John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

I've done some extensive searching in the forum and on the web to find some decent information regarding soffit mounting the Mackie 824's. As I understand it, the passive radiator on the rear can lead to serious resonance problems within the speaker soffit.

My intent it to build an entire frame in which two Mackie 824's would be housed, pointing a few degrees down and slightly inward, along with a plasma screen in the middle. I would start by framing out the face and the ports to hold the speakers and screen, and build the rest of the frame work in such a way that would allow me to attach it to the wall, fill it with absorbent material (rockwool), and then cover the front with rigid fiberglass and muslin fabric. To compensate for the heat build-up, I planned on leaving a "tunnel" throughout the speakerbox, which would be open to the adjacent machine room. I'd put a fan in the end of the tunnel, which would suck the warm air out of the tunnel and dump it into the other room.

So what kind of problems exist in mounting the Mackie's?

What problems exist in my soffit-mounting design?

Thanks all.

After 2.5 Years of having my Mackies in Soffits, the only problem I have encountered is Overheating Of One Unit on a nice 97 Degree Day and Me forgetting to turn the A/C up.

That has only happened 2 times. in 2 years. Otherwise no issues.

The resonance issues.... There is so much absorption in the soffits I have yet to notice an issue. In 2.5 years mind you

Wow, thanks for the tip! I've tried to design a system of fans at each end of the room that would suck the air from the soffit behind the speaker out and into the adjacent machine rooms.

Other than that, its a ton of absorbtion eh? Plenty of R-19 to go around!

The fan is a great Idea. I recommend www.silenx.com fans very quiet and move air. Do a 120MM Fan.

Also I used 4.0 PCF Rockwool in there. Way more absorbant than R-19

Thanks Bryan for the Fan tip, I'll check it out.

I figured Rockwool would be the way to go. It's just so damn difficult to find in this area. I may have to special order it.

I am sure of it with all the Hurricanes this year. I have a 3 week wait on some up my way for this next studio I am building.