John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hi All

I'm currently designing a home studio for a radio DJ. I'm working a with a team of designers and architects, but I've been bought in to consult on the acoustics and the tech.
The DJ has a collection of somewhere in the region of 40,000 vinyl records, which he hopes to store at least some of in this new studio. I'm having a very hard time figuring out the acoustic properties of shelves packed with records, firstly on how they might absorb sound, and secondly on the effects they will have on the modal frequencies of the room. Unsurprisingly I can't find any sabine coefficients for a wall of shelves packed with vinyl records.

Regarding modes, If two opposite walls are completely covered in shelving which is full of records, would you take measurements for the room mode from the wall behind the shelves or from the front of the shelf (taking approx 60cm off of the total measurement)

I'm thinking it could be harnessed to an acoustical advantage quite well as we're building this thing from the ground up, I'm thinking of maybe having the shelving stepped in different depths on one wall which may help diffuse sound or reduce the effect of room modes.

Any knowledge or informed speculation would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome, where are you etc. Profile. I'll throw an idea in to get the ball rolling. Shelf the Front Wall leaving space for the speakers. A Sort Soffit approach.
A mass of vinyl like that is, well, massive, this could do much of what Flush Mount does. Primarily, great bass, and what DJ wouldn't want that?
Absorption of a mass of tightly packed vinyl, naw. Cloud and side absorbers will deliver great stereo. Big deep back wall absorption..... more great bass. Maximum Bass at all Frequencies, Jah Bless....