Radio Station Acoustic Treatment
iHeart Media was building out their new radio station in Clearwater FL, on Feather Sound, and had numerous unique acoustical requirements. Commercial Acoustics was contracted to furnish and install the unique stretch fabric systems, as well as the acoustically enhanced ACT systems, including grid and tile. The entire project, over 20,000 square feet, was condensed into a three-week expedited approach to allow the iHeart Media engineering team to begin commissioning their IT equipment ahead of the upcoming move date. The initial schedule was delayed due to permitting issues.
See Similar: Broadcast Studio Acoustics
Radio Station Acoustic Treatment – Scopes of Work
Aside from the high-NRC stretched fabric walls, each recording studio was also covered with high-NRC acoustic ceiling tiles with 1.5 inch 3 PCF absorption fiberglass behind them. The result was reverberation times below 0.5 seconds, allowing for ideal environments to record and edit the company’s digital content.
The ACT in each studio was hung in a cloud configuration, witch specialty axiom trim around the perimeter. The trim was offset from the wall by about 6″ on each side, making the ceiling appear to be floating. In all other areas that ACT was hung (offices, main areas and restrooms), the ACT and grid were standard, with the grid attached to the adjacent walls.
The fabric walls were designed with one inch thick fiberglass core on two walls, and two inch thick fiberglass core on the two other adjacent walls. This design allowed for broadband absorption, at frequencies above and below speech at 250 Hertz. The project included over 30 radio station and recording rooms, as well as support offices and back end functions.
The extent of acoustic treatment in each studio may seem excessive, but it is absolutely necessary in professional recording studios. The fabric walls, ACT and fiberglass above the ACT result in a low enough reverberation time so that no imperfections come through on recordings.
Benefits of Acoustic Treatment in Radio Stations
After installing both stretched fabric wall and high-NRC ACT in each recording studio, the reverb time was around 0.5 seconds, which is typically the target reverb time in high-end recording studios. Since iHeart Media is a very reputable digital-content company, it was important that each studio room be finished to help produce high-quality recordings.
