John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hello everyone

I’m so bummed I didn’t learn about this website earlier. I underwent building a studio in my basement beginning march of last year, and I’m just about done now. I would have loved to be able to reach out to the people on this forum for so many questions I had along the way, but hey, now I know for next time!

Anyways, I’m currently in the process of getting my control room to sound right. So far, nothing I’ve tried has helped my listening position to sound “good.” I’ve treated my first reflection points with 4” panels, and I have 8” bass traps in every corner to help with the low end. It seems that no matter what I try, I’m getting either crazy boomy low end that’s not consistent at all or very blurry and phase-y sounds in the mids on up into the higher frequencies. Some setups I’m getting both.

I’m using an Apollo x8p as my interface, and I’m currently using Focal Alpha 65’s as my main monitors (although I’m open to upgrading this area of my studio at this time).

Here’s my room layout and some pics (ceilings are 9'): Here are my current REW tests with this most recent setup: Focals on isolated stands, as close to the front wall as possible with 4” panels between them and the wall (I actually just tried adding those 4” panels today, but couldn’t tell much of a difference), 51-1/4” away from listening position, 49” from each other, sitting on Auralex MoPads.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/srtfrgr3oc2j1 ... .mdat?dl=0 (Tried uploading but the test file was too large)
I have also tried setting the Focals on my desk on the MoPads and on the IsoAcoustics stands. I’ve tried them farther out on top of the racks (which results in a much wider spacing between the left and right speakers), and I’ve tried them closer together right next to my Raven computer monitor.

It’s a little ironic that this is the most expensive studio I’ve tried putting together (everything has cost me about ~$20,000), yet it’s the worst sounding listening room I’ve ever had.

If I do need to add more treatment or change monitors, I suppose I could chuck another $5,000 max into this thing.

Did my best to follow all the posting rules.. Will adjust things or repost if I need to.

Do you guys have any advice on what is going on?

Any advice for things I could try?

Thanks!

one thought would be to empty the room and get the REW measurements without treatments. then begin testing monitor placement and listening positions. you have several asymmetrical thinks going on which can skew things and likely not nearly enough absorption. but start with getting your monitor placement and listening positions as good as possible. then begin adding the absorption to get the flattest results. front-back-ceiling and first reflections. then bring back your desk and gear. adjust. it's never as simple as load it all and test

Very broadly speaking we recommend a minimum of 4" x 2' x 4' traps. Floor to ceiling in the vertical corners. More in the ceiling wall corners if you got em. So at least 8. Cloud- say 4 or 6. Side absorbers 2-3 each side. Back Wall, as much as you've got. As Glenn said, Acoustic Measuring Software will answer specific questions. e.g. would those speakers work better almost touching the Front Wall? Call it 20.

gullfo wrote:one thought would be to empty the room and get the REW measurements without treatments. then begin testing monitor placement and listening positions. you have several asymmetrical thinks going on which can skew things and likely not nearly enough absorption. but start with getting your monitor placement and listening positions as good as possible. then begin adding the absorption to get the flattest results. front-back-ceiling and first reflections. then bring back your desk and gear. adjust. it's never as simple as load it all and test

Thanks, Glenn!

I may have to resort to this option as much as it pains me

I know my room is pretty asymmetrical. Was hoping that would work out in my favor, but it has been such a pain to get right.

DanDan wrote:Very broadly speaking we recommend a minimum of 4" x 2' x 4' traps. Floor to ceiling in the vertical corners. More in the ceiling wall corners if you got em. So at least 8. Cloud- say 4 or 6. Side absorbers 2-3 each side. Back Wall, as much as you've got. As Glenn said, Acoustic Measuring Software will answer specific questions. e.g. would those speakers work better almost touching the Front Wall? Call it 20.

So as of today, I built and installed additional bass traps. I now have traps floor to ceiling in each corner. I used a thickness of 6" of Rockwool Safe n Sound with a 2" air gap on the backside of the panels, then moved the existing panels to cover the entire corners. My cloud panels and first reflection absorbers on the side walls are 4" thick. The absorbers/diffusers on the back wall are 4" thick.

Here are some photos off the basstrap additions I made today. Here are the REW measurement with the LF Shelf on the monitors turned off and with a -4.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xguhcm1p13zlk ... .mdat?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pespia89h23rq ... .mdat?dl=0

What I noticed was a more even response in the 80Hz area, but that was about it. I also started dabbling with the LF Shelf trim on my monitors, but it wasn't really doing much judging by the results (at least I don't think it was doing much for the better).

Tomorrow I will play around with removing the 4" absorbers on the front wall and getting the speakers as close as I possibly can to the front wall.

Well done. You will see improvement, more noticeable in the room decay, waterfall, spectogram, rather than FR which is a tough nut. But all good. Kissing the Front Wall is probably better than having small areas of absorption behind the speakers. I have a test, PM me, my image is too big to upload here, or just test it for yourself. REW or RodeTest or ARTA, all tell the truth, and.... Test Trumps Theory.

DanDan wrote:Well done. You will see improvement, more noticeable in the room decay, waterfall, spectogram, rather than FR which is a tough nut. But all good. Kissing the Front Wall is probably better than having small areas of absorption behind the speakers. I have a test, PM me, my image is too big to upload here, or just test it for yourself. REW or RodeTest or ARTA, all tell the truth, and.... Test Trumps Theory.

Thanks Dan!

Just did a test without the 4" absorbers on the front wall and moved my speakers as close as possible to it. I think this looks better! Would you agree?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/35szy4hwr0oaq ... .mdat?dl=0

The FR seems a little more even, and even the waterfall is showing quicker decay times.

I believe I had a big breakthrough with controlling the low end!!! I put some 4” absorbers up on the front wall/ceiling corner, and REW is showing a much more even result now! I still have some nulls in the low end (which I think are due to SIBR), but I think that made a huge difference.

I will upload the results shortly.

mrb1946 wrote:I believe I had a big breakthrough with controlling the low end!!! I put some 4” absorbers up on the front wall/ceiling corner, and REW is showing a much more even result now! I still have some nulls in the low end (which I think are due to SIBR), but I think that made a huge difference.

I will upload the results shortly.

Here's the link to the REW measurement.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nzutes7vwa2zs ... .mdat?dl=0