These 4 Acoustic Ramps in Black with Rock Maple are headed to Portland, Maine to Pat Keane Mastering which is currently building a new Mastering Room with design work by Lou Clark of Sonic Space.
Category: Ramp Install
The studio I designed for Kasey Phillips’ Precision Productions in San Fernando, Trinidad is the set for this music video. Some things to notice: Acoustic Ramps in the rear of the room. A slotted poly diffuser/absorber on the rear door. The only 2″ tape machine in Trinidad is also in the rear of the room. The recording session looks way more fun than what I used to!
Lou Clark of Sonic Space designed Electric Tree House for engineer Alec Francesconi in Bedford, MA. Lou specified for Acoustic Ramps and used them in an extremely creative way as part of a large integrated bass trap on the rear wall of the control room. The picture from Mix shows the front of the room. Here’s the rear of the room:
The photo isn’t quite as fancy as the one in Mix, but it does show a very interesting approach to using both diffusion and low frequency absorption. Go Lou!
I have known Andy Hong since I worked for him when we were at Reed Elsevier in the late 90’s. Andy’s Kimchee Records was recording and/or putting out some of the best of Boston bands like Karate, Heidi Saperstein, Tugboat Annie and the Willard Grant Conspiracy. At the time I was working with Andy, he was recording “In My Living Room” a compilation of songs recorded…in his living room. Andy advised me when I was at the beginning of building my home studio. Andy is the Gear Review Editor at Tape Op, so when I had developed my Acoustic Ramps into a real product, I got in touch to see if he would be interested in trying out a pair. The demo went great and he ended up reviewing the Ramps and buying 2 standard ramps and two custom made clear plexiglass Ramps to be placed in front of his window to the live room. Here’s two pictures of the Ramps in place:
Another brilliant usage of Acoustic Ramps is shown photographed here. The array of 5 ramps is inverted and installed on an angle to support the slanted rear wall of this control room. The diffusers have been integrated into a bass trap with an 18″ base. Lou Clark of Sonicspace is the designer.
We have recently received a number of questions from people planning to install an array of Acoustic Ramps in their listening rooms. Most people are interested in the differences between the two installation styles: permanent and temporary.
Use the temporary installation if any of the following are true:
- You don’t own the space in which you are installing the Ramps
- You want to be able to use the Ramps in multiple locations like for diffuser gobos (see the Studio 44 photos)
- You don’t want to drill holes in the Ramps
- You want the most flexible installation possible
- You don’t want/need a horizontal installation
Use the permanent installation if:
- You own the space and you want the most rigid and secure installation possible
- You live somewhere where earthquakes are common
- You want to install the Ramps horizontally (see Horizontal installation photos)
The Ramps come with the hardware for temporary installation: a hanging “J” hook and a cross piece that is installed on the rear of the Ramp. This is the easiest type of installation. Essentially you screw the “J” hook to the wall. Then you attach the cross piece to the back of the Ramp and hang the Ramp on the hook. Very simple.
You install the hook on the wall at least 2¼ ” from the ceiling using a level and appropriately strong fasteners (like 3″ drywall screws into studs.) Use a level to make sure the hook is level. Next you install the hanger bracket cross bar to the back of the Ramp. Then simply hang the Ramp on the hook. The Ramp will drop into place and be pressed against the wall.
Here’s a video of a permanent installation.
Photos of Prototype A (left) and Prototype B (right) installed in a home studio. The left Ramp is installed permanently with molly toggle bolts and the right one is hung with the included mounting bracket.
We have just completed Version 1.5 (2012/12/13) of the Assembly and Installation Manual for the Acoustic Ramp. This version includes the new naming convention for parts and simplified assembly instructions.
After assembling and disassembling the Ramp about 4300 times, we are reasonably confident that we have figured out the fastest and easiest way of doing it.
Please download a copy of the manual and see for yourself!
The Acoustic Ramp Assembly Manual V1.5