New music space - or 'A long list of compromises'

[BigDaddy]

I have a similar sized space, albeit with a pitched ceiing to about 2.7m. I made 5 absorbsion panels for the walls and trapped the corners. The addition of a couple skyline type diffusers made a big difference to mine with regard to upper mids. My space is setup more for recording than mixing tho. It would be hard to to both in the same spacen (particularly with acoustic drums).

[blinddrew]

Yep, I'm not planning on recording any drums in there - that might push the tolerance of the neighbours a bit too far. I've got plans for bass trapping the corners, treating the reflection points, a cloud and some diffusion at the back. But I'lll be measuring as I go along as well to see how things change.

[McCreed]

Cavernous!!!

[blinddrew]

Indeed, plasterers arriving tomorrow, two weeks until it's all done.

[blinddrew]

Things have been a bit slow whilst the suppliers and I resolved our differences on the sound proofing, however we have come to a mutually satisfying result and so I can start cracking on.
The first step is fixing the mistake I made with the specifications and sorting out the holes cut into the acoustic treatment.
Step one, make some 'plugs' with four layers of acoustic plasterboard, glue, leave under pressure to set:

Next add the new surface-mount electrical boxes, glue, leave under pressure:

Finally, slather everything with acoustic caulk and fill all gaps with the same:

All that x4. Painting will happen later to tidy things up a bit. They're bulky, boxy and stick out a lot, but they'll be much less obvious once the bass trap frames are in place and they've made a significant difference to the overall sound proofing. When it's not raining the room is now as quiet as the quietest room in my house. Not bad for a standalone, single-skin shed.
Speaking of bass traps, I got a bit of work done on the framework whilst waiting for glue to dry:

[blinddrew]

Nice weather today so got a bit more done. Started working on the corner bass traps. There'll be a frame in each corner with a stack of rockwool top and bottom.
Basic frame:

Two frames painted and done:


Would have got a bit further but lost time correcting a piece of previous muppetry that I hadn't noticed until I started working on the second frame. :headbang:

It was ever thus.

[blinddrew]

Progress during the week was kyboshed by that little thing that we refer to as work. Well, those of us who haven't retired yet...
But this weekend was a bit more productive.
Cut and PVA-ing rockwool for a couple of corners:


One corner frame with rockwool stuffed:


And one finished frame:


Not fully installed yet but you get the idea.
2 corners done, 2 just need stuffing and cara-ing.

And then that's the easy bit done...

[Simon Barden]

I keep the bass trap
Against the wall
It hides a nasty stain that's lying there...

[blinddrew]

no damp yet!

[blinddrew]

I've often felt that making broadband absorbers using 4"x1" timber and additional corner bracing was over-engineering, especially when using 60Kg/m3 rockwool.
So here's the test panel with 1"x1.5" roofing batten timber, with supporting straps of weed-blocker (2 front to hold the rockwool in place, 1 rear to stop the panels flexing outward).
Front:

Back:

With cara:

4 blocks and the next batch of frames:

And that was it for this weekend.