The goal of this site is so that you, the listener, can hear the examples we have created and decide for yourself where you want to place the drums and the room microphones when you track in 114.

To give you more information to aid your decisions, we have compiled a list of general conclusions about the room.

We would appreciate your input to help us expand this collection of Listening Notes. Send us your Listening Notes



The Panels :
  • Spectrum: When the panels are ON, there is a prominent boost in the 100 Hz to 800 Hz frequency range.  This is most noticeable at "position 3" due to the panels' angle towards this position.  Listen to the second harmonic of the snare in our examples to hear this.
  • Envelope: The panels add a significant amount of reflections to the room, lenthening the envelope of the sources.
  • Image: With the panels ON, the stereo image is wider and more diffuse.  Using a spaced pair, compare a poistion with the panels ON and then OFF to hear this.
  • Depth: The increased amount of early reflections that the panels provide pushes the sound sources back into the sound stage.



Variable Acoustics with the Spaced Pairs :
  • With the panels on, the reflections are denser. This widens the image and gives a greater sense of depth.
  • With the panels off, there is an audible slap back that seems to de-correlate the left and right sides of the image. With the panels on, the reflections fuse with the direct sound into a single sound source.



Distance - Envelope and Spectrum :
  • Moving a microphone away from a source will capture less timbral detail from that source. Use the mono room mikes to hear this how this works. For example, listen to how the envelope of the snare changes with distance.
  • Because 114 is a medium sized room, the amount and quality of the reflections change for each location. This alters the spectral quality of the source.



Under the Overhang (Position 1, R1, TLM103)
  • This location had the strongest lower midrange.  The bottom of the snare is very exaggerated here (listen to the Schoeps).
  • There is a general trend of scooped mids.
  • With regards to reverb, this is the driest section of the room.
  • With the kit under the absorptive ceiling here at the back of the room, there is a noticeable lack of energy at 80 Hz and below in those microphones that are also under the absorptive ceiling.  Pulling the microphone and/or the source out from under the absorptive ceiling will reveal additional energy in the bottom two octaves.  Think of this as a way to tame or enhance bottom octave energy on any recording.



Beyond the Overhang (Position 2, R2, M147)
  • This area generally had the most midrange emphasis.  This includes the 600 Hz to 3 kHz region.
  • With regards to reverb, this is the liveliest part of the room.



Middle of the Room (Position 3, R3)
  • This area of the room emphasizes 100 Hz to 800 Hz, similar to the panel effect.



Front of Room (R4, U89)
  • Like under the overhang, this part of the room emphasizes the low-mids, though the spectrum is not as unbalanced.