John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

A purely theoretical question: if an "absorbent cave" more-or-less surrounds the mix position ie including a "cloud", with absorption of reflections to the sides and above (and behind ie along the back wall), even if the absorbent cave is placed only at the edges of a 2.5m wide desk on which the monitors are placed, wouldn't that obviate the need to orient the mix position so that the monitors are firing down the long dimension of the room?

Not really. The lowest modes would sail right through such a cave.

Thanks for that.

I'd like to learn more the absorbent cave - its main intention, its limitations, essential caveats.

I had gotten the impression it could make for a short-cut - compared to extensive acoustic treatment of the entire room in which the cave would be located - to dependable mix-info. Had also gotten the impression a cave was strictly for tiny rooms = spaces in which treatment is theoretically severely limited in its potential.

Are there links and sources I have missed here and elsewhere?

There are no definitions for many of the terms we use........ Cloud, Absorbent Cave, Inside Out Wall......

I sometimes recommend building an absorbent cave....... a wooden frame holding absorption around and above the listener. Typically 100-150mm rigid fibre. Usually it would be in a large room. The absorption and blocking effect of the cave or hut would hopefully make the big room reverb inaudible.

Hmmm...

So, the "...absorption and blocking effect of the cave or hut would hopefully make the big room reverb inaudible..." while the "...lowest modes would sail right through such a cave..." I imagined that the cave would make it possible to block anything aside from the direct monitor signals, or at least make possible confusions due to reverb, comb-filtering, modes etc less...confusing. Is this wrong? Is it the case that the cave would never "protect" from modes, ie the room would need a hefty dose of absorbent but especially LF treatment anyway?

How do I build one? Are there example threads regarding such builds on JLS or elsewhere?

This notion of a small somewhat isolated listening pod is suggested in large rooms where treatment would be unaffordable. It is not intended as a substitute for a Newell Non Environment design! But helpfully, large rooms have high modal density, tending towards reverb. Not so much a problem as individual modes sticking out.

Thanks, will thoroughly cogitate...