Studio Room and Vibe
Any mastering studio is only as good as its monitoring system, and even more importantly, its acoustic treatment. But it’s also about the atmosphere and the feeling it creates when you’re working in it. I’ve invested a lot of time and positive energy into shaping both the acoustics and the overall vibe of the studio.
Acoustics and Room
I don't like working in big rooms, to me it feels as if I'm not part of the music, I feel like an outsider. I can not do my job properly as an outsider, I need to be part of your music.
My room is neither small nor large. It measures 7 meters deep, with the front wall approximately 3.5 meters wide and the rear wall around 3.1 meters wide. Because the side walls are not parallel from front to back, the room naturally avoids standing-wave issues commonly found in rectangular spaces.
After acoustic measurements and calculations, I implemented a significant amount of acoustic treatment. The entire rear wall functions as a 70 cm deep broadband bass trap, while the additional double-wall construction adds another 20 cm of low-frequency absorption, effectively creating a massive 90 cm deep bass trap across the back of the room.
The double studio doors are not only extremely solid and heavy, weighing around 60 kg each, but the inner door also doubles as a fractal diffuser. Many of the bass traps were custom-built by myself, complemented by a substantial amount of treatment from GIK Acoustics, including custom-tuned 47 Hz membrane traps. Diffusion was equally important in the design, with fractal diffusers placed at critical reflection points throughout the room.
Desk, Atmosphere and Vibe
The studio is my workspace, a place where I spend a large part of my time. Connection to nature is important to me, which is why I incorporated plants throughout the space. Besides creating a more relaxed and inspiring atmosphere, the plants also help improve and filter the air quality. A natural environment allows me to focus better and do my work at my best.
The studio desk was custom-designed to have as little impact on the acoustics as possible. Many mastering desks are large and bulky, which can cause unwanted sound reflections and introduce comb-filtering. Since preserving an accurate soundstage was a priority, I chose a low-profile, open-design desk with the smallest possible footprint.
Large computer screens are common in studios, but they will interfere with the soundfield, muddy the center image, or create acoustic diffraction around their edges. To avoid these issues, I opted for a carefully considered monitor setup: a floor-mounted angled display, a main screen integrated into the desk, and a compact side display for metering. This way, I have all the visual information I need without compromising the clarity and precision of the listening environment.
Room Isolation and Energy Management
The room itself is heavily soundproofed using a combination of double, triple, and even quadruple-layered walls and ceilings. The result is an incredibly quiet environment, the kind of silence that feels almost deafening. 🙂
Due to the extensive soundproofing, the studio is near airtight, which means there’s no natural fresh airflow. To solve this, I designed a fully automated, remote-managed ventilation system that operates silently and remains fully soundproofed. The system uses a large tube-fan housed inside a custom-built silencer box, combined with two carbon filters to help remove pollutants from the outside air.
Air circulation is created through positive air pressure, allowing air to be gently pushed out through ventilation grids in the front wall. These channels run through a four-layer wall system, enabling air to move outside without allowing sound to escape or re-enter the space.
To bring in natural daylight, I installed a Solatube system alongside LED daylight lighting, creating a comfortable and natural working environment at any time of day.
Another major advantage of having a studio this well isolated is its climate efficiency. During summer, the space stays comfortably cool without the need for air conditioning, while in winter only minimal heating is required. This significantly reduces overall energy consumption.