where to place 12 x 12 acoustic treatment in your small studio

Where to put acoustic panels in a home studio?

But you need to make sure your studio has the right acoustic properties to make you sound good, so consider where you should set up gear like acoustic panels to get the best sound. The 5 key places to put acoustic panels in a home studio include behind the studio monitors, where two surfaces meet, and throughout the room.

How much acoustic treatment do I need for my home?

Here’s a cheat code you can use for treating your typical domestic room (whether it’s a hi-fi room, home theater or home recording studio): Cover 22 to 25% of the interior surface area with acoustic treatment. That would be the total coverage provided by bass traps, absorptive acoustic panels and diffusers.

What is the best acoustic treatment setup for a mixing room?

Minimum acoustic treatment setup in stereo and surround sound mixing rooms (lightly treated). Sidewall first reflection points (left and right of listening position) are treated with broadband bass traps, but other acoustic panels could work.

Where should acoustic treatment be placed?

Acoustic treatment can also be placed directly behind you on the back wall of your room. It can also be extremely helpful to place a couch at this location−recall that any soft porous material will absorb sound.

Where do you put acoustic treatment in a small room?

If your room is small, i.e.; less than very large (see above), you must ALWAYS face the short wall. NOT facing the short wall usually will place the listener in the CENTER of the room, which is a very bad place to try to get accuracy in the low frequencies.

Where do you put acoustic treatment?

0:582:02How should I position my acoustic panels? General tips how to space ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRoom corners for better base response. But most of your treatment. Will likely work best at ear.MoreRoom corners for better base response. But most of your treatment. Will likely work best at ear. Level if you want a better idea of where exactly in your room you should place your acoustic.

Where do you put acoustic foam in studio?

Install the acoustic foam behind your recording equipment.Position the foam so that it's in between both of your studio monitors or speakers.Acoustic foam will not soundproof a room.Acoustic foam should be centered on the wall and at ear level.

Where do you put acoustic panels for soundproofing?

1. Place acoustic panels at the first place on the wall where sound waves tend to hit before reaching the listeners ears. 2. Place 3' to 6' up from the floor in areas where much of the sound is produced by people sitting or standing in enclosed spaces.

How do you acoustically treat a small room?

2:304:13Why do small rooms suffer from bad acoustics? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAlways focus base trapping in a small room and only add diffusion if it's part of a combinationMoreAlways focus base trapping in a small room and only add diffusion if it's part of a combination absorber diffuser like our alpha and impression.

How high should I put acoustic panels?

If you're looking to place acoustic panels around the office, where people are sitting for the majority of the day, you want to place your panels at the height of four to five feet. Placement at this height will capture most of the sound generated in the room, as it is the average height of a person when sitting.

Where do acoustic panels go in a home studio?

1:376:51How To Place DIY Acoustic Panels - Easy Placement Tips - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBehind my speakers. The corners behind my desk. The first early reflection points on either side ofMoreBehind my speakers. The corners behind my desk. The first early reflection points on either side of my desk and the ceiling immediately above.

Where should a sound diffuser be placed in a room?

Generally speaking, the best place to put sound diffusers are at the primary reflective points in your listening room. This is the place where the sound from your speakers will first hit a wall or surface to reflect back.

How many acoustic foam panels do I need?

While the number of panels you need varies based on the purposes of your space, a typical starting number is 8-10 panels. However, that number can go up to 20-25 panels for purposes requiring greater sound control.

How do you acoustically treat a square room?

6:107:51What acoustic treatment saves a square room? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnything you can do to kind of break up that room will put you in better shape. And as alwaysMoreAnything you can do to kind of break up that room will put you in better shape. And as always diffusion in my opinion is better than absorption. So I I use a combination of both but generally.

Do you need to cover a whole wall to soundproof?

If you covered every square inch it would knock down some of the sound from getting out, but not as much as you would think. And nothing like your concrete wall is going to do. Basically absorption in the room is to help control the "room sound" not for "sound proofing".

How do you calculate room acoustics?

Acoustic calculations from Troldtekt A/S are based on Sabine's formula. According to this formula, the reverberation time (in seconds) for a room is directly proportional to the room's volume (in m3 ) divided by the total absorption in the room (in m2 Sabine, 'metric sabin').

What surface area to treat?

The first surface area to treat is the floor and ceiling. The floor usually has a carpet but the ceiling is bare. Let’s assume carpet on the floor, now we need to provide absorption or diffusion for the ceiling. Which treatment one uses depends on room usage and how far away the ceiling is.

How many dimensions of sound can be created?

Three Dimensions of Sound. Three dimensions of sound space can be created between your speakers. You can have a height, width, and yes, even depth in your sound stage. The speakers themselves give you the energy to start with, but you must take that energy and then the room energy and make them both work together.

How does ceiling reflection affect listening position?

Floor and ceiling reflections have an impact on the listening position. The ceiling reflection energy is responsible for sound stage height. The existing physical height of the ceiling can be “acoustically exceeded” through the proper use and application of diffusion. It does vary with room acoustic use. A listening room works best with a combination of absorption and diffusion technologies. A control room may prefer more of an absorptive approach so that a more critical listening sound stage can be realized. All room surfaces contribute to your sound stage. We have a different question to ask with each usage. Each usage we have to ask where to place acoustic panels to satisfy that room acoustics for that usage.

