Acoustics Insider Blog

Is a DIY Dolby Atmos Studio Worth It? Ask Someone Who Built One real-world case studies

TL;DR: A great room shows up less in your measurements than in how you work. Two years after his full Atmos build, Grischa mixes faster, comes back from car checks without a list of notes and can finally enjoy his low end. If you want to know whether your own room is doing its job, ask yourself h...

Somebody's Helmholtz resonator finally works bass traps and low frequency control

TL;DR: The standard Helmholtz formula only works for an empty box. Once you add insulation to damp it, the resonance drops (about 30 Hz in Mike Senior's build), so plan to tune by ear and drill far more holes than the maths says. Mike needed about 150 instead of 35. Build one only after your broa...

Your headphones and speakers keep disagreeing speakers

TL;DR: You can mix almost anything on headphones. Use them for mix prep, delays, reverb tails and panning, and do the balancing on speakers. Then match the two: a gentle low shelf on the headphones until their low end sounds like your speakers, and the level set by ear so switching gives no volume j...

Plan the whole room setting up a new studio

TL;DR: You can't prioritise panels you haven't planned. A plan the size of your budget is a shopping list, and the low end doesn't care about your smart spots. Draw the whole room first, every corner including the wall-ceiling ones, the reflection zones, the back wall. Then decide how far you go thi...

Done is a decision measurements

TL;DR: There is no measurement that tells you your room is finished. Not a decay time, not a target curve. Your own mixes decide it, so take four questions outside the studio. Does the low end translate, can you judge space, do the mids hold up, is the high end there? Four yeses and you are done.

A...

When Facing the Long Wall Actually Sounds Better setting up a new studio

TL;DR: "Face the short wall" is based on a room that doesn't exist in the real world: perfect rectangle, all hard walls, no windows. In actual rooms, wall materials and geometry shift room modes unpredictably. You won't know where bass balances until you test it. Walk the room with music you know...

Can Speaker Calibration REPLACE Acoustic Treatment? measurements

TL;DR: Sonarworks quietly stopped calling their product "room correction" because it isn't. It's speaker EQ. It adjusts tonal balance at your listening position but does nothing about reflections, standing waves, or decay time. Treatment fixes those root causes. Calibration patches the symptom. P...

What 100+ Studios Taught Me About Acoustic Treatment setting up a new studio

TL;DR: Most home studio owners stall out because they overcomplicate the process, not because they lack knowledge. The fix: set up your speakers and listening position properly before touching any treatment. That alone changes everything. Then keep it simple with porous absorption at the right de...

Office Acoustic Panels Don't Work in Studios (Here's Why) setting up a new studio

TL;DR: Most "acoustic" panels were designed for offices, not studios. They target speech frequencies (250 Hz to 4 kHz) because that's what offices need. Your studio bass problems sit below 100 Hz. Completely different job. These panels will make your room feel nicer, but they won't change what yo...

PSI AUDIO AVAA C214: Your top questions answered from my 10-studio review series. bass trap breakdown: every type explained

TL;DR: Ten studios, two years of testing, one consistent lesson: where you place the AVAA matters far more than how many you buy. It only absorbs frequencies with high sound pressure at its location, so parking it in the right corner is everything. The unit also improves recordings (not only moni...

The PSI AVAA Question Nobody Else Is Asking bass trap breakdown: every type explained

TL;DR: Stop judging acoustic treatment by that first impressive listen. Pay attention to the invisible stuff that shows up weeks later: fewer headphone checks, less second-guessing on the low end, fewer reference tracks mid-session, and sharper decisions made upstream before cleanup is even on th...

Is the PSI AUDIO AVAA Worth $3,300? I Tested It in 10 Studios. bass trap breakdown: every type explained

TL;DR: I put the AVAA C214 through 10 real-world studio tests. The biggest finding? Forget frequency response curves. Decay time is where these units earn their money, cutting up to a full second off problem room modes. They worked in 9 out of 10 rooms, failed in one with a structural issue, and ...

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Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

Find The Perfect Speaker Placement In Your Room: No complex measurements needed—just your ears and these proven techniques. The perfect first step to start a new studio or fix low end imbalance.
Build A Better Bass Trap: My flagship course for getting professional low-end control without the "dead" room sound. Build bass traps that actually work using my proven design.
Studio Consulting Call: Get personalized guidance for your specific room challenges. 90-minute video session with measurements, analysis, and a custom treatment plan.
Acoustic Treatment Essentials: The complete system covering speaker placement, bass trapping, and panel placement for any room shape or budget. Everything you need in one bundle.

Stop Guessing Where Your Speakers Go

Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

Find The Perfect Speaker Placement In Your Room: No complex measurements needed—just your ears and these proven techniques. The perfect first step to start a new studio or fix low end imbalance.

Build A Better Bass Trap: My flagship course for getting professional low-end control without the "dead" room sound. Build bass traps that actually work using my proven design.

Studio Consulting Call: Get personalized guidance for your specific room challenges. 90-minute video session with measurements, analysis, and a custom treatment plan.

Acoustic Treatment Essentials: The complete system covering speaker placement, bass trapping, and panel placement for any room shape or budget. Everything you need in one bundle.

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THE PHANTOM SPEAKER TEST

"How to place your desk and set up your speakers correctly, no matter what room you're in."