Let me paint a picture for you. You just moved into a new home and you've got a room that you're wanting to do all of your music shenanigans in. It's got four walls (drywall), a door, and an average-sized window. It's around 300 square feet. It has no acoustic treatments going on at all.
What's the first thing you do to improve the acoustics of the room?
johnnycamp5 Messages: 354 Registered: June 2015 Location: NJ
Grand Master
For me, If it's strictly your own music room to do as you'd please (no WAF),
I'd go straight to the ceiling with lots of broad band absorbtion (unless under 7.5 high).
No WAF to worry about here. (Full disclosure: I had to look up what WAF meant.) My ceilings are eight feet high. Out of curiosity though, why wouldn't you do it for those below 7.5ft? Is it just unnecessary or does it have negative effects?
johnnycamp5 Messages: 354 Registered: June 2015 Location: NJ
Grand Master
For me it's just a matter of headroom (ceiling height ) and what you can tolerate.
The ceiling in my old living room is only 7'8", and because of that I did not want to put any broadband absorbers on it.
I went to the walls instead, which I don't believe is as good if you have to choose one or the other.
Is adding broadband absorbers to your walls significantly different from adding them to your ceiling? I currently have them on the walls, but I think I could handle them on the ceiling. I'm just wondering if it'd be worth the hassle/cost.
gofar99 Messages: 1949 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, Actually the first thing I would do is to verify that the power available for the system was clean and sufficient to run everything. Including a good AC mains ground. Then I would try sitting in various positions to see how the major components (speakers, amps, turntables etc) will arrange well. The same time figure where the needed furniture would go. Finally...start to think about floor and wall treatments to cut down reflections and such. I usually start with the floor....rugs if there is no carpet. I would also probably just listen to some music before going any further. You might get lucky and not need much treatment. I was not quite that lucky and have wall diffusers, tapestries, stuffed furniture and non-reflective covers over some shelves that store extra gear.
johnnycamp5 Messages: 354 Registered: June 2015 Location: NJ
Grand Master
Plush furnishings can help damp reflections and help calm a live room.
If after setting everything up you still find it too live sounding, you can add panel absorbers.
Of course thick throw carpets or wall panels are easier to incorporate than ceiling treatments.
Treating the ceiling in it's entirety is a common treatment amongs mixers/studio engeneers.
It is often refered to as "lifting the ceiling".
The best sounding (to me) rooms I have been in were this way,
with wood floors.
You guys are all giving me some great advice. I appreciate it! Hopefully I'll do all that you suggested Bruce and find out that I don't need to do too much. But, I have a feeling I'm not going to be that lucky. Oh well. I'm excited to start this learning process. I've never gotten to start from scratch before.
Johnny, I wish I had wood floors. Unfortunately, the room has this hideous shag carpet that I'm pretty sure I'm going to get rid of asap. What density of carpet is best?
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