Acoustics Insider Blog

Calling Something a BASS TRAP Doesn't Make It One bass trap breakdown: every type explained

TL;DR: Foam acoustic panels are great forks for eating pasta (mid/high frequency absorption), but companies are selling them as spoons for soup (bass absorption) at premium prices - that's predatory marketing. Real bass control requires depth and mass that foam can't provide; you need proper poro...

Should You Use TWO Subwoofers in Your Home Studio? speakers

TL;DR: Two subs can theoretically cancel side-to-side room modes, but they need identical room symmetry that most home studios simply don't have. Focus on getting one sub right first – placed under your speakers for proper time alignment – because adding complexity to your monitoring chain just c...

Your Speakers Aren't Broken (You're Just Using Them Wrong) measurements

TL;DR: That low-mid buildup ruining your mixes? It's not your speakers or room—it's how they're positioned together. Ditch the theoretical placement rules and find where your specific room naturally balances frequencies, using REW's psychoacoustic smoothing to confirm you've nailed it.

I had a f...

Why Your Living Room Studio Will Never Sound Like Abbey Road (And Why That's OK) setting up a new studio

TL;DR: Most home studios fail because people won't accept a fundamental truth: mixing rooms and living spaces have incompatible requirements. Focus on getting your speaker placement and listening position right first—these are your only non-negotiable elements in a compromised space.

I got an em...

The Hidden Cost of Split Mixing/Recording Rooms Nobody Talks About setting up a new studio

TL;DR: Building a wall to split your studio into separate mixing and recording rooms will actually make your sound worse, not better. The physics are simple: smaller rooms create more problematic standing waves right where your kick and bass live, plus you lose precious space for bass trapping th...

7 Acoustic Truths in 7 Minutes youtube comments q&a

TL;DR: Stop chasing perfect measurements because your brain doesn't need a flat frequency response to mix well—it adapts to what it hears. The real fixes are simple: find your low-end sweet spot by ear, use 6-inch minimum thick treatment everywhere, and trust that every great mix was made in an i...

3 Things = 80% of Your Studio Sound (Most People Do 0 of Them) setting up a new studio

TL;DR: You're following acoustic rules written for million-dollar studios, not your 10x11 bedroom - no wonder nothing works. Forget the 38% rule and perfect ratios; find where YOUR room naturally balances bass, lock in your phantom center for accurate imaging, and invest in deep absorption tha...

Why Your Studio's RT60 Measurement is LYING to You (And What Actually Matters)

TL;DR: Your studio's RT60 reading is fiction because the math assumes perfectly diffuse sound fields that small rooms can't create. Forget the 0.3-second target and aim for balanced decay across all frequencies - uneven treatment (dead highs, boomy bass) is what really ruins your sound.

Maybe yo...

Can You Actually Over-Damp a Home Studio? The Science Says No panel placement & reflections

TL;DR: Over-damping a small studio is physically impossible—absorption panels can't selectively delete frequencies, they just reduce reflections that cause interference patterns. Your "thin" recordings are probably from mic/voice mismatch or recording too close to walls, not from too much treatm...

Why Your 70Hz Null Won't Go Away (Even With Bass Traps) bass traps and low frequency control

TL;DR: Your bass traps aren't fixing that 70Hz null because peaks and dips are symptoms of the same problem—when you treat one properly, both improve. Skip the measurement paralysis and use the shotgun approach: speaker placement first, then 12-20 inches of absorption based on first principles, E...

Bass Trap Design Guide: Square vs Triangle vs Panel (With Diagrams) bass traps and low frequency control

Let's talk about something that seems to confuse the hell out of everyone at first - different bass trap shapes.

If you've been researching acoustic treatment lately (and let's be honest, that usually means falling down the Gearspace rabbit hole at 2 AM), you've probably noticed there are quite ...

The Truth About Home Studio Acoustics: 4 Questions Before Treatment mix translation & psychoacoustics

Ever found yourself obsessing about tiny little imperfections in your studio sound? Don't worry... you're not alone.

I see this all the time with my clients. Just recently, one of them reached out after doing quite a bit of treatment in his tiny room. He was completely fixated on this shallow 3d...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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.

WATCH FREE WORKSHOP

THE PHANTOM SPEAKER TEST

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