John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Amazing amounts of info here. Thank you all for adding to it! I'm learning slowly.

I know the "treat a small room" is a bit of old topic but I'd like your thoughts on best approach to treating my specific planned space. I have done a lot of searching but each space and situation is slightly different than mine.

I've got the isolation build plans handled at this point. What I'm up against next is trying to keep some of my space while treating it properly.

I'll be using this space for voiceover work only.

The interior space will be (approx) 4'x8' and 6'10" H (122cm x 244cm x 208cm H) 2x 5/8" Gypsum walls/ceiling and a concrete floor.

Door on one of the 4' sides. No window.

I've read that due to the small size of the room I'm limited to simply treating it "dead" (or mostly dead.) I'd like to do this however while keeping as much of the space as possible. I work with 'cans' on so I'm more concerned with what the mic pics up (or doesn't.) What options would you suggest?

I've seen the rockwool panel builds and super chunk bass traps, but I'm going to be squeezed in tight losing another 8"+ on my width. I've seen the 'compact panel' type packages at Sweetwater and other sellers. Can anyone vouch for any of those? Of course there's always $acoustic foam$

I really appreciate your feedback!

Thanks again, J

do a search on this site for "inside out" walls. essentially the mass is on the outside of the frame, and the inner part ("the room") has the insulation (and cloth etc) on the inside so the entire room has absorption on all the surfaces.

gullfo wrote:"inside out" walls

Thanks Glenn, I appreciate your reply!

I've read about that technique. However with my space limitations I'd be left with the framing inside the 4x8 space I'm currently planning.

I'm trying to avoid taking too much of the small 4' wide space that I'll have with the double leaf system I need for proper isolation. If I have to I will I guess.

I know acoustics is a science and frankly I get a little dizzy pouring over some of the posts on the subject. I need more education on this first. Maybe I could hire someone who knows this stuff to come up with a schematic that would work? Or is treating every surface with 4" of insulation my only real option?

Thanks again, J

if you need double wall for isolation, then it's pretty much the same materials and depth. the exception being your inner mass is closer to the exterior mass. presumably you're building an isolation booth?

Do you need Isolation help, or is it just treatment?

DanDan wrote:Do you need Isolation help, or is it just treatment?

Hi DanDan, Just treatment. I followed your links and see you do that sort of thing. I'll reach out, thanks!

gullfo wrote:if you need double wall for isolation, then it's pretty much the same materials and depth. the exception being your inner mass is closer to the exterior mass. presumably you're building an isolation booth?

True! Except, based on the iso plans I have and the very tight space I'm building this, to do that method I'd have to build two of the inner leaf walls (with double 5/8 gyp) before lifting into place and sealing. A lot of extra work and it would be challenging to get the seals tight on those layers where they intersect again due to space restraints. Putting the inner leaf gypsum on the inside allows me to get the seals for each layer done much more easily. Unless I',m missing something? (I'm usually missing something)

Thanks again, J

may be true also, but then you still lose about 8" (4" on each side and ceiling) for absorber depth unless you go with 2" thick absorbers, then only 4" less space. if you use thin foam or rubber between the sections (think of building a number of hard back absorber units) which are squashed when you tighten the bolts. you could use metal framing also to reduce weight.

gullfo wrote:unless you go with 2" thick absorbers, then only 4" less space. if you use thin foam or rubber between the sections (think of building a number of hard back absorber units) which are squashed when you tighten the bolts. you could use metal framing also to reduce weight.

Thanks Glenn, I'll look around for more on those