Small Control Room planning, with full spousal approval
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 2:02 pm
Howdy folks! I've really been enjoying reading through the forum. I've gotten some ideas for sure. I have been doing all of my mixing in our main floor living room for the last 12 years or so, and I wanna get out of there. I have a converted duplex, so there's an extra living room that I'm planning on turning into a control/mix room. I've done nothing with it. I'm in the planning stage.
Isolation: basically zero concern. I have all the isolation I need, truly. I will live with the bleed from the basement during tracking as I do now. I live on the corner of a busy 4 lane street, so a little noise coming out of my control room is no problem, even at night. If this says anything, we've had rock bands play full blast in the room in question, and it's BARELY audible from the sidewalk, and is far quieter than cars passing by. Noise from the street comes in, but that's life. I am quite a distance from residents- my closest neighbor is a dance studio, and the parking lot is empty at night. The other neighbors are on the other sides of said busy street. I monitor at low volumes- my typical mixing level is low enough that conversations in the room will be quickly shushed. 85Db is about the norm except when I check bass, or when I'm done and want to rock out once for fun.
Goals:
1. My goal is to have my mixes translate well. In my completely untreated current mixing room, I've learned to do mixes that I stand behind. So I have to hope that by treating this room, I'll be in a better spot.
2. Space so that I can allow for 2-3 bandmates to sit in the room during mixing. In a room this small, it's at a premium. This is just to say that I can't afford to put 6ft of treatment on the back wall.
3. Attractive, inviting aesthetics so it's cool to be in the room (GOM fabric and sanded pine board trim will go a long way): note- I am most definitely open to suggestions on a fabric that will do a great job but not cost GOM $$$.
4. Treatment methods that I can build myself
5. I'd like to stay around 1.5k US, but could stretch this if needed.
6. the room has no lighting. I'd like to incorporate this into the clouds somehow.
Room Details:
Monitors: Mackie HR824 Mk 1 and Avantone Mix Cubes.
Dimensions: 18' 4” deep x 11' 2" wide x 7' 9" tall, so not exactly ideal. When I plug this dimensions into Bob Golds Room mode calculator, I get pretty encouraging results, or maybe I'm totally wrong there...
I don't have any restrictions in terms of how much treatment I can apply to the room save for cost and space- in other words I have full spousal approval.
Construction: 2x4 (actual old 2” x 4” studs) spaced 16” apart, 5/8” drywall. Hard cellulose spray foam insulation filling the wall cavities. The exception to this is the interior wall with the arch; that one is 1/2" drywall over plaster, if that matters.
Ceiling: textured plaster. Attic space above this, waist deep with blown in cellulose
Floor: hard maple over standard wood sub floor.
There are two windows in the room. The front wall window can be covered up if I have to, but for the side one I'd prefer to build a plug or have something movable/portable.
The room is at the top of a stairwell. There is a good sized landing directly at the top, and from here you enter the room through the door. The entrance to the room, and the entrance to the hallway are in the back corner of the room. That room is 8' 1/2” x 11' 2” x 7.9” if that matters. If we pretended the stairs didn't exist, the landing room would be 8.5' long x 11' 2" wide x 7' 9" tall.
Here's a handful of sketchup screen prints and some photos of the room. I can't seem to attach the Sketchup file itself. I included the landing in my drawing in case it needs to be considered acoustically.
Front of the room where the desk would be
Rear of the room with the two doorways Thoughts/ideas on how to proceed:
Full floor to ceiling wall coverage- one or two layers of fluffy fiberglass on each wall. I'll cover this with medium weight plastic drop cloths to keep fiberglass fibers encased.
Super Chunks or hangers in the front two corners, faced with reflective surfaces like 1x2s (and at lean points cuz I'm a dummy and absolutely will lean against the wall). Dunno what I'd do in the back where the doorways meet... But after some reading on the forum, the back wall might get 4” of fluffy stuff, then as many hangers as I can fit along it.
I've looked at soffit mounting the speakers, however, I have a concern with weight there. In the process of remodeling the house I've discovered lots of structural issues, and I don't want to add a ton of excess weight unless the benefits are really high.
