John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Oh dear,
As the proud new owner of a 16x13x10 ft control room\studio combined I thought I'ld look up advice on how to place the acoustic treatment I invested in - 35 2ftx2ft acoustic foam squares with a pyramid type surface, some at 3 inches thick, some at 4 (along the lines of the familiar auralex products). Hmmm after an hour or so on the net I am now worried that all I will do is kill the high frequencies in the room making it excessively dead. Is there a way I can use the product I have to good effect, maybe in conjunction with some other DIY treatments (panel absorbers etc.)? I bought the stuff abroad so I can't bring it back if I decide I don't want it all. All the room treatment in a box type stuff (roominator kits etc.) use buckets of this stuff so I thought I was doing the right thing - is my situation as bad as it appears after reviewing this site?
Cheers for any help,
I absolutely love my Mackie HR824 nearfields and want to give them the environment they deserve!

JP

JP,
It should not be too hard to fix

Have you read the various threads about corner absorption? It is a good place to start if you want to add some broad low frequency absorption to match up with your tiles. 35 tiles doesn't sound like a lot so place them carefully - mirror points first. I assume you don't want to rush out and spend lots more money?

Andrew

Good news and bad news.

Good news, you can find a use for the product.

bad News, you will have to build some supplemntal units to use this stuff and not "lose" your investment and end up with a nice environment.

Check out Johns DIY page for treatment units and use the material you have for the insulation that goes in them.

Bryan Giles

Oh yeah if it makes you feel better, I had $3,000 US of this stuff and gave it all away after I got to this site. I did keep some to stuff in the walls for bass trapping. (I used it just like I would have used the rockwool, etc...)

Otherwise In My nicest way possible the stuff is a waste of money.

Thanks for your help guys - good news and bad news is right!
I am going to place them at mirror points but accept the fact at this stage that I need to add some bass trapping so I don't end up taming everything except the bass. My problem is going to be space.
As an aside my mixes in the past (in other rooms) have been too light on the high frequencies which would lead me to believe that I have suffered in the past from too much high frequency in the room - or that I might have a natural over sensitivity to highs - either way the product I have should help - desperately trying to make myself feel better!

Nah, I Used to have some bfore buld and after build mixes to demonstrate a good control room. My mixes before where to me brittle and thin, after nice and warm with nicely balanced Highs. My Mastering Engineer loves what he is getting from my clients now.

It's just your listening/mixing environment (to start) 2nd how you hear. IMO. As Jon Gas once said there are many Great Engineers in the world. Just need the right opportunites (and a good mix room is a major one if you ask me.)

Bryan Giles