If you're looking for the quickest way to get started, I suggest checking out 1c, 2b, and 2a. These briefly and simply cover the basics (and have lots of pictures ).

This is a reference guide for basic acoustics and room treatment. Whether you're just getting started or want some touching up, this should be a good place to start. It's a big group effort and we're in the process of trying to make it easier to understand/use. Feel free to join the conversation here - Sticky with links? - And please post comments and suggestions about this reference in that thread! I'll document changes in the "Last edited" box, so you can know what's changed since you last checked.


Don't be bewildered by the amount of information here. It will take time to absorb it all, but this reference was made with the intent of making it easier to find what you want to absorb. Take it in steps and you'll learn a ton.


Enjoy


1) General Info
a) Soundproofing vs Treatment - What's the difference between soundproofing and acoustic treatment?
b) Soundproofing Myths - 7 Silly Soundproofing Myths to Avoid
c) A bit of everything - RealTraps - Acoustic Basics
d) A lot on absorption, a good read - Acoustic Treatment and Design for Recording Studios and Listening Rooms
e) Another good primer read - GIK Acoustics presents Acoustics Primer: Some Basics on Acoustics.
f) A handful of videos on acoustics - RealTraps - Videos

2) Room Set-Up/Testing
Set-up
a) An article on set-up - RealTraps - How To Set Up a Room
b) An starting place on how to orientate/place traps GIK Acoustics: Room Setup
c) Monitor set-up - Monitor Positioning. GIK Acoustics Articles and Newsletters
d) More on trap placement - RealTraps - Placing RealTraps
Testing
e) Alternative Testing Methods - RealTraps - Alternative Test Methods
f) Ethan's Mic Test - RealTraps - Measuring Microphones
g) Room EQ Wizard (REW) - REW - Room EQ Wizard Home Page
h) FuzzMeasure (FM) - FuzzMeasure Pro 3
How-Tos and Measuring Help
i) Dandan's Primer Thread - https://www.gearslutz.com/board/studi...er-v2-1-a.html
j) Ethan's Primer - RealTraps - Room Measuring Series
k) Jens' REW How-To - How to use REW
- Personally I'd say this should be its own sticky, until then, it can be here
l) Glenn's REW Video (posted in #19 below) - Measurement Tutorial

3) Absorption Info
Articles
a) Absorption part from 1b - Acoustic Treatment and Design for Recording Studios and Listening Rooms
b) Glenn's "How Bass Traps Work" - How Bass Traps Work. GIK Acoustics Articles and Newsletters.


4) Diffusion Info
Articles
a) GIK Acoustics presents "How Diffusion Works!"
b) QRD diffusers: Technical Overview

Videos
c) RealTraps - All About Diffusion


5) Early Reflections
a) What Is SBIR?, from Glenn at GIK - "What is SBIR" Acoustic Panels and Bass Traps.
b) What Are Early Reflection Points?, from Glenn at GIK - What Are Early Reflection Points. Acoustic Panels and Bass Traps.
c) Reflection Free Zone (RFZ) - RealTraps - Creating a Reflection-Free Zone


6) How-Tos/Calculators
Calculators
a) Google Sketchup, an excellent tool for creating 3D models - Google SketchUp
b) Google Sketchup Help - Google sketchup questions and trouble shooting. How can I help?
c) jhbrandt's webpage, calculators for modes, QRDs, absorption, first reflection, and more - JH Brandt - Recording Studio Design/Consulting - Publications
d) QRDude QRD calculator - QRDude: Quadratic Residue Diffuser calculator
e) Online QRD calculator for people who can't use QRDude - QRD Diffuser Well Depth Calculator
f) Skyline setup - PME Records QRD Diffusor Construction
g) Skyline Calculator - Calculate a Two-Dimensional Primitive Root Diffuser
h) Sorry, I forgot where I heard about this place, it has lots though - mh-audio.nl - AcousticCalculator
i) Porous Absorber Calculator - Porous Absorber Calculator V1.58
j) Internet Porous Absorber Calculator - Porous Absorber Calculator
k) Bob Gold's Mode Calculator - http://www.bobgolds.com/Mode/RoomModes.htm
l) RealTraps Mode Calculator - RealTraps - ModeCalc
m) Unit Conversion Calculator - Digital Dutch Converter