Ceiling Clouds galore -roxul 60? Fluffy stuff?
Corner between the openings gets a small soffit trap or auralex mini lnrds (I have 4- not that I expect them to do much, but it's a tiny spot).
I'll probably need to incorporate some sort of new desk design, since what I currently have is 41” tall, and is around 6ft wide. I have a mixing console (Ramsa WRT820), and a fair amount of outboard gear that I need to account for; 36 rack spaces worth so far with patch bays (one small rack is not pictured). I'd like to have a little room to expand, and ideally I'd like things like Eqs and compressors within reach at the mixing position. I also have a Tascam 388, but my wife had the idea to keep this on a cart which could be rolled away when not in use. Perhaps I could do a pair of angle racks on either side, with something like a french cleat on each to support a middle surface for my mixer, which could allow me to change sizes should I decide to change mixers. Then I could put my speakers on stands near the front wall.
Questions:
First, measurement- my desk is too heavy and wired up to bring it up there. When my stuff goes up it needs to be after I've done as much pre-treatment as I can. Suggestions on how I might create some useful data given this factor would be appreciated.
Next, in general, any feedback or suggestions on what you might think of my ideas for treatment would be appreciated. It seems that the ubiquitous 4” panels of Roxul or 703 hung on the wall are just not gonna cut it in this room.
How would I go about covering the window in front? It's unfortunately right in the corner. I don't want to make it so permanent that it would be a big issue if I decide to sell the place- semi permanent would be ok.
I have AC outlets on each wall of the room- it's not really feasible for me to have them re-mounted on the surface of the treatment. Could I frame around them and leave them open?
Back wall: Based on my reading, I think absorption is the way to go, since I'll have a love seat there for my very lovable bandmates. I've seen some suggestions of covering the wall with a layer of fiberglass, then putting hangers in front of that. I feel that I could stand to lose a couple feet on the back wall to treatment, and still be OK, but is such treatment feasible/desirable given that I have that corner with the two openings?
How to hang hangers: I sincerely apologize, because I'd bet one of you will go “they're right here dummy!” lol But I cannot for the life of me find any pics of how hangers should be hung. A lot on the web has to do with acoustic tiles and RC, which doesn't help! : )
Isolation: basically zero concern. I have all the isolation I need, truly. I will live with the bleed from the basement during tracking as I do now. I live on the corner of a busy 4 lane street, so a little noise coming out of my control room is no problem, even at night. If this says anything, we've had rock bands play full blast in the room in question, and it's BARELY audible from the sidewalk, and is far quieter than cars passing by. Noise from the street comes in, but that's life. I am quite a distance from residents- my closest neighbor is a dance studio, and the parking lot is empty at night. The other neighbors are on the other sides of said busy street. I monitor at low volumes- my typical mixing level is low enough that conversations in the room will be quickly shushed. 85Db is about the norm except when I check bass, or when I'm done and want to rock out once for fun.
Goals:
1. My goal is to have my mixes translate well. In my completely untreated current mixing room, I've learned to do mixes that I stand behind. So I have to hope that by treating this room, I'll be in a better spot.
2. Space so that I can allow for 2-3 bandmates to sit in the room during mixing. In a room this small, it's at a premium. This is just to say that I can't afford to put 6ft of treatment on the back wall.
3. Attractive, inviting aesthetics so it's cool to be in the room (GOM fabric and sanded pine board trim will go a long way): note- I am most definitely open to suggestions on a fabric that will do a great job but not cost GOM $$$.
4. Treatment methods that I can build myself
5. I'd like to stay around 1.5k US, but could stretch this if needed.
6. the room has no lighting. I'd like to incorporate this into the clouds somehow.
Room Details:
Monitors: Mackie HR824 Mk 1 and Avantone Mix Cubes.
Dimensions: 18' 4” deep x 11' 2" wide x 7' 9" tall, so not exactly ideal. When I plug this dimensions into Bob Golds Room mode calculator, I get pretty encouraging results, or maybe I'm totally wrong there...
