[John Casler]

I'm not a studio or HT designer, but my good friend and expert Wes Lachot says the current trend - at least with recording studios that cater to rock and rollers - is to make the front of the control room as live as possible. Angled walls and an angled ceiling then direct all first reflections away from the listening position, instead of relying on absorption. The rear of the control room is equally live, u ...

Hi Ethan,

Actually that makes sense for a "control room" (especially for R&Rollers ) in that there is no way to "treat" the front wall of a "control room" since it is basically glass.

And of course if you have heard any of the recent Rock and Roll recordings, you know how well it works

If someone wants to see what this looks like, Wes has a very impressive site here: http://www.overdublane.com/wes/database/pagemaker.cgi?1074125959

[nathanm]

And of course if you have heard any of the recent Rock and Roll recordings, you know how well it works  

IF by your Mr. Greeny face you are saying that sarcastically then I'd wager that current "rock" recordings suffer more from excessive compression and too much digital manipulation than control room acoustics.  But that's a rant for another topic.

That reminds me, I came across some article about one of the annoying Top 40 acts where they recorded it in this studio whose control room was all decked out in wood and that bulbous upholstery with the buttons thingy, like an english manor or something.  Can't remember the name of it, but they recorded a bunch of trendy bands I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.  Cool studio, though.  I even think they had a chandelier hanging in there if I remember correctly.

[Ethan Winer]

Capo,

> What do you think about diffusion on the front wall, since my front walls are mostly not angled? <

I doubt that's necessary. And the studio control room designs I was describing don't have an angled front either - only the ceiling and side walls are angled. Here's a photo of one of the rooms Wes designed:



As you can see, the main front wall is flat - it has to be with a window that large!

--Ethan

[John Casler]

IF by your Mr. Greeny face you are saying that sarcastically then I'd wager that current "rock" recordings suffer more from excessive compression and too much digital manipulation than control room acoustics.  But that's a rant for another topic.
.

Yes the Mr. Greenyface, was a bit of a poke, and I agree but the control room and what it sounds like there, is where it starts, then the mixing board....

And your right, again, that there are several other topics in this area.  

Like why most sound engineers don't use PipeDreams, RM/x's or Wilson Alexandria's or even close.

It might also be interesting to see "Fletcher/Munson" type studies relating to Nearfeild signal over-ride of direct to reflected sound and just where the reflected signal is filtered by the ear/brain.

Most control rooms are very on axis with nearfield positions, which provides a significant rejection/overide to lower level reflected signals.

[klh]

Ethan,

Thank you for your patience... and answers.  You also make a very compelling argument for the mini and micro traps!!!

Krister

[Ethan Winer]

Krister,

> Thank you for your patience... and answers. You also make a very compelling argument for the mini and micro traps!!! <

I'm glad to help. My main goal is to explain the basics (and not so basics!) of acoustics and acoustic treatment, and why they're so important. That's more important to me than selling stuff.

--Ethan