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Listening Room Dimensions... I'm building one and need your help

Sounds simple but I'm having a hard time coming up with most 'ideal' dimensions for this dual -purpose room that I'm building this year (hopefully).  



Purpose #1:
listening room for 2-ch hi-fi 
I have BIG speakers- several pairs 
*ideal is approx 25'x40'x12'
*want to sit 6-10 people in prime listening area 

Purpose #2: (other side of the room)
band rehearsal area (loud guitars, drums, keys, PA system, lots of 
*ideal is...bigger the better 

- I've read really good threads about general guidelines especially from Doctor Fine- hope he jumps in...
- I know the Cardas, and other rule ratios. But this room is a combination room so I'm not sure how much that changes anything 
- I know I'll probably have to use quite a bit of sound treatment 


My first inclination before research was 30' x 50' x 11'. 

What dimensions would you recommend and why??



128x128ramoneo14
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
What Duke said.

Other than that, realize that no matter how good the room design a lot of that band rehearsal stuff you're talking about putting in there is gonna be nothing but bad for the stereo. The sound a drum makes is from the skin moving, which is supposed to be from being hit but trust me its gonna move just as well when excited by the air playing music on the stereo. So you are gonna hear that drum when playing music whether you want to or not. Which same goes for the cymbals, guitar, cowbell, all of it. Which is fine if you are fine with it. I sure would not be. Especially not if I spent big on professional acoustic design only to discover later the pro totally asleep at the wheel missing what some schlub on a website could see coming a mile away.
cbrents73's avatar
cbrents73
151 posts
 
The ratios still apply regardless of how big you want to make the space.  Since this isn’t going to be dedicated, which you’re alluding to it being multipurpose, work the ratios the best you can based on what you want to do with it.  Most people who strive for a “great sounding room” rarely get it. They end up over-damped and dead sounding or there’s not enough damping and things are too reflective with more modern hard surfaces.  Odd walls and dimensions can help break things up and with furniture, rugs, carpet, wall hangings, there’s a lot that can help.  This is an area that can easily be overthought.  
https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-room-forgotten-factor-page-2

https://audiophilereview.com/room-acoustics/ideal-room-size-dimensions-and-ratios-for-audiophile-listening.html

https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/critical-room-dimensions/


gregm
3,409 posts
 
Another "what @audiokinesis said" OR, if you do it alone, here are the ideal height - width / length relations to minimize modes. If H is for height and X & Y the two walls of a rectangular room, then H=1 
to X=1.9 to Y=1.4/1.3 is best
X=1.5, Y=2.1 / 2.2 is second best

corelli
1,016 posts
 
The above are all good suggestions.  I did similar research when building my dedicated audio room. (You can check out my virtual system)  I must say, when I first listened to my room before any treatments were done, I recall a distinct disappointment relative to a small random audio room in my prior house.  

Just last night I was thinking how pleased I was with the transformation of this room.  The change was due to room treatments and tinkering with placement issues.  And I'm not quite done.  Still have some diffraction additions I will make.  

So ideal ratios are a good place to start, but like a fine musical instrument the room will need to be tuned for sure.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,927 posts
 

As you know, the Cardas Golden Ratio H/W/L ration is 1.0 x 1.6 x 2.6 (say, 10' x 16' x 26'). Gordon Holt went by the older 1.0 x 1.6 x 2.3. Or equal multiples of that.

Whatever the size you decide on, seriously consider constructing the room using the ASC isolation materials, including the fantastic Wall Damp constrained layer damping between two layers of sheet rock. No wall or ceiling resonance! And a poured concrete floor, if possible.

 

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