Trap Placement to control Bass lower in the room

[jwl]

Try adjusting the height of your speakers in relation to your head.

Either your speakers, or more likely your head, are in a null point while sitting at your mix position. You have to move things around a bit until you aren't in the null.

Alternatively, you can use some thick absorption panels (4-6" thick) on the ceiling above you for your RFZ and additional bass trapping. If you can, space this cloud down from the ceiling the same distance the panel is thick.

Also, I'd guess your rear wall also needs some attention.

You can try moving the traps down a bit as well, see if that helps.

[Glenn Kuras]

Hey N1ck,
Can you list some more info about your room, how the panels where made and the placement of them? All of JWL's ideas are right on but some more info of your room would help.

[N1ck]

The Room is 16 x 12 tracking room.
The Ceilingis 6.5’ – 7’High with 8” standard insulation above dropped ceiling tiles and diffusers in center. The Floor has carpet. Walls are drywall with standard insulation.

Corner Traps: 6’x2’ 6” deep. Mineral wool with (with FRK front)
Side traps: 4’x2’ 4” deep Mineral wool (no FRK)
Rear traps: 4’x2’ 4” deep Mineral wool (Faced with Auralex Diffussers)
Front Wall: Auralex Foam I only made 6 wall traps so far. Should this be replaced as well?

My bass traps were put over existing Auralex “Bass traps” (as they call them). Would it be better to rip them out?

Thanks!

[DanDan]

Is this a Tracking Room? If so what is the problem? If you need more bass, say on drums or amps, place them in a corner. Take a look here to see the Bass hot spots and holes in your room. hunecke.de | Room Eigenmodes Calculator
Note, more trapping in a corner hotspot will diminish the corresponding null out in the room. Removing Bass Traps does not mean more Bass!
DD

[Glenn Kuras]

If this is a tracking room I would replace the diffusion above any place you record with absorption.

[N1ck]

Originally Posted by DanDan

Is this a Tracking Room? If so what is the problem? If you need more bass, say on drums or amps, place them in a corner. Take a look here to see the Bass hot spots and holes in your room. hunecke.de | Room Eigenmodes Calculator
Note, more trapping in a corner hotspot will diminish the corresponding null out in the room. Removing Bass Traps does not mean more Bass!
DD

Hi, yes its a tracking room. I'm trying to cut down on the bass not add more. I'm recording classical guitar and can't seem to have enough low-end absorbtion between 80 - 120hz. The guitar doesn't seem to produce frequencies lower then 80 so lower hasnt been an issue. Thanks for the calculator. That may help. My mics are placed facing away from (and about 2' from) the front wall. If I move to the center of the room it gets worse.

[N1ck]

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

If this is a tracking room I would replace the diffusion above any place you record with absorption.

Thanks for the reply. Do the diffusers also diffuse bass? I thought it would help make the room more live on the high-end only. The room still seems like it could be a little more live but with less bass. Would plywood on the floor near the instrument, mic help liven it up more too without having a negative bass impact?

[Ethan Winer]

Most diffusors do not work at bass frequencies. The lowest frequency affected is determined by the depth of the diffusor. So you'd need some might deep diffusors to get down to 200 Hz (24 inches deep) let alone 50 Hz (96 inches deep).

--Ethan

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by N1ck

Thanks for the reply. Do the diffusers also diffuse bass? I thought it would help make the room more live on the high-end only. The room still seems like it could be a little more live but with less bass. Would plywood on the floor near the instrument, mic help liven it up more too without having a negative bass impact?

What Glenn was saying is that you should replace the diffusion you have in the ceiling with absorption, and with that ceiling height I agree.

Frank

[N1ck]

Good to know Thanks. The diffusers are only 3" deep so they arent diffusing bass but do diffusers reflect bass or just allow it to pass through? Maybe I should try to suspend a couple traps from the ceiling instead.

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by N1ck

Good to know Thanks. The diffusers are only 3" deep so they arent diffusing bass but do diffusers reflect bass or just allow it to pass through? Maybe I should try to suspend a couple traps from the ceiling instead.

If they're 3" thick bass is passing right through unless they're made of stone. The diffusion can stay, but you should add absorption.

Frank

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by N1ck

Thanks for the reply. Do the diffusers also diffuse bass? I thought it would help make the room more live on the high-end only. The room still seems like it could be a little more live but with less bass. Would plywood on the floor near the instrument, mic help liven it up more too without having a negative bass impact?

Hey N1ck,
Sorry about that, I was pointing out something other then bass control. Ok go with what we are all saying.