Kimchee Records Control Room Acoustics

Hayden SaundersHayden joined the team at 20, first on the production floor building products, then as an installer before moving to sales. He works with contractors and enjoys providing tailored solutions. Outside of work, Hayden is a DJ and enjoys electronic music. 1-800-782-5742 Ext. 0117

The Issue

The control room at Kimchee Records in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was the only room in the building without windows. To maintain an open atmosphere, they designed an open “A-Frame.” This looked great but created serious sound issues.

The Challenge

A single steel beam formed the horizontal element of the control room’s “A-Frame.” When the space was designed, the studio not only chose to keep the ceiling open, but they also wanted to highlight the ceiling with upward-pointing flood lights to make the room feel more spacious. They also knew, however, that they would have problems with the sloped ceiling focusing first reflections at the listening position, causing anything but a “focused” sound.

At Kimchee Records,' fabric wrapped panels hang from the ceiling to treat listening problems in the control room.

The Solution

Kimchee Records’ Sound Engineer Andrew Hong specified AlphaSorb® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Ceiling Clouds from Acoustical Solutions to treat the facility’s sound problems. He ordered four clouds with the face and edges wrapped in Guilford of Maine FR701 acoustic fabric and with brackets (suspended-ceiling runners) attached to the upper (hidden) face. Although AlphaSorb® Ceiling Clouds can be ordered in custom sizes and covered with custom fabric to fit any studio’s specific needs, Mr. Hong specified the sizes and colors for the control room. Turnaround time varies for each order, but this order arrived within two weeks of when it was sent to Acoustical Solutions. Using a system of steel angles, C clamps, and 20-gauge steel wire, Mr. Hong installed the panels below the aforementioned steel beam. He angled each cloud to minimize reflections at the listening position. It took him about one evening to install the treatment. The clouds were just wide enough to treat the listening position while still leaving enough open space around them to maintain a sense of openness in the room.

The Result

Sonically, the panels do exactly what Mr. Hong hoped they would do. All the usual words come to mind – tight, accurate, focused – without the room sounding too dead.

To learn more about how Acoustical Solutions can solve your noise control problems, use our contact form, call one of our Acoustical Sales Consultants at (800) 782-5742, or visit us on the web at acousticalsolutions.com.

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