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Author Topic: Room expansion  (Read 1538 times)

Sonovo

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Room expansion
« on: December 02, 2007, 06:13:25 PM »

I currently have a mastering room that measures approx.:

length = 7m50cm
width = 5m70cm
height = 2m50cm

It's been treated with broadband and bass traps (quite deep superchunks in the front corners), absorbtion at all primary reflection points, and absorbtion on the back wall behind the listening position. It measures quite good, and sounds good.

The back wall behind the listening position is a row of ceiling high cupboards, and only about 1m away from the listening chair.

I'm considering tearing them out to open up the room. This would give me the following measurements:

length = 10m20cm
width = 5m70cm
height = 2m50cm

It would also move the back wall (and reflections from it) much further away from the listening position. However, I have to have shelf space somewhere, so the new back wall would have a kitchenette as well as new cupoards/shelves, making a diffusor or other treatment on the rear wall difficult.

I've considered putting absorbers behind the listening position on stands (i.e. gobo's) or hanging them from the ceiling, but am not sure if this is needed or if it will actually help.

Obviously I will have a professional come and have a look and try out some alternatives, but wanted to hear any ideas here as I prepare the expansion (I really need the extra room for clients, etc)

Cheers,
Thor
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gullfo

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Re: Room expansion
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2007, 09:22:16 AM »

maybe build a kitchenette on the back wall to replace the cupboards but then hang a set of heavy drapes across the back of the listening position (say 2m) to hide it when you don't need it. one concern would be the room ratio with the longer room.

   From Measurements (as-is)               
         ratio   size                  h   1.00   8.20                  w   2.28   18.70                  l   3.00   24.61                                             ax 1st   ~note   ax 2nd   ~note   ax 3rd   ~note   ax 4th   ~noteh   68.64   C2   137.28   C3   205.92   G3   274.56   C4w   30.11   A#0/Bb0   60.21   A#1/Bb1   90.32   F2   120.42   A#2/Bb2l   22.88   F0   45.76   F1   68.64   C2   91.52   F2                           tot vol   tot surf   edge   area   raw rt60   rate   Dc   mfpft   3774   1631   206   460   0.65   0.21   10.76   9.26m   106.87   151.50   62.80   42.75                        `               ratios   diatonic   stdev   modes   df   eyring   fs   ~noteh-w   2.28   III   0.47   397   0.33   0.59   155.74   D#3/Eb3w-d   1.32   
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Glenn Stanton

www.runnel.com/

Sonovo

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Re: Room expansion
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2007, 04:10:42 AM »

Hi Gulfo,

thanks for the reply.

The kitchenette is already installed on the back wall, although I'll put new doors on the cupboards (it's from the 60's). I'll have to put new storage cupboards along the rest of the back wall.

What you suggest is quite similar to what I was thinking, and similar to what I have now: Heavy courderoy drapes in front of the existing cabinet wall (1 - 1.5m behind where I sit). Opening up the room will give me more light, allow me to create a nice customer niche at the end of the room (by the cofee maker Smile) as well as improve the look.

The planner I spoke with suggested hanging acoustical panels (a la GIK or RealTraps) from 2 tracks on the ceiling, so I would have a movable room divider to allow more or less openness in the rear niche, as well as allowing me to compensate for rear wall reflections while working.

Any ideas as to how else I might both open the room (I really need to extra space, and make things more client-friendly) and not create big acoustical problems? The room sounds great as it is, but is a mess visually/aesthetically and with no real client area.

I can post a few pictures if it helps...

Cheers,
Thor


gullfo wrote on Mon, 03 December 2007 12:22

maybe build a kitchenette on the back wall to replace the cupboards but then hang a set of heavy drapes across the back of the listening position (say 2m) to hide it when you don't need it. one concern would be the room ratio with the longer room.



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gullfo

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Re: Room expansion
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2007, 07:21:10 AM »

the traps would be more to provide some mid-low absorption since the drape would tend to take out the high end. it may be that absorbers with a limp membrane embedded could restore some of that without being too reflective and maybe give you some space coupling properties (i.e don't have the panels necessarily touching side to side but either staggered or with gaps).

the new dimensions have many more modes (below 300hz) and they're closer together. so the balance you currently have will change...
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Glenn Stanton

www.runnel.com/

Sonovo

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Re: Room expansion
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2007, 02:02:33 PM »

That's exactly what I was considering, staggered/spaced panels (membrane absorbers) on tracks that can be slid from side to side. That would allow me to open the room up into one room, or move the panels behind me in a staggered arrangement to attenuate reflections and possibly create a 'virtual room', at least enough to disturb the nodes.

I plugged the new room size values into a mode calc, wow am I taking a step in the wrong direction...

Will cabinets/cupboards affect things at all? The kitchen extends 60cm from the counter and down, the upper cupboards about 30cm out. Maybe they will at least help to difuse a little bit, or actually change the room size as far as mode calculations go?

Or if I placed a row of low cabinets where the existing ones are, and left everything above approx. 50cm from the floor open, how would that affect things?

Thor

gullfo wrote on Tue, 04 December 2007 10:21

the traps would be more to provide some mid-low absorption since the drape would tend to take out the high end. it may be that absorbers with a limp membrane embedded could restore some of that without being too reflective and maybe give you some space coupling properties (i.e don't have the panels necessarily touching side to side but either staggered or with gaps).

the new dimensions have many more modes (below 300hz) and they're closer together. so the balance you currently have will change...

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