Professional Acoustic Design for TechTown B3 — Damascus Yellow Zone. A comprehensive analysis of room acoustics, sound isolation, HVAC integration, and treatment specifications for a multi-room media production studio.
Lead: Obai Sukar • Design Phase — Ready for Contractor Review
Five-room media production complex within a right-trapezoid zone at TechTown B3 NW corner, designed for simultaneous voiceover recording, control room monitoring, video production, and post-production editing.
All rooms meet or exceed their NC and RT60 targets. Seven wall constructions provide STC 40-65 isolation. Four silencer runs ensure HVAC noise compliance across all critical spaces.
Proceed to contractor review with locked SSOT values. Column integration requires field verification. VO Live corner bass traps specified for general low-frequency control (Schroeder frequency ~238 Hz).
Design Phase Complete — Geometry locked , HVAC locked . All acoustic calculations reference the Single Source of Truth (SSOT). Ready for contractor review and material procurement.
This study follows a rigorous methodology combining DXF extraction, contractor drawing cross-verification, and Single Source of Truth (SSOT) governance to ensure every calculation traces back to verified dimensions.
DXF coordinate extraction from contractor drawings with sub-centimeter precision
Cross-verification against PNG overlays and dimensional chain analysis
SSOT governance — locked reference values prevent cascading calculation errors
Multi-scenario acoustic modeling with hybrid optimization across all rooms
One wrong dimension cascades through 100+ calculations — RT60 volumes, modal frequencies, NC budgets, treatment areas, and material quantities all derive from the same locked geometry. The SSOT system ensures a single edit propagates correctly everywhere, rather than creating hidden inconsistencies across spreadsheets.
The MediaVerse zone occupies the NW corner of TechTown B3. Its distinctive trapezoidal shape is defined by four walls — the south interior partition, the north concrete exterior, the east gypsum wall (adjacent to server room B313), and the NW diagonal concrete exterior.
The zone is divided into four production rooms arranged in quadrants, separated by a central 15 cm buffer spine that provides acoustic isolation. The main entrance at the SE corner leads into the Editing room, which also serves as the internal circulation corridor.
Northwest quadrant. The most acoustically demanding space — designed for professional voiceover, dubbing, Quran recitation, and audiobook recording with the lowest noise floor in the complex.
Southwest quadrant. Critical listening environment for mixing, monitoring, and quality control. Features Genelec reference monitors, QRD rear diffusion, and a triple-pane observation window to the VO Live room.
Northeast quadrant. The largest production room, designed for multi-camera video shoots, podcast recording, and live streaming with a 5-meter camera throw and controlled acoustic environment.
Southeast quadrant and main entry point via D1 at the SE corner of the south wall. Three-workstation post-production area for video editing, motion graphics, and color grading. Also serves as the internal circulation corridor to reach the Control Room (D2 west) and Studio (D4 north).
Central 15 cm acoustic partition wall (STC 55) running north-south. Provides acoustic decoupling between the east room group (Studio / Editing) and the west group (VO Live / Control). Houses HVAC ductwork in the ceiling plenum above.
Room modes are resonant frequencies where sound waves reflect between parallel surfaces and reinforce. They cause uneven bass response — boomy spots and dead zones. Smaller rooms have fewer, more widely spaced modes, making each one more audible.
| Room | Dimensions (L × W × H) | Axial Modes Count | Schroeder Freq | Coincidence Alerts |
|---|
RT60 measures how long sound takes to decay by 60 dB after the source stops. Short RT60 (under 0.3s) creates a "dead" room ideal for recording. Longer RT60 adds ambience but reduces speech clarity. Each room type has an optimal target range.
| Room | Target Range (s) | Achieved (mid-freq) | 125 Hz | 250 Hz | 500 Hz | 1 kHz | 2 kHz | 4 kHz | Status |
|---|
Noise Criteria (NC) curves define the maximum acceptable background noise at each octave band. Lower NC means quieter — NC-20 is near-silent (recording studios), NC-35 is a quiet office. The NC rating equals the highest octave band that touches or exceeds the reference curve.
| Room | NC Target | HVAC Max (dB) | Transmitted Max (dB) | Margin (dB) | Status |
|---|
Each room's NC budget is split between HVAC contribution and transmitted noise (from adjacent spaces), with a safety margin. The VO Live room at NC-20 is the most demanding — requiring 30 dB of silencer attenuation and STC-65 perimeter walls to keep the combined noise floor below the threshold.
Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a single-number rating of how well a wall blocks airborne sound. STC 40 blocks normal speech; STC 50 blocks loud speech; STC 60+ blocks amplified music. Higher STC requires more mass, decoupling, or both.
| # | Wall Name | STC | Key Layers | Strategy |
|---|
Concrete perimeter walls use RSIC-1 / RSIC-V resilient clips with hat channel to mechanically decouple the gypsum layer. Interior partitions use Green Glue viscoelastic compound between double gypsum layers for constrained-layer damping. This combination blocks both airborne and structure-borne sound transmission.
Each room receives a tailored combination of absorption panels, bass traps, diffusers, and ceiling treatment to achieve its RT60 target. Materials are specified for both acoustic performance and fire safety.
The HVAC system must deliver adequate cooling (205 W/m²) while keeping duct-borne noise below each room's NC budget. This requires inline silencers, low terminal velocities, and careful duct routing through the ceiling plenum.
Airflow verification: IDU-03 (318 CFM) + IDU-04 (318 CFM) = 636 CFM total. Three oversized diffusers (rated 540 m³/h each, 1620 m³/h total) operate at 67% capacity (1080 m³/h actual), ensuring low face velocity and no whistling noise.
| Run | Serves | Length (mm) | Attenuation (dB) | Terminal Velocity (m/s) | NC Max |
|---|
Main trunk runs in the duct band at Y = – cm (ceiling plenum). Supply distribution west of X = cm, return east. Main duct size: .
Model: × units. Each delivers m³/h for a total of m³/h. Low-velocity square diffusers prevent regenerated noise at terminal outlets.
The control room monitor placement follows the equilateral triangle principle — each speaker and the listening position form equal sides. The listening position at 38% of room length avoids the worst modal build-up at the room midpoint.
Compact two-way nearfield monitors, one pair. Positioned on isolation pads (Auralex MoPAD) at tweeter height m ("). Angled ° inward from center axis. Distance from front wall: m.
Floor-standing studio subwoofer for accurate low-frequency reference down to 38 Hz. Positioned asymmetrically to avoid exciting the dominant axial mode. Crossover frequency set via rear-panel DIP switches (factory default 85 Hz) for integration with the 8030C monitors.
The acoustic design translates into a detailed construction specification covering wall assemblies, floor/ceiling systems, door/window installations, and HVAC penetration sealing — organized in a phased installation sequence.
Wall Types Specified
STC 40 to STC 65, covering concrete treatment, new partitions, and the buffer spine.
Acoustic Doors
STC 40 to STC 50 with automatic drop seals and perimeter gaskets.
Observation Window
Triple-pane, 5° tilt, STC 50 — Control ↔ VO Live sight line.
| # | Name | Location | STC | Size (cm) |
|---|
Every analysis, chart, BOM, construction guide, and interactive tool in the MediaVerse Acoustic Study, organized by category.
Acoustic performance predictions in this study are conditional on the specified assemblies, materials, and installation methods being executed as documented.
Deviations from specified constructions, material substitutions, or installation practices that differ from the documented procedures may result in performance that does not meet stated targets. This study provides engineering predictions based on established acoustic principles and manufacturer test data. It does not constitute a performance guarantee. Actual performance is confirmed only through commissioning tests (ASTM E336 for STC, ASTM E1007 for NC).
All STC ratings quoted in this study are laboratory values (ASTM E90). Field-installed performance (ASTM E336) is typically 3–7 points lower due to imperfect perimeter sealing, flanking paths through shared structure, workmanship variation, and mechanical/electrical penetrations. Field STC estimates are included in the wall schedule. Design margins already account for typical field loss.
Isolation predictions assume normal production levels: spoken word recording (≤75 dBA), nearfield monitoring (≤85 dBA at listening position), podcast dialogue (≤80 dBA), and computer playback (≤75 dBA). Design does NOT predict isolation for extreme playback levels (>95 dBA), live drum kits, or high-SPL amplified music.
This study is based on systematic analysis of contractor-provided DXF drawings and locked SSOT reference values. Key assumptions include: existing concrete walls are structurally sound with no significant voids; floor-to-slab height is 3.50m as measured; adjacent server room noise is 55–65 dBA; and all work is performed by contractors experienced in acoustic construction. A complete list of assumptions is available in the Assumptions & Limitations appendix.
This study distinguishes between [AC] Acoustic Critical elements (wall assemblies, door seals, isolation clips, silencer routing, plenum barriers) and [DEC] Decorative elements (paint colors, fabric finishes, furniture layout, signage). Contractors and owners must not modify any acoustic critical element without consultant review. Decorative elements may be customized freely. When in doubt, consult the Assumptions & Limitations appendix for the full classification list.
MediaVerse Acoustic Study © 2026 Obai Sukar — TechTown Damascus B3