first reflection /sidewalls

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

first reflection /sidewalls

Post by supafuzz » Wed Sep 30, 2015 2:57 am

I've been reading about not treating sidewall/first reflection points because of how the brain uses this information. It seems contrary to a lot of other information. So has anyone done this with good results?
4. The lateral early reflections (those that arrive at the mix position within 50 ms. of the direct sound from the side walls) should be as loud and spectrally and temporally accurate as possible (i.e. no RPG-type diffusers and no Sonex? or other wall treatments). Floor and ceiling early reflections should be damped/diffused as much as is reasonable.
Dave Moulton as well as others have said this.
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
rhythm ranch
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2793
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 8:45 pm
Location: Corrales, NM

Post by rhythm ranch » Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:38 am

Curious where your quote came from.

norton
buyin' a studio
Posts: 839
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2003 4:42 pm
Location: minneapolis

Post by norton » Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:41 am

Yes. It's a good way to go. Esp if the control room is already well treated.
Not a night and day difference...but a very comfortable shift.

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

quote

Post by supafuzz » Wed Sep 30, 2015 7:33 am

The quote is from my old music teacher Dave Moulton who went on to become somewhat of an authority on sound.
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

Post by supafuzz » Wed Sep 30, 2015 7:33 am

norton wrote:Yes. It's a good way to go. Esp if the control room is already well treated.
Not a night and day difference...but a very comfortable shift.
heading to the studio now with screw gun in hand!
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
vvv
zen recordist
Posts: 10139
Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 8:08 am
Location: Chi
Contact:

Post by vvv » Wed Sep 30, 2015 1:39 pm

supafuzz wrote:
heading to the studio now with screw gun in hand!
Izzat code? :twisted:
bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

Post by supafuzz » Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:11 pm

no code......just my Makita drill!! Took off the side wall absorbers and put them behind the speakers and things sounded a little better..
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
rhythm ranch
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2793
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 8:45 pm
Location: Corrales, NM

Re: quote

Post by rhythm ranch » Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:19 pm

supafuzz wrote:The quote is from my old music teacher Dave Moulton who went on to become somewhat of an authority on sound.
Understood, but is it from a specific document or book (of which there might be copies)?

User avatar
Randyman...
takin' a dinner break
Posts: 186
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:30 pm

Post by Randyman... » Wed Sep 30, 2015 6:47 pm

I'd have to assume there is a lower limit (distance from the sidewall) that this will become a bad idea? As in: Most bedroom monitoring environments where the 1st sidewall reflection is less than 10ms or so (and almost equal in amplitude to the direct sound)?


The quote specifically mentioned "less than 50ms" - but I have to think once you get into that sub 20ms haas-effect zone that these "important cues" (early sidewall reflections) are doing nothing more than smearing our timing perception of the speakers' (presumably) beautiful direct sound?

You also have to consider the speakers' dispersion (off-axis response) and sidewall reflection characteristics IMO - it's not likely that a blanket statement regarding acoustics will fit all scenarios.

I know my smallish monitoring environment showed marked improvements in imaging and soundstage after treating first sidewall (lateral) reflections (above what the fairly dead ceiling treatments had already improved on)...

Must be nice to have such large rooms to pontificate about "good sounding first reflections"! I'm more than a little jelly!!!! :cool:
Randy V.
Audio-Dude / Musician / PC Guru / Crazy Guy

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

Post by supafuzz » Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:07 am

Super 70 is 15x30 x12 [with 2 ft above the drop ceiling] exact dimensions a the PIT at Motown..same construction as well.
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

first reflection absorbers

Post by supafuzz » Sun Nov 01, 2015 3:48 pm

I put the first reflection absorbers back and started to do more treatments on the back walls but up high.
More to come
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
JWL
deaf.
Posts: 1870
Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Maine
Contact:

Re: first reflection absorbers

Post by JWL » Sun Nov 01, 2015 8:27 pm

supafuzz wrote:I put the first reflection absorbers back and started to do more treatments on the back walls but up high.
More to come
Good man. I never understood the argument in the OP. I have to assume that people who argue against a RFZ have never listened in one. Put panels up, listen to depth & detail of the stereo image, take them down and hear things get fuzzy.

Easy to verify with measurements, too....

http://realtraps.com/rfz.htm

User avatar
roscoenyc
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Re: first reflection absorbers

Post by roscoenyc » Mon Nov 02, 2015 6:17 am

supafuzz wrote:I put the first reflection absorbers back and started to do more treatments on the back walls but up high.
More to come
Do you have a cloud above your listening position?

User avatar
supafuzz
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1730
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:02 am
Location: Beacon NY
Contact:

cloud

Post by supafuzz » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:53 am

Some days it seems like that.. ha ha
Yes I've had a cloud up there for a few years.
I'm thinking about adding a couple of more. We just angled it back a little that made it better. Now I want one directly above and another behind that like at my friend's mastering studio
Super 70 Studio.. Never tell a perfectionist that the mix is perfect!

http://www.super70studio.com
http://www.facebook.com/Super70Studio


now in glorious HD3

User avatar
trodden
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5651
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 8:21 am
Location: C-attle
Contact:

Post by trodden » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:11 am

Interesting.

I'm building out a new space, which is going to be about 1/3 of the size of my last room.. so.. pretty small, 11X15. It's going to have an iso booth and I'm having a hard time placing the sliding glass door far enough so its not in the early reflections... my previous place had a cloud above, super chunks in the corners, 4" absorbers on the wall behind the speakers, as well as 2" absorbers at the "Mirror places" on the side.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 72 guests