Treating my new Studio/Attic

[hdiddy]

I was lucky enough to sell my house and moving into a great house with a super attic which will be my recording space. Here are the approximate dimemsions
Ceilings 10 feet, Length 35ft., width 16ft.; Plaster walls and hardwood floors. It is empty and boy does it echo.

I have read a lot about bass traps etc...; I am looking for an inexpensive solution to cure some of the echo. Here are my thoughts

Bass Traps, I am putting Aurlex foam 12"x48" and 2"thick) as molding around the perimeter and also treating the 1st Reflections and also behind the monitor. What do you guys suggest for the ceiling? Hanging homemade clouds of rigid fiberglass, foam on the ceiling? I am planning on having a Live End/Dead End

I am looking at doing this inexpensive, since the Aurlex and other foam is expensive

Thanks
Howard

[sethmeister]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Bass Traps, I am putting Aurlex foam 12"x48" and 2"thick) as molding around the perimeter and also treating the 1st Reflections and also behind the monitor. What do you guys suggest for the ceiling? Hanging homemade clouds of rigid fiberglass, foam on the ceiling? I am planning on having a Live End/Dead End

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but the auralex foam will do nothing for you with regards to bass / broadband absorption. It will tame higher frequencies but thats it.

I would at least build some bass traps for all the corners of the room. Just take 2' by 4' sheets of Owens Corning 703 at least 4" thick (more is better) or rockwool and cover with burlap or muslin cloth then hang in the corners. This will get you a decent start.

[hdiddy]

what about the ceiling, hang clouds or mount to the ceiling

[Denyle_Guitars]

That's a long room. Some type of gobo's to give the room a smaller feel might help. I wouldn't invest too much in foam panels, instead go with the OC 703/705 rigid insulation. You can draw up your room and post over on John Sayers site. You'll probably get some great starting recommendations there.

[Dutchman]

I worked as a Commercial acoustical carpenter for years doing all sorts of acoustical treatments.
The jobs would have left over materials and they would go back to the warehouse and set for years. If it's a custom job the contracter may end up throwing it away, because you can't use it anywhere else.

I did a lot of sideline basement studios from the leftover materials, at reduced material expense. The acoustical contractor is usually happy to find someone interested in their left over treatment materials.

Contact your local acoustical wall, ceiling, and floor company and see if they have some stuff sitting around that they can't move. You would be surprised at the prices.....don't be to anxious or they'll think they got a "Hot" one. LOL!!!

[sethmeister]

Clouds over your monitoring location should be fine. Again, you can frame 703, cover in cloth, and hang from ceiling.

Start with the traps in the corners and something to dampen reflections around your monitoring / mixing area and re-evaluate what else you need to do.

Sayers site that Denyle recommends above is a great resource. Lots of info there (its where I went when I was figuring out what to do to treat my space):

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/index.php

[Jack Gilvey]

Great stuff here:

http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

I used OC 703/705 myself in my HT/music room. Double for bass, single for refection, some do both:

[loudboy]

W just treated the walls at our studios here (VO booths) w/2" 703 in 4'x8' panels. One each on 3 walls of a 10'x10' room. Absolutely killed all those ugly "boingy" reflections.

We didn't need to bass trap, as we were just concerned w/mid and hi frequency in the vocal range.

Loudboy

[hdiddy]

Thanks for all the info

I have found lots of stuff just looking for guidance; There something that is like recycled denim I read somewhere; I might got with rock wool because it is cheaper;

Instead of building, has anyone just covered rigid fiberglass with burlap and used that and not framing anything
Thanks
Howard

[Jack Gilvey]

The ones in my pics are just covered in felt, no framing save for a thin strip of 1/4" ply around the border of the hanging ones.

[chrisgraff]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Thanks for all the info

I have found lots of stuff just looking for guidance; There something that is like recycled denim I read somewhere; I might got with rock wool because it is cheaper;

Instead of building, has anyone just covered rigid fiberglass with burlap and used that and not framing anything
Thanks
Howard

It doesn't look nearly as good. Much easier to pull the fabric tight around a frame. Alot of those reflections are coming from the floor/ceiling. A friend of mine with a similar space bought a bunch of cheap comforters and nailed them on the ceiling. I was shocked how good his room sounded...an attic, no less!