is not symmetrical. Imagine a line that divides the room in two, left half and right half. The left half must be an exact mirror image of the right half, in all aspects.

As well as the proposed bass trapping which can be seen in the corners the ceiling joists will be filled with 7" or so of insulation covered with cloth adding further bass trapping.

That's fine, but 7" isn't deep enough. Bass traps need to be DEEEEEEEP.

Whilst taking into account my level of bass trapping.

It isn't enough! For that size room, you are going to need a lot more bass trapping, and much deeper.

Do you think the monitoring rooms shape is OK. Considering there is a corner directly behind the listening position?

The basic shape is OK; but you do need to work on making it totally symmetrical. The corner behind you is also not a problem, provided that you make that into a deep bass trap.

- Stuart -