Studio Redo - Page 3

johnnydobbers · #31 07-18-2022, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

I knew I'd run into this problem... one of my usb cables is too short so the redo is pretty much on hold until Friday when the cable arrives.

As I was hooking up various cables to my iMac, monitors, etc., and began tossing cable ends over the back of the desk, it started to look like the free buffet at a pasta restaurant. My first thought was to install eyelets to the underside of the desk but then another idea occurred to me... Command Strip hooks would do the job and there's no drilling required. I can attach those to the walls beneath the desk and use velcro cable ties (which I have a ton of) to bundle the cables and hang them from the hooks. The hooks are arriving Friday as well.

I spent some time today positioning my Neumann monitors as perfectly as possible. They are equidistant from the walls on back and side, and they're positioned to point at a spot just behind my head when I'm in my listening position. In my previous setup, I was unable to space them far enough apart.

When I'm done, this room should be good for tracking (something that was very problematic before) but it's not going to be great for mixing because I'm not going to be able to treat for first reflections. I have a window and my pc monitor on one side and the new gear racks will be on the other side (not much I can do about that, small rooms require compromise). That said, it should be better for mixing than it was because there's more symmetry for monitor placement and GIK Monster traps in the front corners. This new setup also lets me get the monitors about a foot off the wall where they were only a few inches before.

Along the back wall, I have a door in one corner which prevents me from installing a trap there but the other corner is very well treated with three bass traps (photo below). I use that corner in combination with my GIK Portable Isolation Booth for recording vocals. The isolation booth gives me some other options too. I can use it in a V-shape when tracking guitar and I can keep it folded and put it in the corner where the door is while mixing. Imperfect solutions but, like I said, better than before.

I'm hoping to be up and running sometime this weekend.

Would a similar acoustic panel setup be good for recording acoustic guitar in the corner like that?

jim1960 · #32 07-18-2022, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnydobbers

Would a similar acoustic panel setup be good for recording acoustic guitar in the corner like that?

Probably, but the height of the panels would have to be lowered. That corner is set up so I can stand and sing. The mic capsule would be approx. 5 1/2 feet from the floor. When recording guitar, whether sitting or standing, the mic capsules will be much lower.

johnnydobbers · #33 07-18-2022, 09:08 PM

Thanks again Jim for the quick reply. Here is what I came up with late last night...I can't experiment until my fiance goes to sleep(we have a nice home theater system downstairs with a projector and 20Hz subwoofers, and she is watching a Batman movie).

https://imgur.com/a/YyXrkbZ

jim1960 · #34 07-18-2022, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnydobbers

Thanks again Jim for the quick reply. Here is what I came up with late last night...I can't experiment until my fiance goes to sleep(we have a nice home theater system downstairs with a projector and 20Hz subwoofers, and she is watching a Batman movie).

https://imgur.com/a/YyXrkbZ

Good luck with that set up. I hope it works for you. If the results aren't what you were hoping for, you might try angling that trap on the left at more of an angle so, rather than a wall, you have a V of sorts.

jim1960 · #35 07-20-2022, 12:13 PM

The new cables came and I made the final connections. I crossed my fingers and powered up the system. I pulled up a couple of sessions and things appear to be working correctly so far but "Holy Smokes!" (the PG version of what I said out loud). I'm hearing the stereo field so much better now. It's opened up and there's a strong middle. The time I took to position my monitors correctly has really paid off. I'm pretty happy right now.

KevWind · #36 07-20-2022, 12:56 PM

Very cool Don't ja just love when a plan comes together

FrankHudson · #37 07-20-2022, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

The new cables came and I made the final connections. I crossed my fingers and powered up the system. I pulled up a couple of sessions and things appear to be working correctly so far but "Holy Smokes!" (the PG version of what I said out loud). I'm hearing the stereo field so much better now. It's opened up and there's a strong middle. The time I took to position my monitors correctly has really paid off. I'm pretty happy right now.

As I was reading I thought: Oh No! he's let the smoke escape out of some of his electronics. I don't know much about electrical things, but I've heard that smoke is what makes them work, and letting the smoke out means they are broke.

jim1960 · #38 07-20-2022, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Very cool Don't ja just love when a plan comes together

I pity the fool whose plan don't come together!

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

As I was reading I thought: Oh No! he's let the smoke escape out of some of his electronics. I don't know much about electrical things, but I've heard that smoke is what makes them work, and letting the smoke out means they are broke.

Smoke is only half the recipe. You need mirrors too.

KevWind · #39 07-20-2022, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

I pity the fool whose plan don't come together!

Smoke is only half the recipe. You need mirrors too.

And some tube warmth in the winter

jim1960 · #40 07-20-2022, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

And some tube warmth in the winter

It was 93 here today. I don't want any tube warmth right now.

KevWind · #41 07-20-2022, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

It was 93 here today. I don't want any tube warmth right now.

Ha ok in that case it just harmonic distortion then

Glennwillow · #42 07-23-2022, 11:25 AM

I'm really glad you are feeling good about all the effort you put in on this project, Jim!

That's wonderful!

- Glenn

jim1960 · #43 07-23-2022, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I'm really glad you are feeling good about all the effort you put in on this project, Jim!

That's wonderful!

Much appreciated, Glenn. The only thing I wish was different is having the two racks on wheels because moving them to get behind them is a bit awkward because I have to be aware of how much play I have on the cables going from one rack to the other. I think I may look at some clamping solutions to firm them up against each other (I'd rather not drill holes in the sides so clamps seems a possible solution), but that's going to have to wait until this heat wave passes because I'm not opening any doors unless the house is on fire. My central air struggles on really hot days. On the first day of this heat wave, the outside unit overheated and shut down. The inside temperature reached 81 degrees. I got the unit running again but it took all night for the house to get back down to 72. Since that day, I've been running a water sprinkler all day that's aimed at the a/c unit. That has kept it from overheating. It looks like things will return to normal on Tuesday ...hopefully.

jim1960 · #44 07-25-2022, 11:32 PM

I mentioned to Glennwillow in another thread that while redoing my studio, I came across a lot of capos that were tucked away in various places. I just took a photo which I hope will serve as a reminder to myself that I DON'T NEED ANYMORE CAPOS!

That's 9 Shubbs, 7 Kysers, and 1 G7th ...that may be all of them but I suspect if I looked through all my cases (a number that currently sits at 35), I'd probably find another Shubb or three. There's four tuners there also, two Petersons and two Unitunes. I have a few more Unitunes stashed away somewhere that I bought a couple of years back when they went on sale for very cheap but I'll be jiggered (I really need to stop listening to old time radio) if I know where they are.

KevWind · #45 07-26-2022, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

I mentioned to Glennwillow in another thread that while redoing my studio, I came across a lot of capos that were tucked away in various places. I just took a photo which I hope will serve as a reminder to myself that I DON'T NEED ANYMORE CAPOS!

That's 9 Shubbs, 7 Kysers, and 1 G7th ...that may be all of them but I suspect if I looked through all my cases (a number that currently sits at 35), I'd probably find another Shubb or three. There's four tuners there also, two Petersons and two Unitunes. I have a few more Unitunes stashed away somewhere that I bought a couple of years back when they went on sale for very cheap but I'll be jiggered (I really need to stop listening to old time radio) if I know where they are.

Ha thus lending credibility to my pet theory
When you let stuff sit long enough out out of sight, it somehow magically multiplies