#1682506 - 06/27/05 10:17 AM
Optimizing a small room
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EarthTones
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Registered: 02/02/05
Posts: 3
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Hello fello studio tanners! I need some advice concerning my little home studio. It currently lives in a 9' x 13' room upstairs in my house, tucked in an alcove where the roof peaks... almost like an a-frame, but there is just under 3 feet of straight wall from the floor upwards before the angles start. Can ya picture it? 
Currently, I have the room oriented to the symmetry of the wall angles. That is, the mix position is in the center of where the walls angle on the left and right to meet at the apex of the ceiling. Still with me? 
The main reason I set the room up this way is because that's what my very limited understanding of room acoustics tells me what to do. It sounds very good this way, and the stereo imaging is quite nice. The only problem is that this configuration really doesn't make efficient use of the space. The nature of the size and shape of the room already creates a lot of potential dead space.
Should I not worry so much about the orientation of the gear and the location of the mix position in such a small room? Should I focus more on best use of space and workability? Sonic accuracy takes priority, but if it's going to sound pretty much the same regardless of the setup, I guess I'd like to consider re-configuring it for better use of space.
Anyone else out there in a similar situation? How would you guys set a room like this up? Any advice, suggestions, etc. will be much appreciated. Thanks!
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#1682507 - 06/27/05 10:39 AM
Re: Optimizing a small room
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d gauss
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 02/15/01
Posts: 3231
Loc: Somewhere in the Swamps of Jer...
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put it where it sounds good. but, seems like you already have.
-d. gauss
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#1682508 - 06/29/05 12:01 AM
Re: Optimizing a small room
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where02190
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Registered: 11/06/01
Posts: 5402
Loc: Weymouth, Ma. USA
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A few months back there was an article in Mix magazine interviewing guitarist/engineer Johnny A, who has a similiar room at his home that he set-up very nicely. You might want to search the Mix archives for the article.
_________________________
Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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#1682509 - 07/06/05 04:06 PM
Re: Optimizing a small room
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Sendai
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Registered: 05/03/05
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I have a similar room upstairs in my house and I've found it difficult to find a sweet spot (eventually went ahead and moved everything downstairs into the basement).
Saying that, you could also try some acoustical treatment as well to smooth out the room - especially the low end frequencies. Auralex (no, I don't work for them, but I have installed a ton of it in various studios) has a free room analysis form that you can fill out and send in to them. They'll send you back some information on products that you can buy to help your room out. Sure they want you to buy their stuff, but the principles are generally true and you could apply the information to just about any similar products.
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#1682510 - 07/06/05 05:38 PM
Re: Optimizing a small room
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jackcheez
Senior Member
Registered: 06/27/05
Posts: 36
Loc: Long Beach CA
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Try moving your stuff to get some more use of the space. When you hear it you will know if you traded too much sound for space. We can't tell you. You have to try it.
_________________________
Institute Of Musical Misbehavior
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#1682511 - 07/06/05 08:09 PM
Re: Optimizing a small room
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Matt.Hepworth
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Registered: 03/13/01
Posts: 2972
Loc: Riverdale, UT
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Well, does the peak parallel the longest wall or the shortest wall? Some things, like guitar amps, can be placed behind the mixing desk where you would not normally place anything. I think that it would be okay sound-wise, as long as you don't feel confined. Your emotional state will greatly affect the way you hear and react to what you hear, so if you feel cramped your mix will sound cramped, etc.
_________________________
No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it.
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#1682512 - 07/06/05 11:51 PM
Re: Optimizing a small room
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philbo_Tangent
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Registered: 10/08/00
Posts: 1175
Loc: Iowa
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I'd suggest putting the speakers along the wall with the slanted ceiling/wall. Try to get the speakers at least 3' away from any wall, if you have room (unless they have bass ports on the rear... which I wouldn't recommend for your situation anyway).
Then add some absorbers (rigid fiberglass panels, cloth covered) on the walls (both slanted part and vertical part) behind the speakers.. Cover 20 to 35% of the wall surface, perhaps up to 40%
If the slanted wall has an angle to the floor of more than 45 deg (in other words, a very steep roof), add some absorption to the ceiling as well. How much depends on how 'live' you want the room to sound - - it's better not to get the room too dead, but you do need to deal with undamped reflections which will set up resonant peaks and dips (standing waves) in the room.
You may also want to add bass traps in the corners of the speaker wall.
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