I don't have any restrictions in terms of how much treatment I can apply to the room save for cost and space- in other words I have full spousal approval.
Construction: 2x4 (actual old 2” x 4” studs) spaced 16” apart, 5/8” drywall. Hard cellulose spray foam insulation filling the wall cavities. The exception to this is the interior wall with the arch; that one is 1/2" drywall over plaster, if that matters.
Ceiling: textured plaster. Attic space above this, waist deep with blown in cellulose
Floor: hard maple over standard wood sub floor.
There are two windows in the room. The front wall window can be covered up if I have to, but for the side one I'd prefer to build a plug or have something movable/portable.
The room is at the top of a stairwell. There is a good sized landing directly at the top, and from here you enter the room through the door. The entrance to the room, and the entrance to the hallway are in the back corner of the room. That room is 8' 1/2” x 11' 2” x 7.9” if that matters. If we pretended the stairs didn't exist, the landing room would be 8.5' long x 11' 2" wide x 7' 9" tall.
Here's a handful of sketchup screen prints and some photos of the room. I can't seem to attach the Sketchup file itself. I included the landing in my drawing in case it needs to be considered acoustically.
Front of the room where the desk would be
Rear of the room with the two doorways Thoughts/ideas on how to proceed:
Full floor to ceiling wall coverage- one or two layers of fluffy fiberglass on each wall. I'll cover this with medium weight plastic drop cloths to keep fiberglass fibers encased.
Super Chunks or hangers in the front two corners, faced with reflective surfaces like 1x2s (and at lean points cuz I'm a dummy and absolutely will lean against the wall). Dunno what I'd do in the back where the doorways meet... But after some reading on the forum, the back wall might get 4” of fluffy stuff, then as many hangers as I can fit along it.
I've looked at soffit mounting the speakers, however, I have a concern with weight there. In the process of remodeling the house I've discovered lots of structural issues, and I don't want to add a ton of excess weight unless the benefits are really high.
Ceiling Clouds galore -roxul 60? Fluffy stuff?
Corner between the openings gets a small soffit trap or auralex mini lnrds (I have 4- not that I expect them to do much, but it's a tiny spot).
I'll probably need to incorporate some sort of new desk design, since what I currently have is 41” tall, and is around 6ft wide. I have a mixing console (Ramsa WRT820), and a fair amount of outboard gear that I need to account for; 36 rack spaces worth so far with patch bays (one small rack is not pictured). I'd like to have a little room to expand, and ideally I'd like things like Eqs and compressors within reach at the mixing position. I also have a Tascam 388, but my wife had the idea to keep this on a cart which could be rolled away when not in use. Perhaps I could do a pair of angle racks on either side, with something like a french cleat on each to support a middle surface for my mixer, which could allow me to change sizes should I decide to change mixers. Then I could put my speakers on stands near the front wall.
Questions:
First, measurement- my desk is too heavy and wired up to bring it up there. When my stuff goes up it needs to be after I've done as much pre-treatment as I can. Suggestions on how I might create some useful data given this factor would be appreciated.
Next, in general, any feedback or suggestions on what you might think of my ideas for treatment would be appreciated. It seems that the ubiquitous 4” panels of Roxul or 703 hung on the wall are just not gonna cut it in this room.
How would I go about covering the window in front? It's unfortunately right in the corner. I don't want to make it so permanent that it would be a big issue if I decide to sell the place- semi permanent would be ok.
I have AC outlets on each wall of the room- it's not really feasible for me to have them re-mounted on the surface of the treatment. Could I frame around them and leave them open?
Back wall: Based on my reading, I think absorption is the way to go, since I'll have a love seat there for my very lovable bandmates. I've seen some suggestions of covering the wall with a layer of fiberglass, then putting hangers in front of that. I feel that I could stand to lose a couple feet on the back wall to treatment, and still be OK, but is such treatment feasible/desirable given that I have that corner with the two openings?
How to hang hangers: I sincerely apologize, because I'd bet one of you will go “they're right here dummy!” lol But I cannot for the life of me find any pics of how hangers should be hung. A lot on the web has to do with acoustic tiles and RC, which doesn't help! : )
