How many bass traps?

[knsheaffer]

Hello all

Fist of all, I wanted to say that I have found this forum to be very helpful and educational. I have really enjoyed it. It's a gold mine.

I was wondering how may, and what kind, of bass traps I would need for my control room. It's 8 tall, 11 wide and 32 long. I've noticed that my low end is quite muddy and it seems to be making the overall mix really hazy.

Thanks
Kyle

[Ethan Winer]

Kyle,

> I was wondering how may, and what kind, of bass traps I would need for my control room. <

You could use an alternating mix of panel traps and mid/high absorbers, as shown in the forum FAQ article. My studio is similar in length to yours, though at 18 feet it's a bit wider. I have 17 wood panel traps and 11 mid/high absorbers, and it's pretty near perfect. So a dozen or so panel traps will not be too many for your space.

I plan to install some mid/high absorption near the peak in the ceiling to reduce the focusing effects that occurs when recording string sections. But if your ceiling is flat you won't need that additional treatment.

--Ethan

[jaredq]

Ethan,
are the ceilings in your studio 100% absorbent? If not,why do you prefer that they are not? I would think it would not be good for recording strings.

[Ethan Winer]

Jared,

> are the ceilings in your studio 100% absorbent? <

No, the ceiling is plain sheetrock, angled with a peak in the center. The sides are eight feet high and the peak is about 11-1/2 feet high.

> If not, why do you prefer that they are not? I would think it would not be good for recording strings. <

Too many double negatives to know which way you're asking.

Because I record acoustic instruments and string sections, I do not want a dead room. That's why I left the ceiling bare originally. But when I mike an entire section and the mikes are far away, I get a little too much "midrangey" room tone. And the peaked ceiling tends to focus sound into the middle of the room - the opposite of diffusion - and that's not great either. This is why I plan to add some absorption.

But this is a very different case from people who ask how to treat their basement ceiling when all they have is 6-1/2 or 7 feet to work with. In that case, making it totally dead is usually the best solution.

--Ethan

[ubik]

--> But this is a very different case from people who ask how to treat their basement ceiling when all they have is 6-1/2 or 7 feet to work with. In that case, making it totally dead is usually the best solution.


Let me guess, 4" 705 with an airspace?

Greg

[ubik]

--> But this is a very different case from people who ask how to treat their basement ceiling when all they have is 6-1/2 or 7 feet to work with. In that case, making it totally dead is usually the best solution.


Let me guess, 4" 705 with an airspace?

Greg