7) Stuff on Fiberglass
a) From Ethan on density (with measurements!) - Rigid fiberglass density tests
b) Bob Gold's Absorption Coefficients, to find similar insulation products - http://www.bobgolds.com/AbsorptionCoefficients.htm
c) For fluffy fiberglass, a quote from Andre (avare) - https://www.gearslutz.com/board/6232561-post16.html

8) Suggested Reading
a) by Rod Gervais - Home Recording Studio: Build It Like the Pros
b) by F. Alton Everest - Master Handbook of Acoustics
c) by D'Antonio/Cox - Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers: Theory, Design and Application
d) by Philip Newell - Recording Studio Design
e) by Marshall Long - Architectural Acoustics
f) by Heinrich Kuttruff - Room Acoustics
g) A FREE publishing from the BBC (also listed in Andre's compilation) - Rose's Guide to Acoustic Practice
g) A ton of FREE writings, compiled by Andre - https://www.gearslutz.com/board/6634314-post70.html



Lastly, following the links are posts from some of the pro guys who often answer the questions in this forum. Give em a break and read the stuff they contributed to this reference, they might just end up pointing you back here anyway.

A few things from Ethan Winer, of RealTraps




And from Jens Eklund


From Hannes regarding this thread


And SAC

BBC Documents: Lots of information here...

Library from Andre (avare)
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/6634314-post70.html

Library from PaulP
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/5217856-post1.html

Sticky!!!!

Excellent work!!

Great thread!

For us used to the metric system, here is a small conversion table for some of the more common units encountered in this forum:

Inches:
1’ = 2.54 cm
2’ = 5.08 cm
4’ = 10.16 cm
6’ = 15.24 cm
24’ = 60.95 cm
32’ = 81.28 cm
42’ = 106.68 cm
48’ = 121.91 cm

Lbs (pounds):
1 lbs = 0.45 kg
2 lbs = 0.90 kg
4 lbs = 1.8 kg
6 lbs = 2.72 kg
10 lbs = 4.54 kg

Another small but important point: Sketchup is a great tool for planning a studio space, but not everyone has that program. If you want to show your plans for us to comment on, please post them as jpg or gif images that all browsers can display.

--Ethan

I don't want to bloat this thread with chit chat, but this is an important point:

Gearslutz is a public forum. This means you ask questions in public, and one or more people will reply to help you. The advantage is that everyone sees the answers and benefits, not just you. This also gives Jens fodder for links to important topics. heh

So please don't send PMs asking people to give you one on one personal private consulting. Most of the experts here charge for private consulting, even though they gladly pitch in publicly.

--Ethan

It is in there.

If you plan to set up your speakers in a bomb shelter and without any treatment, then knock yourself out with "Room Optimizer"!

If however, you have a normal room and plan to treat some (high probability since you’re reading this thread); forget any simulations unless you find one that can handle boundary conditions with complex impedance (and add to this that you actually need to know the complex impedance behavior of each boundary!).


Oh, by the way; I have both “Room Optimizer” and ”Room Sizer” from RPG … heh



To avoid clutter in this thread, I’m replying to the below post here:

What I’m saying is that as soon as the walls are not extremely rigid and/or openings or treatment exists, any model will fail unless the model can handle complex impedance boundary conditions, but who would be able to source the data needed for each boundary unless an empty bomb shelter?

Not to be that guy, but


Don't mind suggestions, I'll gladly add them in if they don't seem overly redundant. Just don't want this thread getting bogged down with extra stuff

Thanks!

