Hey Guys,
I'm thinking about the ol' Studio in my San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles) garage build out, but need some leads to some guys nearby that can build it for me, as I'm not that handy, nor do I want to lose the work time. And, as always (well, for me at least) inexpensive is the operative word.
I don't need over the top crazy isolation (no live drums, but I do want to be able to mix at night and not bug the neighbohood), yet I do want it to sound good... so nonparallel walls, etc. Just a control room and a vocal booth sort of thing. I will need AC and electrical, but no plumbing... potty's in the house. So, I want someone that's built studios, and dealt with building walls for sound isolation.
Who built your place? How much did it cost? How long did it take? Does it sound good? Recommendations?
Thanks for the leads!
Looking for builder in LA
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Stick
- Posts: 226
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- Location: Meadow Vista, CA
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knightfly
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 11:11 am
- Location: West Coast, USA
Hey guys, no "L.A.'ers in the house? C'mon, all you "lurkers" out there, surely somebody's got an idea?
(BTW, stick, if you want others to build for you keep in mind that the odd angles, hermetic sealing, proper caulk, total attention to detail, etc, that are required for studio construction, don't come cheap. And don't hire somebody's out-of[work cousin if they've never done sound construction, period.) This stuff is lots closer to rocket science (done right) than any normal construction jock will ever get... Steve
(BTW, stick, if you want others to build for you keep in mind that the odd angles, hermetic sealing, proper caulk, total attention to detail, etc, that are required for studio construction, don't come cheap. And don't hire somebody's out-of[work cousin if they've never done sound construction, period.) This stuff is lots closer to rocket science (done right) than any normal construction jock will ever get... Steve
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Stick
- Posts: 226
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:24 am
- Location: Meadow Vista, CA
Sheesh... there must be someone around here who's done this! Of course, those guys probably don't need to be hanging around here... they've alreay got a room!
Steve: yeah, I'm not sure how I'm going to pull it off with the limited budget I've got, but then again, I'm not wanting a perfect room either... it's going to be small, stuck in my garage, and really just has to be isolated enough not to bother my wife and the neighbors. No drums or rock bands, so... not crazy isolation.
I've got to do some searching here on the HVAC system. I don't really understand how you get AC into a nice quiet, sealed room. A bunch of holes to let the air in and out can't be good for isolation...
Peace...
Steve: yeah, I'm not sure how I'm going to pull it off with the limited budget I've got, but then again, I'm not wanting a perfect room either... it's going to be small, stuck in my garage, and really just has to be isolated enough not to bother my wife and the neighbors. No drums or rock bands, so... not crazy isolation.
I've got to do some searching here on the HVAC system. I don't really understand how you get AC into a nice quiet, sealed room. A bunch of holes to let the air in and out can't be good for isolation...
Peace...
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knightfly
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6976
- Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 11:11 am
- Location: West Coast, USA
Hey stick, sorry I didn't catch this earlier - HVAC can be a real challenge for sure.
General rules - make sure any air handler/mechanical noise is isolated from structure with resilient pads - pads also have a resonant frequency relative to the weight they support, so this can be tricky.
Use flexible isolators between air handler and ducts to prevent flanking noise.
Use separate duct runs from the air handler to each room, using larger than normal cross-section in ducts. Use at least 2-3 bends in ducts. Line ducts with compressed fiberglas duct liner material, or use Johns Manville "super duct"
Don't use standard household grates on air sends or returns - they aren't designed to minimise air noise. Wood grates usually are quieter.
If you can afford it, find an HVAC contractor who has done studio systems - this won't be cheap.
Don't try to design a system yourself if you're not HVAC trained - getting supplies and returns balanced for minimum noise, proper performance of the AC, etc, takes quite a bit of knowledge.
If your budget is REALLY tight, all I can suggest is to open the door and put a fan on for a while, then close it, turn off the fan, and record.
I'm NOT an HVAC guy, just someone who's read everything I could find on acoustics/sound proofing for the last 20+ years - Maybe Rod Gervais will see this and help out, he's gotten a lot deeper into HVAC than I have.
If you find someone in your area that's knowledgeable, I would be prepared to spend at least $120 per square foot for a small facility - possibly more. Keep in mind that this type construction doesn't work unless it's built like a boat, and that kind of precision takes more time and thought.
Materials-wise, the cost isn't that much more than standard construction - it's the labor that adds up, because of things like non-parallel walls, proper isolation of wall surfaces, etc -
One possible other approach - if you find someone with less sound construction experience but who's willing to learn, point them to all the "sticky's" at the top of this forum, or print them out. If they are willing to listen and not be bull-headed about doing it "the regular way", you could possibly get what you need at a lower cost... Steve
General rules - make sure any air handler/mechanical noise is isolated from structure with resilient pads - pads also have a resonant frequency relative to the weight they support, so this can be tricky.
Use flexible isolators between air handler and ducts to prevent flanking noise.
Use separate duct runs from the air handler to each room, using larger than normal cross-section in ducts. Use at least 2-3 bends in ducts. Line ducts with compressed fiberglas duct liner material, or use Johns Manville "super duct"
Don't use standard household grates on air sends or returns - they aren't designed to minimise air noise. Wood grates usually are quieter.
If you can afford it, find an HVAC contractor who has done studio systems - this won't be cheap.
Don't try to design a system yourself if you're not HVAC trained - getting supplies and returns balanced for minimum noise, proper performance of the AC, etc, takes quite a bit of knowledge.
If your budget is REALLY tight, all I can suggest is to open the door and put a fan on for a while, then close it, turn off the fan, and record.
I'm NOT an HVAC guy, just someone who's read everything I could find on acoustics/sound proofing for the last 20+ years - Maybe Rod Gervais will see this and help out, he's gotten a lot deeper into HVAC than I have.
If you find someone in your area that's knowledgeable, I would be prepared to spend at least $120 per square foot for a small facility - possibly more. Keep in mind that this type construction doesn't work unless it's built like a boat, and that kind of precision takes more time and thought.
Materials-wise, the cost isn't that much more than standard construction - it's the labor that adds up, because of things like non-parallel walls, proper isolation of wall surfaces, etc -
One possible other approach - if you find someone with less sound construction experience but who's willing to learn, point them to all the "sticky's" at the top of this forum, or print them out. If they are willing to listen and not be bull-headed about doing it "the regular way", you could possibly get what you need at a lower cost... Steve
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joeross1
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 10:31 am
- Location: Los Angeles
- Contact:
CONTRACTOR IN LA?
DOES ANYONE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTRACTORS IN LA?
OF COURSE W/ EXPERIENCE...
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SoundMoves
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:45 pm
- Location: Burbank, CA
- Contact: