Room size calculator with "range" option???

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rspaghetti
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Room size calculator with "range" option???

#1

Postby rspaghetti » Fri, 2020-Oct-16, 18:59

I do not understand why an extremely useful algorithm isn't found in any room size calculators: The option of selecting a range in each dimension.

Example:
Length: 650-710 cm
Width: 550-680 cm
Height: 280-320 cm

And then based on these ranges, output a report with a list of sizes within those ranges from the best, to the worst.

Why do we have to keep on "GUESSING" what a good sized room can be? This approach is absolutely non methodical and random.



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Soundman2020
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Room size calculator with "range" option???

#2

Postby Soundman2020 » Tue, 2020-Oct-27, 01:53

I've actually been thinking of doing that for a while! It's a great idea. Unfortunately, it's a lot harder to implement in practice, than you'd think at first glance. There are different criteria for different "ratio families", and different goals, so it's really hard to write an algorithm that gives valid results for all cases. For example, some ratios are not scaleable, in the sense that they were originally meant for a certain ceiling height, so using them on a room with a very different height would not be valid. Some ratios are suitable for long thin rooms, where the length is more than "X". Others are more suited to "short fat" rooms. Yet others are meant for a specific type of room.... It's really hard to put all of that into a coherent set of equations, and optimize for one specific outcome. Maybe one day when I have a lot of free time on my hands (Ha! :lol: ) I might give it another shot.

There's also the issue that it really isn't necessary to go crazy about room ratios: For most rooms, there just is not much difference, unless you can change the dimensions by large amounts... which frequently isn't the case. I sometimes compare this to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic: you can shove and twist them all you want. but it won't change the fundamental truth; your boat is sunk! The same with room modes in acoustically small rooms: you can nudge them around here and there by changing the dimensions a bit, but the underlying fact still remains: the room is sunk! There's nothing you can do to solve the modal issue, unless you can make the room a LOT bigger. So there isn't much point in wasting a lot of time on that, for most home studios. The point about modes is that they "ring". So it is more important to spend time on good treatment to damp the modes, rather than trying to slide them around a couple of Hz here or there.

My basic advice for small rooms is: if you can choose the dimensions, then choose one that is far away from the "really bad" ones, close to one of the good ones, and that's it. There's no point to nudging dimensions around by millimeters or fractions of inch to try to "improve tings", because we are talking about wavelengths that are many METERS long (dozens of feet). An inch or two difference isn't even on the scale for a wave that is 20 feet long... And if you CAN'T change the dimensions, then live with what you've got, and treat it as much as you can, to damp the modes as far as you possibly can, while also taking care not to kill the high end-end from excessive absorption.

- Stuart -



SoWhat
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Room size calculator with "range" option???

#3

Postby SoWhat » Tue, 2020-Oct-27, 12:50

I sometimes compare this to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic: you can shove and twist them all you want. but it won't change the fundamental truth; your boat is sunk!


Too soon. :lol:




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