John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hi,

For my course I have to design and build a studio. One of my ideas for this studio was to have a separate room replicating a club sound system.

I've decided to use a "Funktion one" sound system and after emailing "John Newsham"(The co-founder of funktion one) he has reccomended me to use these exact models.

A pair of resolution 2's http://www.funktion-one.com/products/resolution-2/
A pair of Bass Reflex response (BR218, 2X18" drivers) http://www.funktion-one.com/products/bass-reflex-range/

My current room dimensions are about 5M in width, 7M in length & the height has not been calculated yet(part of the reason I am posting this)

I have attached a rough diagram of what my room will look like.

I know exactly how to treat your average control room & a club room but this is a design sort of in the middle of that.

My question;

How do I treat a room like this?
What should I use to absorb the sound?
Where should I place sound absorbers?
Should I have a slanted ceiling and how high should it be?
Do I need to change the dimensions of my room?
Should I have bass traps and what models should I use?
Any other tips on making this room acoustically perfect?

For now answer this with money aside, this room is going to be the best of the best if I can help it.

This website has helped me for many years but I have never actually posted in it.

Thanks a lot guys!

Callum (London UK)

Hi Callum, and Welcome!

My current room dimensions are about 5M in width, 7M in length & the height has not been calculated yet(part of the reason I am posting this)

If you search the forum for "room ratio", you'll find a stack of information on how to calculate that, using one of the commonly considered "best" ratios, such as Louden's, Sepmeyer's, and Bolt's.

I know exactly how to treat your average control room & a club room but this is a design sort of in the middle of that

What is the primary purpose? It seems to me that the primary purpose of this hypothetical room is mixing and/or critical listening, correct? If so, then the room should be set up and treated for neutral acoustics, in both the frequency domain and the time domain, such that the room colors the sound as little as possible. Therefore, it should be treated as a control room.

A pair of resolution 2's
A pair of Bass Reflex response (BR218, 2X18" drivers)

I don't think the room is big enough to be able to use those. They are not exactly meant to be near-field monitors! I'd suggest either scaling down the speakers, or scaling up the room.

have attached a rough diagram of what my room will look like.

Why does the room narrow down then widen out again? That's not a good idea for a critical listening room. Somewhat reminiscent of a Tom Hidley compression ceiling, but done horizontally...

How do I treat a room like this?

Exactly as if it were a control room, following ITU-BS775 and BS1116 specs, as well as EBU-3276 specs, and AES-TD1001.

What should I use to absorb the sound?

I would make panels from OC-703.

Where should I place sound absorbers?

In the usual places: first reflection points, rear wall,. superchunk bass traps, ceiling cloud, and between the speakers and the front wall.

Should I have a slanted ceiling and how high should it be?

Depends on your basic room design philosophy. If you want an RFZ room, then yes, without any doubt. If you are going for a ESS room, then probably not.

Do I need to change the dimensions of my room?

For those monster speakers? Yes. I would. I think I'd go for something at least twice as long and wide, and maybe 4m high. I just completed the installation of an entire sound system in a room even bigger than that (seats 250 people), with similar speakers, and I certainly wouldn't want to be closer than about 3 or 4 m to those speakers.

Should I have bass traps and what models should I use?

Depends on room size, but I would suggest large superchunks in several room corners.

- Stuart -