What is sound stage?

A sound stage is literally that, namely a “stage of sound” that a two-channel system is capable of achieving in an acoustically treated room. It is that space between your left and right channel speakers, but it is also that space that extends wider and even taller than your loudspeakers themselves if the room is acoustically treated correctly. We must strike a balance between the straight-line energy from the speakers which strike your ears first and the reflections from the sidewalls, floor, and ceiling. If we get the balance correct, we have a sonic presentation in front of us that exceeds the physical space the speakers are in. There is more presentation width, height, and depth. There are more detail and definition along with more space between the instruments and voices. This is room acoustics at its best. Identifying surface area issues and then finding out where to place acoustic panels.

How to manage side wall reflections?

Sidewall reflections are best managed through absorption. It cannot be just any type. The proper absorption treatment must be selected that can absorb side wall reflections at the correct rate and level. Both the rate and level of absorption must be considered when dealing with sidewall reflections. It is not necessary to absorb 100% of all side wall reflected energy. You must choose how much and at what frequency you want the reflections to intermix with the direct sound. There is no need to destroy the reflected energy by changing all of it to heat. Just some of the more unfriendly parts. This is the cause behind a too-dead room sound. It is too much surface coverage with the wrong rate and level of absorption.

Why do control rooms prefer absorptive approach?

A control room may prefer more of an absorptive approach so that a more critical listening sound stage can be realized. All room surfaces contribute to your sound stage. We have a different question to ask with each usage. Each usage we have to ask where to place acoustic panels to satisfy that room acoustics for that usage.

Do you need to cover large areas on walls?

You must cover large surface areas on the walls with low-frequency management technology. Where you place the diaphragmatic absorption depends on many variables. It depends on your room size and volume. How much energy you place within your room (usage) and any noise issues you may also have.

Where to put acoustic panels in a studio?

The 5 key places to put acoustic panels in a home studio include behind the studio monitors, where two surfaces meet, and throughout the room. The rear sidewalls and back wall also need acoustic panels to prevent flutter echo. Good quality acoustic panels can make a huge difference to any studio.

What to consider when getting acoustic panels?

Another thing to consider when getting acoustic panels is your budget. You can spend as much or as little as you want on treating your home studio. But you should have a maximum spending amount in mind. Then, you won’t go too far over what you can afford.

Why put acoustic panels behind monitors?

Since acoustic panels can absorb sound, putting them behind your monitors can help reduce any weird feedback. This placement is especially useful if your studio monitors have bass ports on the back. But even if they don’t, you don’t want the sound to bounce back at your speakers.

How thick should acoustic panels be?

You should also consider how thick the acoustic panels are before you install them. Some panels are two inches, and others are four inches. Thicker panels can be useful if you record a lot of low frequencies or if you don’t have bass traps.

Why use acoustic panels?

You can also use panels to keep out background noise from around the home. And you can use your panels so that you can practice without disturbing your neighbors. If you want these features, look for panels that have more sound absorption to help with soundproofing. However, acoustic panels do have some limits.

How to make your home studio sound louder?

Walk around the room and clap your hands as loud as possible. Listen to the vibrations that come back, and listen to see if the sound is metallic and ringing. If so, you can add more panels until the sound is more pleasant. Consider how you want your home studio to sound.

Where do acoustic panels meet?

Where Two Surfaces Meet. You should also place acoustic panels in dihedral corners, which are where two surfaces meet. This means the four corners of your home recording studio. The acoustic panel can keep sound from going in or out of the room through one of the corners.

Where to put acoustic treatment?

Acoustic treatment can also be placed directly behind you on the back wall of your room. It can also be extremely helpful to place a couch at this location−recall that any soft porous material will absorb sound.

Why is acoustic treatment important?

Proper acoustic treatment is essential for any environment where critical listening is desired. Home theaters, recording studios, music rooms, and even general living spaces can benefit from acoustic treatment albeit to different extents. Unfortunately, treatment is commonly misunderstood and therefore, misused due to its complexity and a lack ...

How does acoustic foam work?

Acoustic foam works by reducing the amount of sound energy within a room. The sound energy does not disappear, rather, it is converted into other forms of energy. Recall that sound is micro-vibrations within air. As those vibrations pass through foam, the material membranes vibrate as well.

Why is sound so complex?

Sound becomes very complex in rooms because it bounces and reflects off walls, floors, ceilings, and any other surface (including you). There are also strong resonances that form in all rooms based on their length, width, and height. These reflections and resonances create the sound of your room.

Can you put acoustic foam on the ceiling?

Don’t Forget The Corners. If possible, mount some of your acoustic foam across corners of your room. This can be done between two horizontal walls or even the ceiling and side-wall. This will inherently create a large air gap behind the foam.

Is it better to mount acoustic foam on the wall?