The Bob Golds' Absorption Coefficient is a really good link! Nice to see it all in once page and easy for comparison.

Actually the designation of one apostrophe/single quote (') designates "foot" (i.e. 12 inches). For inches, you want the double apostrophe/double quotes ("). So, I have made the correction above.

Here, I'll reverse it for the benefit of those used to the Imperial system for translating from metric:

100 mm = 10 cm = 3.94" = approx. 1/3 foot
200 mm = 20 cm = 7.97" = approx. 2/3 foot
300 mm = 30 cm = 11.81" = approx. 1'
400 mm = 40 cm = 15.75" = approx. 1' 3 3/4"
500 mm = 50 cm = 19.685" = approx. 1' 7 2/3"

this reference was made with the intent of making it easier to find what you want to absorb. Take it in steps and you'll learn a ton.

Nice post. Many thing I have learn from this.
Thanks.......





Are you looking for Music or Musician!

Wavelength frequency convert lambda Hz sound conversion acoustics acoustic audio radio speed of sound and radio waves wave length light vacuum equation formula speed of light color spectrum - sengpielaudio Sengpiel Berlin

Calculator to determine the length of sound waves at all frequencies

It's helped me considering you need to affect at least 1/4 of the wavelength in order to make a difference.

Before you go far down that well worn 1/4 wavelength road....
1/4 is for 100% total absorption.
For a useful difference, between 1/10 to 1/20 are common figures actually used.

See the thread Q4Avare

DD

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........... I see. Still learning

Amazong thread,

Thanks OP You rock!

Fabulous thanks!

Just did a video on setting up REW and taking a measurement. Let me know if you want it in the list or just keep it here.

REW: Room EQ Wizard Room Measurement Tutorial - YouTube

Excellent initiative Glenn! REW isn't simple to use for the newbie (but an extremely competent program! )

This video is a great help how to start start. Go on, measure with it!


What do I think? (of the video)

It's a little bit fast to follow. But of course you can stop it, rewind and think.

Fade down the (terrible) backing music now and then

Other wise...

The video is GREAT!

If I want it in the list? Sorry I don't understand the question.

It belongs to a sticker I think, for those who want to learn

Cheers

My fault, when I went over the content with my staff I wanted all of that in the video and told them under 10 min.

Not my pick. Sometimes you have to go with the flow.

Ok, it's added. Didn't get a chance to watch it (actually on vacation in Atlanta right now!) but I trust you got it right I think all the help for properly using REW is great to have, Jens' and DanDan's tutorial's are great, but it's also nice to have something visual.


I don't check GS as often anymore but I do make an effort to check this page and also the page where we started the conversation. I definitely don't mind putting more stuff in here, just as long as it's not overly redundant (something need to be covered in different ways) or otherwise unfitting to be put in. But I'm not exactly the best person to make that decision, especially with all the pros hanging out here. So feel free to toss stuff around in the other thread, just let me know when something should be added.

how do these graphs look? this is my vocal booth. I think the decay time is good, but i am trying to figure out how to smooth out all those valleys

^ don't watch that.

Insufficient bass traping

Wall panels placed too high and are too thin.

My favorite: If you have a rug you don't need a cloud over the mix position.

+1 to this. Although, at least they got him out of the closet!

Video on Early Reflection Points.

This is awesome! Starting to give some much needed attention to my room, and this thread is a wonderful resource. Thanks!

A way to test corners to find the best placement for bass trapping.

Pink noise located here
http://www.gikacoustics.com/pink_noise.mp3

Best DIY Trap EVER

DD

I'll check back later and remove redundencies.

My Experiment with a Metal Panel Absorber

active helmholtz resonator

Green Glue application (anyone just trowel?)

Tim's Limp Mass Bass Absorbers

RPG Bad Panel -- Detailed Plans

Helmholtz Resonator

build a VPR bass trap.uk

DIY Binary Amplitude Diffuser anyone?

Trapping Traps