Best Monitoring position in 50x18' finished basement?

[OpusOfTrolls]

Depends on what kind of treatment strategy is being used. I would prefer the long wall because the first reflections from the rear can easily be deflected into the side space. But since your room is so wide this way, there will be a good time delay, but monitoring from short wall will have even larger delay. It would be best to just try it out and listen.

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by OpusOfTrolls

Depends on what kind of treatment strategy is being used. I would prefer the long wall because the first reflections from the rear can easily be deflected into the side space. But since your room is so wide this way, there will be a good time delay, but monitoring from short wall will have even larger delay. It would be best to just try it out and listen.

I am currently set up on the long wall, and there is a sofa opposite the monitors to help absorb. I think it sounds good this way, the room is not exactly rectangular; I can sing pretty loud in the room without reflections or bad sounds, but I am contemplating moving to the narrow wall.

The only problem is that I have to keep the HVAC turned off while tracking to avoid noise.

[OpusOfTrolls]

Originally Posted by SabreChris

I am currently set up on the long wall, and there is a sofa opposite the monitors to help absorb. I think it sounds good this way, the room is not exactly rectangular; I can sing pretty loud in the room without reflections or bad sounds, but I am contemplating moving to the narrow wall.

The only problem is that I have to keep the HVAC turned off while tracking to avoid noise.

How "not rectangular" is it precisely?

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by OpusOfTrolls

How "not rectangular" is it precisely?

There is a small utility "room" near the middle of the space that protrudes in about four feet. This is where the HVAC is. So the whole basement is rectangular but has a bit of a waist. There is enough carpet and furniture that it sounds pretty neutral.

[OpusOfTrolls]

So, what are your goals for the acoustics?

If you want to provide a layout and dimensions, feel free.

[GIK Acoustics]

It would be beneficial to know whether you're recording, or just mixing, or what the space is used for. For most purposes we see the desk set up against the short wall being the best bet.

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by GIK Acoustics

It would be beneficial to know whether you're recording, or just mixing, or what the space is used for. For most purposes we see the desk set up against the short wall being the best bet.

Mixing and tracking in a project studio. I will try the other wall.

[GIK Acoustics]

Originally Posted by SabreChris

Mixing and tracking in a project studio. I will try the other wall.

The nice thing about keeping your set up against the short wall is you have much more free area for recording. I would perhaps think about building or buying some gobos to keep some of the reverb times down while mixing, along with separating the areas a bit for tracking. And it will also double for trapping as well - a win win situation!

[OpusOfTrolls]

Originally Posted by GIK Acoustics

The nice thing about keeping your set up against the short wall is you have much more free area for recording. I would perhaps think about building or buying some gobos to keep some of the reverb times down while mixing, along with separating the areas a bit for tracking. And it will also double for trapping as well - a win win situation!

Given the room dimensions, the short wall only permits a LEDE or RFZ design. While they have there merits, having such a huge backwall distance with so little width in relation can only serve to narrow the stereo image. 18 feet is a healthy amount of room to play around with, but I really think the long wall will show better results faster.

Also, there is a large discontinuity in the wall surface to contend with.

[AwwDeOhh]

SabreChris, post your dimentions and a sketch of the room layout.

You might be better off cutting the room in half where the HVAC juts out (somewhere around 20' back?)

how tall are the ceilings?

[SabreChris]

Thanks for everyone's advice. Last night I moved the daw to the short wall and will do some listening. Based on rough listening results I will make a decision and then do more treatment.

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by AwwDeOhh

SabreChris, post your dimentions and a sketch of the room layout.

You might be better off cutting the room in half where the HVAC juts out (somewhere around 20' back?)

how tall are the ceilings?

Actually, there is a heavy sliding curtain used as a room divider at the point of the HVAC, so the area of the main "room" is 18x22', with a mostly soft back wall. 8' ceilings. I have had the DAW set up on both walls and now I will listen critically to see which has the advantage.

[SabreChris]

I found this and am reading up.

RealTraps - Creating a Reflection-Free Zone

[Ethan Winer]

^^^ This will help too:

How to set up a room

Your space is pretty large, but the basics still apply.

--Ethan

The Acoustic Treatment Experts

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by SabreChris

I found this and am reading up.

RealTraps - Creating a Reflection-Free Zone

I was wondering if it is possible to build temporary folding panels out of MDF that would effectively make the front of the room angled like in the pictures above (instead of trying to absorb first reflections).

