Buying acoustical products and getting free advice vs. paying for acoustic aadvice?

[caesar]

In other threads it has been mentioned that guys like Rives and other acousticians charge around five figures for their design. What is the advantage of paying acousticians for their services (and buying a bunch of product based on their advice) vs. buying five figures of diffusers and absorbers and getting free advice from an acoustical product company?

Anyone go both routes?

Please share your experiences.

 

[flez007]

I did, professional advice was the way to go - I contacted local professionals focused on recording studios.

 

[caesar]

I did, professional advice was the way to go - I contacted local professionals focused on recording studios.

So what was the experience like? What did he produce for you?

 

[flez007]

The first path is a longer and unpredictable one thru trial an error, one gets to spend more than doing it right the first time.(don't ask how I reached this conclusion)

After getting pieces of room treatment solutions like ASC tubetraps, Michael Green pads and the like, I was introduced to the JBL studio products distributor that also delivers professional services for recording studios, he visited my dedicated room and analized it with the proper tools.

Actually, we managed to tailor the sound more to the warm side of the spectrum resolving first major faults (nodes, standing waves, refractions, etc) and then fine tunning.

At the end it was not the huge investment I originally thought and results were dramatic.

 

[caesar]

The first path is a longer and unpredictable one thru trial an error, one gets to spend more than doing it right the first time.(don't ask how I reached this conclusion)

After getting pieces of room treatment solutions like ASC tubetraps, Michael Green pads and the like, I was introduced to the JBL studio products distributor that also delivers professional services for recording studios, he visited my dedicated room and analized it with the proper tools.

Actually, we managed to tailor the sound more to the warm side of the spectrum resolving first major faults (nodes, standing waves, refractions, etc) and then fine tunning.

At the end it was not the huge investment I originally thought and results were dramatic.

Thanks. Sounds like you already had some good products in the room. What did he add or subtract? Did you end up re-using the products you had, or did you build new ones into the walls.

 

[flez007]

He re-used some, the difusors I had in the front were to thin, worked well from 800 Hz and up, so we placed them in the back wall surrounding a back window I have. He installed custom built absorbers and difusors (I am still missing some side wooden sode panels) that were placed in the front wall and at the second half of the ceiling that tamed some nodes the room had and we ended pulling the ASC bass traps about 2 inches from the back and side walls, absorbing far more bass energy there.

This is impossible to accomplish by ear.

 

[steve williams]

I used Art Noxon from ASC for my design and plans

 

[Jeff Hedback]

Hello Caesar,

Having been on both sides of the coin you're tossing in the air (so to speak), it's a matter of comfort and goals. I did product application design for Auralex Acoustics for seven years (among other duties). In that situation, I enjoyed that "we" only sold through dealers so my interaction with and for Auralex customers was about their room and goals (and increasing a strong relationship with the dealer). Once the product design was completed it was in the hands of the end user and authorized dealer for the transaction and my role was then support. It was an in-house policy to think in terms of any customer needing more than ~3 hrs total service to be advised to find an appropriate consultant/designer. All suggestions were in the realm of the word should and all designs were using only the tools available within the product line. Of course, the goal of the company is to ship product and make dealers happy about supporting the line; this only happens if the room sounds up to the customers expectations.

Now as a private shop designer/consultant, I truly enjoy not being limited by only the products within a line-card. The relationship with each client is created by proper communication of needs/goals. The entire room from electrical...HVAC and any and all aspects relevant to room function are part of the potential scope of work. The process is actually highly defined as it always follows Discovery, Concept, Development/Documentation, Actualization and Verifcation. The depth and extent of services is part of defining the needs of each specific situation. The word should becomes shall and there is an increased accountability to the client's goals, the process and the results.

Each company and each design firm is going to have an area of strength; an approach that is going to be well-suited for a particular person's function, budget and aesthetic goals.

I do not believe that anything involved in enhancing the acoustics of an existing room or designing a new dedicated room should resort to trial and error...that said, there are a lot of ways to reach a FANTASTIC result.

Great question and I would hope my insights give you maybe a better perspective into your options. As stated in the first sentence, it's really about your comfort level and your goals.