This has really left me with two major questions. Please see the update at the end where the questions are. I've also removed the unnecessary pictures and updated with what currently seems to be the best route. Thanks!***
Hi, thanks for this amazing resource! I've been digging through the forums and reference material for about a month now, but it's a lot to take in, so I'm hoping I can get some input before I get started on this project and make too many costly mistakes. I'll try and start by answering the required questions:
My location should show to the left, but I'm in Oregon in the US.
Purpose: Post production and control room setup. I do most of my recording offsite and bring it home for mixing as well as video post production. My main concern is acoustics, not so much isolation (I'm quiet, as is the neighborhood), so I appreciate an input on how I can get this little space sounding as good as possible on my budget (see below). I'll be in there 8 hours a day.
Where I'm at now: We're signing paperwork to buy the house in which this will be located in a couple days, and I'd like to jump in asap so I have somewhere to work when we move in. I've been researching (does that really ever stop?), and now I'm planning, but I'm close to starting construction.
Budget: under $1,000 (I have lots of construction friends, but I know this will different from their usual work). This is coming out of my pocket, and we also only plan to be in this place for 5 years, so I don't want to build the ultimate setup just yet, that's for the next place. But I do want to be able to get my work done decently well, and I want to take this opportunity to learn how to get things right.
Loudness: This will be in my garage, and I won't be recording any drums or amped instruments. At most I'll record an acoustic guitar and vocals for fun, but my main work involved listening to what I've recorded elsewhere. I do want a noise free environment though, and I thankfully will have a very quiet neighborhood, as I'm at the end of cul-de-sac with only one neighbor, the other sides have field. The loudest thing around is my 2 year old daughter.
The layout: As I mentioned above, this is in my garage, but my wife would still like use of the right side of this 2 car setup, so I have access to one side. The other unfortunate problem is that I also have a door and hot water heater to contend with, as well as the rails for the garage door opener, so I'm limited to just under 8ft x 10ft (and 9 ft ceilings). I could push it slightly above 10 to 11, but that will cramp my wife getting out of her car. I'm seriously looking forward to building something at the next house that will not be in the garage. But I love my wife. And getting to eat.
Equipment: In that roughly 8x10x9 space I need to fit my desk and chair. The desk is a standing desk, and I have a chair that lets me sit at that same height when I want to relax a bit, so I'll be building the sofit to standing height. There's only a difference of 2 inches from sitting to standing. I would like to be able to add some side tables for non-computer work when necessary, but I don't know if those side tables will cause reflections that will make too much of a mess of things, or they'll be okay. I'll list this in my questions at the end. I'll be using a pair of Yamaha HS5s which I was going to put on heavy stands, but I'm planning on building a sofit instead, according to John Sayer's plans. Also, I have a DAW and a little bit of gear (laptop, tablet, DAC, interface, field gear, etc, most of which will store in the desk when not in use.
Materials: I plan to use wood 2"x4"s for framing, and enclose everything with sheetrock. Since I'm not really worried about total isolation, I was just going to use standard insulation, although if whoever replies to me thinks I absolutely need acoustic insulation for my purposes, I'll try and work that into my budget. I also included acoustic treatment in my budget (from foambymail, hopefully that stuff's okay), and once I get the room built, I'll be sorting out what treatment I need as well, based on research in the forums. Unless that's something I need to sort out now.
I've tried to work out the room modes using AMROC and Bob Golds room mode calculator. I assumed that I should be adjusting my room dimensions away from 8'x10'x9', since 8 and 10 share multiples, and maybe go with 7'x10'x9' just to help with the modes. Also, I was hoping to use the existing garage wall as part of the construction, since I'm not doing isolation and so not as worried about decoupling. I think. Unless I should be.
I've made a feeble attempt to imitate some of the designs I've seen on the forums here, but discovered just how quickly I was missing it when I read a post by Stuart explaining how important it is to be closer to the front of the room so there's room behind, meaning don't be in the middle. The designs I posted originally clearly screwed all of that up, as I laid it out wide rather than narrow to fit an add on to my desk, so I ditched the side tables and flipped the design on its side so it's long and narrow and I can be seated nearer the end with room behind me. As noted at the top, I also go rid of the angled walls to give a little more room, since they are apparently not that helpful in such a small space.
I intend to leave the floor as cement based on what I've read in the forums here. I'll be adding ventilation later on, unless that's an absolute must right now.
So I have a few questions that I hope I've provided enough information for:
1. For my purposes, can I get away with a standard straight ceiling and maybe add a cloud, or do I need to slant it toward the front, maybe still with a cloud?
2. I had originally put the door at the back of the room, but when I worked out the estimated First Reflections, it looked like some of them would be hitting the door, making them hard to control. Would I be better off moving the door to the side wall, maybe still further back, or leaving it where it is and treating alongside it?
3. I was also thinking I might add a window opposite the door, since they would both hopefully be away from the first reflections and safer to have on the side walls, closer to the back. Is that true, or am I asking for trouble?
I've reworked the design to be lengthwise, and I've reposted that here: I really appreciate any help you folks can give. Thanks!