The idea is to take two 4x8' mdf panels per side, hinged in the middle so they will stand upright to the left and right of the desk. This would imitate the permanently angled walls to the sides of the desk in the picture, link above. I cant angle the ceiling, so I would need to use treatment on that.

?

Because the panels are hinged and free-standing, they could be moved and repositioned for best affect.

[SabreChris]

Here is a sketch of the room. This is the basement that I have to deal with.

It is large enough that I am not having any serious acoustic problems, it may also be that because the room has some irregularities, that bass frequencies are not doubling up, or it may be luck that it sounds ok, but I am going to spend some more time and money to get it as good as I can.

Irregularities:

*To the left of the desk, there is an open archway leading from the room and towards a set of stairs.

*On the right wall is a sliding glass door about 5-6' wide. I currently have this blocked with mdf panels

My plan to deal with these is to build two large folding "gobos" that are 8x8', floor to ceiling, and put them on each side of the desk so that I can control reflections of these sounds (modeled after pictures in link, shown as dotted lines in my drawing.) I also plan to put angled panels above the desk (per pictures). Obviously the panels needs to be portable so I can get out of the basement.

The alternative to this is just to absorb the first reflections with auralex on the left and right walls.

The back of the room goes back 50', with exception of solid back 4' wall on side of hvac room. I suppose I could put bass traps here in this corner or experiement with a movable gobo. There is a bunch of stuff behing the curtain so I am guessing not much is reflecting back from there.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by SabreChris

I was wondering if it is possible to build temporary folding panels out of MDF that would effectively make the front of the room angled like in the pictures above (instead of trying to absorb first reflections).

I wouldn't do that. Better to leave the corners as they are and put bass traps there. Is there a reason you can't put absorbers at the side-wall reflection points?

--Ethan

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

I wouldn't do that. Better to leave the corners as they are and put bass traps there. Is there a reason you can't put absorbers at the side-wall reflection points?

--Ethan

As you an see in the pic, the front left doesn't HAVE a corner as it is open to another area. I'm not sure what the impact will be, which is why I suggested the panels.

I need to get a frequency response analysis before I build anything .

[NSullivan]

Set up your monitoring position on the short wall (the long space behind you) and make sure your desk and monitors are a good ways back from the wall... Id say try 2-3 feet out. Treat the corners with bass traps, Treat the walls behind and to the sides of your monitors with absorption and above your head with diffusion if you have a short ceiling... Ive learned thats kinda the ROUGH general rule.

[DAH]

Why advice any particular points?
I would just say aim for a smooth 20-300 response and it is set.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by SabreChris

As you an see in the pic, the front left doesn't HAVE a corner as it is open to another area.

Ah, I see that now. In that case I'd wall off the corner using thick rigid fiberglass, to match the bass traps you'll add in the front right corner.

--Ethan

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

Ah, I see that now. In that case I'd wall off the corner using thick rigid fiberglass, to match the bass traps you'll add in the front right corner.

--Ethan

Would MDF Work the same? All I need is a 4x7 panel. I have no idea where to buy fiberglass boards.

[Ethan Winer]

No, MDF is not the same as rigid fiberglass. You'll need rigid fiberglass (or equivalent) anyway for treatment. Since you don't list your location in your profile, it's impossible to suggest places to buy it. This place has locations around the US:

Specialty Products & Insulation Co.

--Ethan

[SabreChris]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

No, MDF is not the same as rigid fiberglass. You'll need rigid fiberglass (or equivalent) anyway for treatment. Since you don't list your location in your profile, it's impossible to suggest places to buy it. This place has locations around the US:

Specialty Products & Insulation Co.

--Ethan

The purpose of this board will be to close the archway leading from the room to the stairs. Does rigid fiberglass have some acoustic property that will make it superior in this application? Keep in mind that the opposite side is drywall. Does fiberglass have more mass than mdf?

[gullfo]

any thoughts on turning the desk to face the wall with the window? centering it on that wall? that may be better in terms of allowing you to position the side wall treatments plus you can then build up proper doors over the curtain area and the (now) back corner hall so you can embed absorption there. with 18' deep you can readily build up the treatments on that wall behind the desk.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by SabreChris

The purpose of this board will be to close the archway leading from the room to the stairs.

What do you need more, bass control within the room or sound isolation to other rooms?

--Ethan