Hi all,

Looking for some help treating my home studio

Room measurements: 3meter x 4meter

I have tried 2 different set ups (See attached) and neither of them have worked very well, the low end always sounds so awful and can sound super loud in one area, move a few inchs to the side and you can barely hear it! I would appreciate any advice on how to improve the set up and acoustics. Ideally, I like having 'set up 2' more, as I hated having to face the window (Either sun in my eyes all day or blinds shut and in the dark all day). Is it possible to have 'set up 1' work? I use HS7s monitors but I was told that it would be better with some KRKs instead as the bass wont be coming from the back and hitting the wall.

Looking at the attached diagram, the sketch shows 1 panel on both sides of wall, two on ceiling above and two corner bass traps (Small ones, 23inch high and sit at the top of the wall but can't sit flush against ceiling as the room has coving).

Would really appreciate any advice on what I can do (New set up, new treatment, etc) to improve acoustics! Thanks!

You'll have to measure to understand what the issues are. A listening position with the least 'bad' measurement will be the best start for treatment choices.

HS7 vs KRK (which model?) is a personal choice to me, bass will always hit the walls (why do you say bass comes from the back?), regardless of where the port is.

In general you'll need absorption on back wall, probably full wall (another reason to face the window :D), corners, early reflection points floor to ceiling and left to right on the ceiling.

That would be... a start :D.

There are numerous solutions to keep the un out of your eyes, still allowing light to come in, sun screens (inside or outside - the latter most effective for heat control as well), sun canopy attached to the outside wall etc etc...

I don't know too much about different monitor types, I was just going by from what someone else said to me which is that the HS7s are rear ported, and as I have the monitors up against the wall it would be better to get some KRKs (I think any model as they are not rear ported?) but again, I don't know much about this just relaying what someone else told me.

So you would suggest moving back to the window set up? I believe the diagram I attached shows the panels in the early reflection points do they not? This is what someone at Gik Acoustics told me to do, but I still found the acoustics to not be great. Would further panels on the side walls help or full corner bass traps? Will the coving be causing in issue?

We don't know what panels of which depth are where exactly in the room and how much surface is covered, so difficult to say.

Also 'acoustics are not great' is not measurable, not specific and not objective.

What was the issue that was to be solved by 'someone from GIK acoustics'?

First measure, then define the issue(s), then formulate solutions and alternatives, then make informed decisions, then implement. Iterate .

Ok I will try to provide some more information.

I have 4 244 Bass Trap with FlexRange Technology (600 x 1200mm)

These are shown in the diagram, one each side of the wall. I used a mirror against the wall and hung the panels where the reflection of the monitor was. The other 2 panels are placed above the the monitors (See diagram). There are 2 Demi Tri-Trap Corner Bass Trap ( 600mm tall x 585 mm front ), these are placed in different loactions depending on the set up (Due to the door not allowing placement on the back wall) - See diagram).

No issues were solved with GIK acoustics, I used their free advice on treating my room and I have done exactly what they told me to do, yet it sounds awful with low end being either extremely loud/painful to very quiet if you move around the room.

I don't know how to measure or formulate solutions which Is why I came here asking for advice. I understand it may be difficult to give advice without knowing more but I was hoping the information on how its currently treated, the room dimensions and proposed layouts would be enough to give me any treatment advice.

I will just hire someone to come and treat it for me, thanks!

No offense, but if you didn't provide an issue, the person that sold you the traps could have sold you anything really .

You have now 6 traps of approx 0.7m² each, covering roughly 4m² of the total surface of your room (count the surface of each wall, ceiling and floor and you'll see how much % you are covering with the traps). If you know that a 100Hz wave has a 3.43m wavefront, you see where this is (not) going.

You mention room dimensions, however you didn't provide any.

So if you want to hear a change, and have balanced absorption in the room, you'll have to think way bigger. Covering complete backwall, early reflection points (your mirror thing) floor to ceiling and left to right, complete corners, by preference 1m+ wide traps. The traps will need to absorb down to the most problematic frequencies in the room (which you can find by measuring).

Still there will be spots in the room where frequencies will appear louder and quieter, this is how sound physics work, sound waves have either high velocity either high pressure and this varies throughout. The goal of acoustics is to provide a balanced spectrum at the listening position(s).

If you have the patience and the will to do it yourself we can help you here, but it will be step by step. If you are prepared to spend money you can hire an acoustician. If you are prepared to spend a lot of money you can buy lots of panels and throw them at the walls, the result will be unpredictable .

If you are willing to install REW and perform measurements (yes steep learning curve ahead), I'm willing to guide you with posts and answers in this forum, so others can chime in where my knowledge is stopping.

There was not an issue when speaking with GIK acoustics. I started creating my first home studio and used their free advice where they look at the room/measurements etc and provide some basic treatment for the room, which is what I have described and shown in the diagrams. It wasn't until after the treatment was installed, I noticed the acoustics need further treatment, so I decided to post on this forum asking for some opinions and suggestions, hope that makes sense!

Thanks for your help. I don't really have the time to learn how to perform measurements etc sadly. I will hire an acoustician to come sort it out for me. Thanks