RealTraps Maximum Studio adjusted to my room?

[Alexander Lukas]

I've decided to go for RealTreaps Maximum Studio design but of course my measurements doesn't fit exactly. My question is how should I adjust it. In raw the room is 8.5m long, 3.7m wide and 4,2 high. All in all 31.6 m2. The room is an old garage with raw concrete walls with no disturbing posts so I can do pretty much what I want. Since I have to lower the ceiling I'm thinking of making it in an angle.

When trying out RealTraps ModeCalc I end up under the minimum recommended volume of the room. I'm a bit stuck...

What should be my next move?

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

What should be my next move?

Since this is the space you have available, I suggest you just use it and not worry about the ratio. You'll need plenty of bass traps, but you'd need that in a better proportioned room anyway.

--Ethan

[Alexander Lukas]

Thanks for your answer Ethan!

Well, I have another adjoining 320 m2 in case I decide to expand...

Since this is my studio project nr. 3 I would really like to take it a bit further than I've done before.

What's most important, total volume of the room or a perfect ratio?

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The It's the End website -> itstheend.com

[ciro]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

What's most important, total volume of the room or a perfect ratio?

Just to share my experience with my tiny 3,40 x 2,80 x 2,65m room (see the modal issues - and less than perfect ratio or volume) and uncontrolled decay times and frequency response +/- 25db when I started to treat it.

After 20 traps, most 4" and 6" (plus air gap) , but a thicker cloud and superchunks in the front corners, frequency now is in a +/-6 db range and RT60 around 130ms (REW measurements).

Ciro

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

What's most important, total volume of the room or a perfect ratio?

Hopefully Ciro's reply will give you some inspiration. I'd say that size is more important than the ratio. Either way you need lots of bass traps.

--Ethan

[Alexander Lukas]

OK, I'm a bit puzzled now... If I can avoid parallel walls shouldn't I try to avoid it? And a ceiling at 4,2m (13 ft) high? Just keep it? I would like to lower it a bit to reduce the heating costs but not if it has a bad effect on the acoustics.

[PaulP]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

When trying out RealTraps ModeCalc I end up under the minimum recommended volume of the room.

You're not under the recommended volume. Your volume is 132 m3 and the
recommended minium (according to ModeCalc) is 70 m3.

And a ceiling at 4,2m (13 ft) high? Just keep it? I would like to lower it a bit to reduce the heating costs but not if it has a bad effect on the acoustics.

Maybe lower it a bit but I see a high ceiling as a feature. If you do lower it
you can put a lot of absorption up there for bass trapping (which should also
lower your heating costs).

Your length is very close to twice your height and the effect of that can be clearly
seen in ModeCalc. But you have to be careful if you lower your ceiling that you
don't make the height the same as the width. Something around 3.3m looks pretty
good.

Paul P

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

If I can avoid parallel walls shouldn't I try to avoid it?

Usually in small rooms, having angled walls means the room will be smaller. Angled walls are only minimally useful. That doesn't help bass problems, and flutter echo at mid and high frequencies is easy enough to avoid with absorption. If your room were a few meters wider I could see angling the side walls a little. But it's already too narrow for the length, so adding angles will only make the front even narrower.

--Ethan

[Alexander Lukas]

I love you gearslutz!

I'm starting to see the picture now.

Lower the ceiling a bit, a lot of bass traps+ absorption.

What about the idea of angling the ceiling? Not to make it flat/parallel with the floor. Since I want to use the room for both mixing and recording, is it preferred to be angled or maybe even curved?

Cheers

[avare]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

What about the idea of angling the ceiling? Not to make it flat/parallel with the floor. Since I want to use the room for both mixing and recording, is it preferred to be angled or maybe even curved?

There is no intrinsic advantage to non-parallel ceilings. The shape is changed from straight and parallel for specific reasons. If you do not have those needs, there is no advantage to it.

Andre

[Alexander Lukas]

Originally Posted by avare

There is no intrinsic advantage to non-parallel ceilings. The shape is changed from straight and parallel for specific reasons. If you do not have those needs, there is no advantage to it.

Andre

Well, to avoid standing waves it seems like a good idea to avoid a straight ceiling, and since I'll have to lower it anyway, why not angle it?

To me 31m2 seems like a pretty nice size to build something more than your average bedroom studio.

Again, I'm willing to do whatever to get the optimal acoustics in the room. If the length of the room is a problem I could shorten it a bit and make a storage of the left overs!

Cheers!

[avare]

Originally Posted by Alexander Lukas

Well, to avoid standing waves it seems like a good idea to avoid a straight ceiling, and since I'll have to lower it anyway, why not angle it?!

Angling ceilings, or splaying walls DOES NOT stop room modes. It only makes them more difficult to predict.. If you do not have a specific reason to angle them, do not.

Andre

[Alexander Lukas]

Thanks again guys! I kind of have a plan now of what I should do. I'll post some pictures and drawings when it's done.

Hammer time...