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Post by studio54 on Nov 22, 2024 17:31:58 GMT -6
Hoping for some advice from those more experienced and wiser than I. I have a "weak bass" issue in my room.
I'm currently producing/mixing in a detached cottage behind my home. The room is well treated with a combination of GIK monster traps (covering apex of 10' vaulted ceiling), soffit traps in corners, and Sound Blocks on front/side/back walls. The response from around 130Hz and up is great. +/- 5db and well controlled decay times. Had help from the GIK guys when doing the setup.
However, I have a steep drop off starting around 130Hz and down. REW frequency curve sort of looks like a I put a HPF centered at 100Hz or so. Moved speakers against wall to boost bass -- didn't help. I'm presuming the issue is related to the way the cottage is built with thin walls letting a lot of low frequencies escape.
I've been using SonarWorks to mitigate the problem with some success. Obviously, there are limits to how good everything is going to sound with room correction software doing a +10db shelf below 100Hz.
My monitors are ATC scm20asl with the low shelf boost engaged.
Anyone else had this issue? Any suggestions (other than moving my studio -- not currently an option)? Would adding a sub help? I've never used one.
Thanks in advance for any help,
studio54
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 22, 2024 17:58:03 GMT -6
The walls letting sound out would even out your bass response, not kill it, as your description seems to imply. More likely you have a large null at the mix position. Have you put your room dimensions into a room calculator? Have you tested the response in different places in the room? Is there more perceived bass of the music is playing and you walk around the room? Any perceived hot/cold spots?
Also, maybe you need a sub. Maybe borrow some other monitors, even cheap ones, and see what the room response is in REW
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Post by studio54 on Nov 22, 2024 18:11:12 GMT -6
Hmm, I don't perceive any big changes in bass frequencies in different listening spots in the room. I would've thought a big null at the listening spot would appear as a trough on a frequency curve, rather than just a progressive drop off energy with diminishing frequency.
Yes, I did numerous REW measurements during my setup to establish listening position. The bass roll off was present at all the possible positions.
In one way, the roll off is not the worst problem to have. I don't have big peaks and troughs below 100Hz. Just a steady roll off. My decay times are well controlled throughout. The guy helping my at GIK thought it was room construction related.
As I noted, I have SonarWorks giving me a big low shelf boost. I'm obviously able to compensate to a large degree. Just wondering if there is another solution or what others might have done to deal with this.
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 22, 2024 18:16:54 GMT -6
Yeah, I’m not saying it isn’t due to room construction, just doesn’t seem to be from letting too much bass out of the room , imho. What’s your flooring like? Are you on a solid foundation? What are your monitor stands like?
Honestly if SW is just doing a low shelf, that should be a pretty transparent fix.
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Post by kcatthedog on Nov 22, 2024 18:29:20 GMT -6
Have you dropped your room dimensions into a room mode caluculator?
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Post by Blackdawg on Nov 22, 2024 18:36:03 GMT -6
I'm guessing you have higher expectations than what a 6.5'' driver can reproduce.
IMO if you don't have a sub you should be going for 8'' main woofer drivers at least. At some point you butt up against physics and physics always wins.
To me sounds like you either need a sub or bigger speaker probably. Or its a combination of the room plus the speaker not being able to reproduce those frequency at the SPL you want. They are after all only "rated" to 80Hz. So one would expect a drop off just before that around 120-150hz.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,083 
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Post by ericn on Nov 22, 2024 18:43:33 GMT -6
130 is a bit high of a roll off is a bit high to be the 20’s. On the cheap well first I would try the other switch positions and move stuff around.
Personally I would just grab either a pair of SVS3000’s or micro 3000’s run stereo subs crossed just a bit above 130.
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 22, 2024 18:45:32 GMT -6
Also…did you check your measurement mic? It’s not plugged into a pre with the hpf engaged is it? I only mention it because I’ve been known to have a few bone head moments myself lol.
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Post by dok on Nov 22, 2024 19:37:53 GMT -6
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Post by tonycamphd on Nov 22, 2024 21:13:54 GMT -6
Yes thin walls that escape bass HELP with response, can you post pictures of the room? It might tell a story?
Otherwise my suspects are...
Start by ditching the correction software at least temporarily as you figure this out, it doesn't fix anything in your room, becomes pointless and exacerbates problems with further convolution with a slight level change or any physical change in the room
1. Speakers or something wired OOP somehow?
2. You are sitting in a wide null and need to find another spot in the room? Send a 65-70hz(1/2 130hz) sine wave through your speakers(no correction), use your EARS and walk around, you will almost certainly hear that 65-70hz show up normal, double and disappear in various spots nulls and modes, find a better spot in the room
3. Turn you nearfields down and mix at 70-73 db with absorption behind them and above them, nearfileds were conceived of and designed to REMOVE room interference from the equation
Post them pics and maybe we can help, list floor ceiling height, walls and dimensions 👍
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Post by damoongo on Nov 22, 2024 22:02:13 GMT -6
How do your mixes translate?
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Post by doubledog on Nov 23, 2024 8:53:25 GMT -6
and how are the monitors mounted - stands, or sitting on something else? isolation pucks can help as long as they are on a solid surface to begin with
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