Anyone ever regretted spending too much treating room acoustics?

[Lunatique]

Acoustic treatment is expensive, and in the last few years, it's been a fast-growing business. With all these happy customer stories floating out there, I gotta wonder if there are those who spent the big bucks but felt like the improvement did not justify the amount spent? Anyone?

[lowfreq33]

Yes, when they bought Auralex foam.

[WKG]

I can't say that I've spent big bucks (less than 1k for me) but I can say that what I have spent was the best money I have ever invested in regards to the recording process. It is not an area where you will regret putting your money.

And no, it was not Auralex.

[jayfrigo]

I know people who have regretted spending money on ill-advised and ineffective treatments; but everybody I've known who has made informed decisions and sprung for the appropriate treatment has been incredibly excited with the results. It's always a rush to suddenly hear it like you've never heard it before. It's like you went out and bought new monitors. It tends to make you want to sit in the room for a long time and listen to a bunch of music. Most of the people in the first group (with regret) have not sworn off treatments, but rather have aspired to doing it better. But hey, I'm an acoustics geek, so I suppose I'm biased.

[Lunatique]

Ok, so no Auralex (even their Elite Pro line?). So what are you happy customers using? Realtraps? Readytraps? Ghost Acoustics?

[mikecorwin]

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

Yes, when they bought Auralex foam.

I agree. Plus, there's something about the customer service/support and informational resources that companies like GIK Acoustics give to their customers that make the buying process a 'non-regrettable' experience. The thought of buying Auralex foam to treat a room always reminds me of all the shitty beer-soaked rehearsal studios I've practiced at that had those purple pyramids...

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

I know people who have regretted spending money on ill-advised and ineffective treatments; but everybody I've known who has made informed decisions and sprung for the appropriate treatment has been incredibly excited with the results. It's always a rush to suddenly hear it like you've never heard it before. It's like you went out and bought new monitors. It tends to make you want to sit in the room for a long time and listen to a bunch of music. Most of the people in the first group (with regret) have not sworn off treatments, but rather have aspired to doing it better. But hey, I'm an acoustics geek, so I suppose I'm biased.

Very well said.
I most say that acoustics for most people (not me) are pretty boring. No flashing lights, no knobs to turn, it just sits there and does its job. But, man does it do it well!!

I agree. Plus, there's something about the customer service/support and informational resources that companies like GIK Acoustics give to their customers that make the buying process a 'non-regrettable' experience.

Glenn

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Lunatique

Acoustic treatment is expensive, and in the last few years, it's been a fast-growing business. With all these happy customer stories floating out there, I gotta wonder if there are those who spent the big bucks but felt like the improvement did not justify the amount spent? Anyone?

I think you may be able to find people that have bought stuff like this FAST Audio that felt a little ripped off.


Glenn

[chrispick]

I'm a happy GIK customer. Due to room constraints, I had to mount panels with compromise regarding optimal placement -- and it still made a marked difference. Just minimizing some early reflections and ringing low notes made it worth the cost/effort.

[narco]

sound proofing a room then losing the lease.. although thats a problem wih the lease not the treatment

narco

[greatgreatriver]

Fast Audio seem good - anyone tried it?

/zen

[greatgreatriver]

Oh and yes - I have too many Absorbers now so I don't know where to put them - I can't store them in the Barn because the cold and heath will destroy the wood... So I regret it!

Treatment suxs!

[seawell]

GIK Panels in my tracking rooms improved my tracks tremendously. It's so much easier to mix now having captured focused, well balanced sounds from the beginning. Of course mic placement, mics, preamps, etc...are all important too

[backtothemusic]

Originally Posted by seawell

GIK Panels in my tracking rooms improved my tracks tremendously. It's so much easier to mix now having captured focused, well balanced sounds from the beginning. Of course mic placement, mics, preamps, etc...are all important too

Which panels are you using 242 or 244? I want to set up 4 in a vocal tracking area and was trying to figure out if I needed the 244 or not. Thanks.

[seawell]

Originally Posted by backtothemusic

Which panels are you using 242 or 244? I want to set up 4 in a vocal tracking area and was trying to figure out if I needed the 244 or not. Thanks.

I have some of both. 244 panels in my drum room and control room. 242 panels in Guitar and Vocal rooms. I think you'll be ok in your vocal room with 242 panels since you won't need a lot of low end absorption(unless you're recording Barry White).

[AMIEL]

well is all about the right acoustics, design and materials.....many acoustic products and designs can look great , but they do not do too much....

I was in some big commercial studios where they spent big bucks on the acoustics per sq feet and I can tell you my studio sounds great and better.

GIK and ReadyAcoustics are great products.....not only great products but also great for what you pay. ..and you can contact both owners and Glenn here at GS.

[backtothemusic]

Originally Posted by seawell

I have some of both. 244 panels in my drum room and control room. 242 panels in Guitar and Vocal rooms. I think you'll be ok in your vocal room with 242 panels since you won't need a lot of low end absorption(unless you're recording Barry White).

You never know...lol. I guess I'm wondering if less is more in this case or should I go ahead and get better absorption while I'm at it. Thanks. Sorry to thread jack.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by Lunatique

Acoustic treatment is expensive

Puh-leeze!

Tube compressors are expensive. Outboard word clocks are expensive. Vintage (or recreated) microphones are expensive. High-end A/D/A converters are expensive. Many plug-in bundles are expensive. Many outboard EQs are expensive. In the grand scheme of things, room treatment is a friggin' bargain. Even the really good stuff like what RealTraps sells.

