D4 is a control room built inside a 20' high-cube shipping container. The studio is primarily a mix room, but is big enough even for a drumkit. www.d4studio.com.au
Some info on the room: The walls and ceiling weigh around 2,000kg in total The total weight is around 7,000kg The container is higher and wider (internally) than standard The room floats within the container, it is not rigidly connected in any way The door weighs 104kg, cost $500 in materials, and took a bloody long time to build! All timber used was sourced locally, the cedar floor is recycled Not a single screw is visible inside Air is ventilated via an active outlet and passive inlet
Wow, I'm blown away with what you were able to do with this box, virtually. Great design, I'm sure the ambience is good as well? Cube's aren't considered the greatest mixing/monitoring environment, but it appears you combated that with the staggered "sawtooth" walls. Really vibey as well, big plus!
Hi Surfs, Portability is the main advantage of the container. If / when I move house, I can bring it with me, even internationally. It is much bigger inside than you would think!
Hi. Great build! I hope you can make a video explaining how you tackled the acoustical problems of such a small room. I notice you spent time and effort on it. Like most, I can not afford building a new room and must settle with the structure I have in the house. I have a small elongated room (forgot the exact measurements) and am thinking of converting it to a small control room. I was thinking of making one end a large base trap. Wonder how you guys managed the Bass. Thanks
Great video. Im in the process of converting my garage. Can you answer these few questions please: The walls and ceilings seem to be - outer shell > insulation > two layers of dry wall > studs filled with insulation. Can you tell me how you stuck the first layer of insulation to the inside of the container... was it glued? Also what types of insulation was used for both layers? Thanks in advance
Hi Marc, yep that's how it works. I stuck the insulation on with contact glue - messy! you put some glue on the wall and on the insulation, let it dry for 10 mins and then stick together. Insulation was Bradford SoundScreen.
yes I have seen this done, but both rooms end up pretty small. You could make 2 larger rooms inside a 40" container, however this means you can only move it with a semi-trailer, where the 20" containers are much easier to move.
How is this at repelling outside noise like barking dogs, loud motocycles, cars? does the insulation put on the inside cover that issue or needs exterior treatment? looks awesome!
Hi Jim, it is quite good but of course not perfect. It is really only the loudest sounds outside that make it into the room (and then they are quiet). It is located in a fairly quiet area, so it provides more than enough isolation for my (and my neighbours) needs. I plan to do some testing of the reduction through the walls - I know it is around 60dB but I have never done a proper 1/3 octave test - will keep you posted!
+Samuel Adams Cheers! No problems internally really, apart from usual maintenance of air-conditioner etc. The outside of the container has faded and paint is peeling now (Aussie sun is harsh!). I am thinking about cladding it so it looks like a cabin!
+D4 Recording Studio Yes good idea! OR google 'cut metal cladding' for some cool metal alternatives. Looks cool when rusted too! Or a combination of both. Like wood, with a metal ribbon. I'm going to build one this summer here in England I think. Any advice (if anything major jumps to mind) would be great. It will be slightly different because of our weather, but still!
Hi there, the walls are made from VJ Pine (Tongue and Groove), and I routed a slot in every second piece. Use a table router with a guide to make this easy and quick. Also, I got your email and tried to reply, but it kept bouncing back to me...
+Mister Anderson Thanks! Around $25,000 AUD in the end, not including recording gear. It could be done so much cheaper though, I actually have a friend who recently built a similar room using only recycled materials which was very cheap indeed. You don't want to skimp on the container itself though, get a decent high-cube box.
+Official Poa Hi, sorry for the super late reply - it is rubber made from shredded tyres. It was the best I could find at the time that supported the weight without collapsing too far and also wasn't too rigid.
