This room worth converting to a mixing room?

[bryan k]

See attached image. Im considering making this a mixing room, but after drawing out the specs, looks like this room has VERY limited possibilities.

is this room worth converting to an audiophile room and treating it?

Where would be ideal spots for the monitors and treatments?

Looks like it would be impossible to have it function properly. Every corner has an obstacle where i couldn't put up any bass traps (except one), and the windows/door/closet are in the worst possible spots for an ideal audiophile room.....

[Audioactive]

you could put them on stands

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Audioactive

you could put them on stands

Agreed and or you could put them around the room in the upper corner. Think of it as a soffit around the whole room.
For your set up see the following.
GIK Acoustics: Room Setup

[bryan k]

yes, i could put them on stands.

but the problem is, no matter where i situate them in the room, the windows and back closet cause a problem cause i wouldnt be able to put any wall treatment there. PLUS, if you look closely at all the corners on the room, there is no room for bass traps except the top right corner. All other corners there is either a window flush to the corner, a closet door, or a doorway......all making it so i cant place a bass trap there.

[gullfo]

it's really a matter of deciding if making the room acoustically good is more important than not doing the work necessary to make it so. there is a lot that can be done to take a small room and turn it into a pro space. you have to make choices or find another room. and even then, you'll be making choices on that room as well. even if we were to design from scratch, we'd still be making choices due to costs, space constraints, preferences etc etc.simply putting absorbers on stands, or covering a couple of feet of a massive window or part of a closet door with bass traps don't seem to be insurmountable concerns. you'll still have plenty of window, you'll still have access to the closet. on the door corner - two absorbers may have to suffice - you probably have enough leakage in the isolation that LF will be leaving almost as quickly as you can generate it. there are no problems, only solutions.

[bryan k]

heres 4 3D renderings of the room. (actual dimensions are in post#1)

How would you guys work this room?

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by bryan k

How would you guys work this room?

I'd set up so the speakers are in the rear right corner behind you while listening. Then add as many bass traps as you can manage, and put absorbers at the side-wall and ceiling reflection points. The absorbers on the left side in front of the window will probably need to go on stands. Or you could hang them with long wires from the ceiling.

--Ethan

________________
The Acoustic Treatment Experts

[bryan k]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

I'd set up so the speakers are in the rear right corner behind you while listening.
--Ethan

Rear right corner as in where the entry door is? Or the top right corner (pencil drawing) where there seems to be nothing there?

[Ethan Winer]

Jeez, I can't believe I screwed up so badly!

I meant the door should be in the rear right behind you.

Sorry!

--Ethan

[bryan k]

Well heres 2 scenarios for Speaker placement. Scenario one seems like the logical choice, but then when dealing with treating the room, the window on the left wall makes it so you cant place any treatment there.....

Scenario 2, doesnt look ideal, but again, that damn window keeps screwing things up......Plus the top left corner doesnt leave you any room for bass traps or any sort of corner treatment.....

im beginning to think this room is a pain in the ass.....

[Glenn Kuras]

I would go with one and treat the best you can. I still like the idea of running the bass trapping around the upper corners around the room. You have all that space open, so why not use it.

[bryan k]

interesting.

I never knew having bass traps in the upper corners only would be effective.

heres 2 more diagrams, showing the bass traps in the upper corners, and using 2 diffusers, and seeing as how i cant place anyhting on the left wall (window), i can use maybe a textured curtain to cover only half the window and use that as some sort of diffuser?

[gullfo]

you need to span the wall-ceiling corner around the front (pic #1) and side edges to get enough absorption there.

[bryan k]

Originally Posted by gullfo

you need to span the wall-ceiling corner around the front (pic #1) and side edges to get enough absorption there.

I dont know what you mean....

You sayin to span the corner bass traps wider in the 2 front corner of the room?

The actual sizes of the traps and absorbers are not well presented in the pics, i just threw up some shapes in there to get an idea of placement first.

[jsipich]

^^ He's talking about hitting from floor to ceiling with some type of absorption. If you can't make a permanent superchunk - make a movable panel on a stand.

Also - you would probably want to move those panels on your sides to 50% the distance between you and the monitors - place them in the middle of you and the speakers on the walls to your sides.

That's your first reflection point.

It would behoove you to start with measuring your room so you can understand what its doing before deciding on treatment.

Using programs like Room EQ Wizard and a nice cheap Behringer ECM8000 work wonders.

While there are some "ground rules" for basic setups to get rid of first reflections (sides, front, ceiling) and some trapping (corners, wall/ceiling corners), etc - it would be in your best interest to understand WHY they go where they go so you can better learn where to place other absorption materials.

Measure your room. Understand the graphs. Understand how placement works for what, etc.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by bryan k

I dont know what you mean....

You sayin to span the corner bass traps wider in the 2 front corner of the room?

The actual sizes of the traps and absorbers are not well presented in the pics, i just threw up some shapes in there to get an idea of placement first.

I mean cover the whole corner around the room. Where the ceiling meets the wall. Think of a soffit around the whole room. Those are all corners.