Good bass traps and other room treatment will do more to improve the quality of your productions than anything else you can buy.

--Ethan

[seawell]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

Puh-leeze!

Tube compressors are expensive. Outboard word clocks are expensive. Vintage (or recreated) microphones are expensive. High-end A/D/A converters are expensive. Many plug-in bundles are expensive. Many outboard EQs are expensive. In the grand scheme of things, room treatment is a friggin' bargain. Even the really good stuff like what RealTraps sells.

Good bass traps and other room treatment will do more to improve the quality of your productions than anything else you can buy.

--Ethan

Amen to that. People just wanna plug into something Ethan so you should install XLR connectors on the side of all your panels

[redrue]

Originally Posted by Lunatique

Ok, so no Auralex (even their Elite Pro line?).

I think it's a bit unfair to dismiss Auralex or other foam products
outright... they, like so many other products, can make excellent
tools for performing specific tasks.

I recently asked Russ Berger (www.rbdg.com) how he treated the
ceiling of a drum room they had designed and built in a guy's garage...

His response: 'foamed it up'.

The thing is to know what foam will and WILL NOT do.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by seawell

Amen to that. People just wanna plug into something Ethan so you should install XLR connectors on the side of all your panels and all the complaining would go away

Believe it or not, a few years ago we seriously considered offering an optional LED ladder display on the front of our traps, to show how much bass they're trapping at any given moment. You want flashing lights, we'll give you flashing lights!

--Ethan

[seawell]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

Believe it or not, a few years ago we seriously considered offering an optional LED ladder display on the front of our traps, to show how much bass they're trapping at any given moment. You want flashing lights, we'll give you flashing lights!

--Ethan

I bet you couldn't build them fast enough to keep them in stock if you did that.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by redrue

I think it's a bit unfair to dismiss Auralex or other foam products outright ... The thing is to know what foam will and WILL NOT do.

Agreed. Foam is okay if it's thick enough, and if you don't care about the lack of Class A fire rating. And don't forget that Russ Berger is partners with Auralex. But as cost-benefit goes, fiberglass and products made from fiberglass are usually a better value, and many are Class A fire rated too.

--Ethan

[Bob Ross]

I occasionally work in a midtown studio that spent a decent amount of money -- or at least time -- on a plethora of DIY acoustic treatment: The control room has 3 or 4 tuned panel basstraps plus lots of fabric-wrapped 2" rigid fiberglass panels at the first reflection points and across the front wall, tracking room has 2 more of these tuned panel basstraps plus a bunch more 2" panels, blah blah blah...

It sounds like ass. Nasty howling room modes that just ring forever and color everything you hear. Practically unusable. I've taken to tracking with headphones 95% of the time I work there.

Dear god, if the studio owners there don't regret spending whatever they did to treat those rooms, they're clueless!

So in answer to the OP's question "Has anyone ever regretted spending too much treating room acoustics?" I would think the answer is "Yes...anyone who's ever done it wrong."

[orksnork]

the treating i did in my tracking room was the best money i've ever spent...

it makes it easier to get that right sound in front of the mic, which in turn makes it easier to just slap it into the mix...

and it looks fancy...


all DIY, i researched, got some help from ethan and the gik guy, and it came out great.

[Lunatique]

Thanks for brining up GIK! I had looked at their site a while ago and was impressed with the low cost but high quality claims. I then for the life of me couldn't remember the name of the site and have been searching for it. With that kind of pricing, it's a total no brainer (unless anyone here's got anything bad to say about them)?

[blondmix]

Yeah, I've been EXTREMELY happy with my GIK panels. Glenn and Bryan have been top-notch (not to mention Warren at Front End for his help....). I never thought it would make THAT much of a difference, but now I don't think I could ever work in an untreated room again.....

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

I

Dear god, if the studio owners there don't regret spending whatever they did to treat those rooms, they're clueless!

So in answer to the OP's question "Has anyone ever regretted spending too much treating room acoustics?" I would think the answer is "Yes...anyone who's ever done it wrong."

That is a good point, which I do take my hat off to the DYI guys, but seeing is how room sound is so important and as Ethan pointed out, it really is not that expensive, you better know what you are doing. Yes using 703 in a room will work, but plastering stuff every where will not. Not only are you buying products that are lab tested (just like all of your equipment is tested) but you’re also buying expert advice when you deal with a acoustic company. It all matters.
Sorry if that sounds like a sales pitch.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by backtothemusic

Which panels are you using 242 or 244? I want to set up 4 in a vocal tracking area and was trying to figure out if I needed the 244 or not. Thanks.

The 242 will work, but if money is not a problem I would go with the 244. BUT please contact us with your room size (actually pictures too if you can) so we can see what is going on. Don't just buy and guess.

Glenn

[orksnork]

Originally Posted by myfipie

That is a good point, which I do take my hat off to the DYI guys, but seeing is how room sound is so important and as Ethan pointed out, it really is not that expensive, you better know what you are doing. Yes using 703 in a room will work, but plastering stuff every where will not. Not only are you buying products that are lab tested (just like all of your equipment is tested) but you’re also buying expert advice when you deal with a acoustic company. It all matters.
Sorry if that sounds like a sales pitch.

although it doesn't, an occasional slightly sales pitchy comment from you would probably not bother anyone here (same for ethan) as you are both so very extremely helpful in these threads...