Thicker foam, however, is more efficient at absorbing a broader range of frequencies. Therefore, mounting your thin acoustic foam even a few inches off the wall can drastically improve its benefits. The effect is twofold in that: You will improve the lower frequency ranges affected by your treatment.

Does acoustic foam absorb sound?

Viola… sound energy is dissipated as heat. With this understanding of acoustic foam, it should be clear that any porous or cloth-like material absorbs sound. This means that blankets, couches, pillows, window curtains, laundry, and the clothes you are wearing right now function as sound absorbers.

What happens to sound when it is made in a room?

Whenever a sound is made in a room, here’s what happens to it: Starting at the source, it projects outward in all directions. A small portion of it (known as direct sound) travels in a straight line to the microphone. The remainder (known as reflected sound) bounces randomly between the surfaces of the room.

Does direct sound change the tone of a room?

Since direct sound does not interact with the room, its frequency balance remains pure, and its tone unaltered. With reflected sound, each new reflection has the potential to CHANGE the original sound ever-so-slightly. Depending on the size of the room, and the reflective surfaces within it….

Do bass traps absorb mid frequencies?

And here’s why: Though commonly thought of as specialized tools for absorbing bass frequencies…. Porous bass traps are actually broadband absorbers, meaning they’re good at absorbing mid/high frequencies as well. Which is why sometimes…bass traps alone can be enough to get the job done.

Do I need a degree to run an acoustic studio?

The good news is…you don’t need a degree in acoustical engineering to run a recording studio. All you need is a few SIMPLE CONCEPTS. Starting with…. 1.

How much of the interior surface of a recording studio should be covered?

A basic guideline to treat your typical home recording studio is to cover 22% to 25% of the interior surface with acoustic treatment.

How far should your back wall be from your ears?

Note your back wall should be at least 10 feet from your ears.

What is reverberation echo?

Reverberation and flutter echo is the simplest problems to recognize in any room and are especially common in rooms with a lot of empty wall spaces and hard surfaces. Both issues can be handled with simple solutions.

How to place a monitor in a room?

Don’t lie them on their side. Put them on stands at head height when possible and pointed towards your head. Read the manufacturer recommendation on how far from the walls and then set there symmetrically within the room.

Can you control studio size?

Some things you can’t control like studio size and shape. In any given space, the components of that space have a direct effect on what we’re listening to. Small rooms require more treatment than a larger room and a square one more than a rectangular one.

Why is acoustic treatment important?

Why is it so important? Well, in an untreated room, sound can appear distorted. Sound waves leave the monitors, bounce around the room, and and make the music sound inaccurate by the time it reaches your ears.

What is soundproofing in music?

Soundproofing is focused on keeping the sounds out of a home studio.

What is bass trap?

Bass Traps. Bass traps are the first thing you want to use when treating your room — they’re mainly useful during the mixing process. They can be somewhat expensive, but they can make a huge difference. These “trap” lower frequencies (hence the name), but they can also absorb some mid-to-high frequencies too.

Can reflected sound change recording?

But with reflected sound, each new wave of it can change how your recording sounds, even if only a little. Depending on the size and shape of your room and whether or not you’ve treated it acoustically, the change in sound can be drastic.

Where should acoustic panels be placed?

For managing surround systems, acoustic panels should be placed centered at speaker reflection points. For managing sound in from voices (in an office, for example), acoustic panels should be placed at the level sound is being generated at. There are plenty of details to think through, like what to do if you’re trying to manage sound ...

How to approach a surround system?

In general, you should methodically trace out the reflection points, placing one or a couple of acoustic panels at each spot based on how much you anticipate the waves have spread out by the time they get to the wall. Start with once each, and scale up as needed.

How high should a speaker panel be?

That is to say: a 2ft by 4ft panel should be placed so that it is 4ft high.

Why is a high ceiling good?

This can be good in some situations: if the ceiling is high enough and the volume low enough, sound can spread out so much that it dissipates and loses the energy to be reflected down. In an office environment or recording space where you’re only trying to capture low-volume audio, high ceilings can help.

Why is sound spread out in a long room?

Long and/or wide rooms have a unique problem: since the room is long/wide/or both, the sound has further to travel, and more time to spread out. This means that, while in a “shorter” room a few panels can capture sound on a given wall, the longer the room is the more spread out that wound will be, requiring more surface area of panels to collect it.

Can you put 10 panels up?

You can’t just put 10 panels up anywhere and expect them to absorb all the sound you want to be removed from the space. So, take some time to consider your goals while planning your space, and let the direction above about the best height and placement of panels drive your decisions.

Do home theater speakers need acoustic panels?

At one extreme, you have only left and right front-firing sound ( stereo) which will require acoustic panels on the back wall. But what about larger systems?

Common Acoustic Problems

Types of Acoustic Treatment

Critical Treatment Zones

• When your speakers produce sound, there are three distinct stages in which you perceive it. First, you hear the direct sound coming straight from your speakers, then you hear the early reflections that have bounced off boundaries like your desk, walls, floor, and ceiling. Finally, you hear the sound’s reverberant field, which is a complex network o...

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