Last month I moved to a new room (15 x 13 x 8,6" ). Mastering as the main goal. Not construction, just treatment. The project is *very* simple, altough laborious being all DIY. With a help from a friend who has wood skills.
I decided ,after years of search and readings (here mostly) and lots of trial/error and thousands of REW measurements in my old room, to create a very controlled enviroment, close to an NE room - even without knowing one in person and some of the basics not covered (bigger room ,huge space for absorption and soffit mounted mains- afaik).
Treatment is based on wood modules. My inspiration for the modules was the Adrumdrum (thanks!!!) conception of how to treat a small control room posted here, with some differences though.

*This is not intented to be a studio diary thread , since the room it´s almost done. I´ll post "what I did" in the last months.
*I work ITB, and even the cosmetic part of treatment probably will be pretty boring. Everything rustic and basic. My goal is the best possible interaction monitors/engineer/room.
*My ECM 8000 died some years ago and I´m using a LDC for the REW measurements.

Hope you enjoy it.

Ciro

First L/R measurements of empty room shows a difference in the low end modal peaks. This came from the left rear portion of room which has a 6'x 8,5' double drywall panel; think about it as a big panel this size in the corner , but without a "normal" wall behind (since behind it´s another room of house). REW measurements (which I lost, sorry!) are from a monitor pic I found. Shows the initial 6 dB L/R difference in the lows.

Pic 1 is the L/R FR
Pic 2 is the front wall, speakers positioned (almost touching the "wall",always)
Pic 3 is the left rear wall (drywalled as mentioned) and
Pic 4 is the right rear wall, already with some panels I brought for measure, trying to compensate the L/R difference you see in the measurements. Sorry, don´t have this after/before, but the 6dB difference went to less than 4dB with the 4"traps in this arrangement and gave me a "light" to keep going.

The modules:
2 modules screwed (Pic 1) . The upper one (not ready at this point) is exactly like the lower. My idea when making it separated, was to deal with differences in the treatment and use different depths and absorber densities / perforated or slat panels where works better. Air gap between the end of panel/wall is adjustable.

Pic 2 is my friend Flavio, which helped me a lot with all the wood labour.

Pic 3: the solution to force a symetry in the rear wall (the other side has an angled module like this)

Here, the first 18 modules ready and 12 in the final position (this is the rear wall).

1. This is a view from the back of first module ready, now with the frame(I don´t want then looking as big pillows).
2. Detail
3. Choose the final fabric color is like decide ice cream flavor. This is what will keep.

Ciro

Soundproofing:

The two windows are big, and the main source of noise. Two frames with two MDF boards (15mm) with 2" rockwool inside. I was prepared to put some more mdf or drywall if needed, but no. I´m very satisfied with the results.

Ciro

I´m using basically 2 types of porous absorber; Pic 1 is a 32kg rockwool and pic 2 is 10kg fiberglass. Pic 4 shows the rear wall. Modules are 8' deep and I´m using more 8", tottal of 16" fluffy in the rear wall. No air gap.
The corner at left has a mix of absorbers: 8" fluffy // air gap// 10" rockwool 32kg //gap.
The absorbers at side walls (all 32kg ) are 8" in the low portion+ 4" gap and 6"+gap in the ear level.

Pics 1,2,3 and 4 shows the front wall/upper corner mls perforated diffusors. Pic 4, final placement. My inspiration for the panels was one of Boggy rooms (My Room FB page - thanks!). My previous room had a thick cloud, basically broadband; this one has aroud 6% of perforation, the idea is to keep the front wall as reflective as possible, since the side and rear wall are fully absorptive at this point. Pics 5 show the rear and part of side walls with the fabric and absorption (16" fluffly at rear and variable depths between 6" /8" and 12" + gap in the side walls). Last picture, side and rear wall (at right) already with the upper modules, mostly with 10/12" inside (fluffy stuff and a mix of 32 and 64 rockwool). The rear ceiling clouds, pretty thin compared to the rest of treatment , will keep for while).

Ciro

Interesting thread. Thanks, Ciro. Let us know how it sounds.

Thanks Timothy!

What I can say at this point (almost done), is that I´m very pleased with the results. If I had doubt about making a "dead room", it´s far from being opressive or tiring, this way; having a reflective front wall and corner/ceiling (I think) has to do with the sensation of not being in an anechoic space, the fatigue it´s minimal. I´m not saying the room it´s perfect, I´m sure it can be improved, but for while it´s fine, and steps ahead my old room. No obvious ressonances (except a longer decay at 36Hz); I can pick any instrument, delays, reverbs, etc .. in the mix (as it should be); pans, center image, relation of "size"/frequency of bass guitar/kick drums, for example,is great. Even using an entry level of B&W (602 S2) with a Rotel amp, but good enough to allows me take decisions with confidence. Not subs for while. Soon I´ll post some measurements - which are in the +/- 6dB range (1/24) without eq correction, but most important, it´s sounding great.

Ciro

Front corner traps: fabric// 6" rockwool 32// air gap// "minichunks" (a 2x4 panel cutted in 16 triangles)

Ciro

Still in the procees of doing some improvements and deciding what to do in the final stage of treatment and aesthetics. RT 60, altough very short, are balanced now - and most important, the feeling in the mix position is not dead as one should expect for the numbers.; I did some perforated mls panels to put in front of fiberglass in the upper portion of room, but felt that any small increase of hi mids and hi (decay / rt60) didn´t sounds right. Then, will keep only absorptive for while.
Some measurements: Note that FR looks like very different; lowest mode goes from 40 to 36 Hz; the 75 Hz peak (2º lenght mode) was tottaly killed by the 16" fluffy in the rear wall. 36 Hz, not so muc (maybe working with electronic music could be an issue).

Moving speakers (angle, distance, height) in small steps causes dramatic differences.

Great results for room treatment without a full build. I take it this isn't your first build?

It´s my second control room , the old one was a tiny 9 x 11. I was scared with the first measurents since the RT60 was so short (same 100ms as the old room) , but soon I realized the things were balanced and I could pick all the details in the mixes and everything sounds precise, not dead or opressive in the seating position and much better than the old . Then, it´s fine.

Thanks!

This is the final front wall. The "live" portion of room (plus the floor).

Still in the process of doing some cosmetics for the rear and side walls, but will keep it only absorptive.

As simple as possible about the gear , ITB mastering:
Ross Martin 1794 DAC ---> Rotel amp ---> B&W 602 S2 speakers. No subs for while.

Ciro

Captured with a Zoom Q3 (mix position)

*Song: "From Dusk to Dawn" - George Duke

Nice! (I had a listen to the original for comparison.) Thanks for following up with that.

:-)

This is how the rear and side walls ended looking (sorry for the pics quality). The upper portion still without the fabric. There, 30 cm of fluffy glasswool in the sides and 45 cm in the whole rear wall (thicker in the corners). The MLS perforated (4 mm plywood) are based on a room treated by (RIP) Boggy, and do a "soft" diffusion. Similar to the ones in the front cloud/corner trap.

Ciro