New Zealand

Since none of us have 29′ width or length rooms, we have to work in smaller room sizes and volumes. How many issues our 50 Hz., 23′ long wave, will produce depends on how high of a pressure level we listen at, how many low frequency drivers we have, their diameter and frequency response. Lets forget about sub woofers for the moment and just focus on mini monitors. Some produce energy below 50 Hz. and do a good job at it. What problems will a 23′ long wave cause in a 11′ room ? We know one thing, they will be located at the room boundary surfaces trying to make their escape out of the room. The first boundary surface you must look at in small room is the front and rear walls.

Our data base of 145 built and measured rooms shows that the front and rear walls produce unwanted modal pressure in over 90 % of the room sizes and volumes we have measured. Our data base contains room sizes that begin at 10′ x 10′ x 10′ and go through rooms that are 40′ x 40′ x 40′. A total of 130 rooms out of 145. Yes, that is statistically significant. We can rely on that number and use it to our benefit when we are treating small mix rooms. Of those two options, front and rear walls, the front wall has the greatest unwanted pressure issues. Pressure issues that can be + 12 dB – + 20 dB over acceptable base line measurements. How do we treat such issues?

First, we need lots of sound absorption power. We need broadband absorption because the unwanted pressure frequency range in the front of our rooms goes from 30 – 200 Hz. Only diaphragmatic absorption has the horsepower that translates to sound absorption power. Our DIY / BDA unit was designed for this frequency range. You can build this unit and add our carbon technology to the cabinet increasing performance of the unit by 35 %. Remember, we need horsepower and we have no space because our room is already to small. Each unit weighs over 200 lbs. Make sure you build them on casters or have a sturdy hand truck for positioning. Reflections from our wall surfaces must be managed with the proper rate and level of absorption.

Roxul, Dupont 703, and building insulation do not possess the correct rates and levels of absorption for music and voice. Music and voice are different and you must match the rates and levels of absorption to the music and voice requirements in your room. Our foam technology took 8 years to develop and does possess the proper rates and levels for music. It won’ t keep your house warm or cool but it will make your music and voice sound natural, life like, and real. We have technology that was designed to treat the low frequency energy in our small rooms, that we can build ourselves and foam technology for the mids and highs that took 8 years to create. Watch how one of our DIY mates down under took advantage of all of this.

Red Zone

The red group are rooms that produce so many low, middle, and high frequency energy issues, that large amounts of absorption treatments are required. There is not enough space for diffusion in terms of surface area or distance for wave lengths to fully form. It is the room sizes that are below 2,000 cu. ft. in total volume. The large amounts of treatment surface area, especially in the lower frequencies, will take up so much space that you might not be able to work in it.

Yellow Zone

The second group (yellow) of room sizes is from 2,000 – 4,000 cu. ft. This group of room sizes and volumes has the necessary space to allow for enough low, middle, and high frequency absorption along with enough space for diffusion. You have the space to place the appropriate low frequency absorption technologies and enough distance for diffusion to work. You will still have issues, especially in the low end but they can be predicted and managed.

Green Zone

The third group (green) is greater than 4,000 cu. ft. It is an ideal grouping of width, height, and length to allow for almost any usage. These rooms have enough distance to allow for appropriate management of all reflection time signatures, unwanted modal pressures, along with enough distances to allow for diffusion to do its job correctly and allow for all diffused wave forms to fully form.