How Do I Treat My Studio on a Budget?

How Many Bass Traps do I need for MY Room?

Where should I put them?

A Concise Kiss Your Ears Guide & FAQ

Need to tame the bass in your studio?

Performance Acoustic Solutions are now accessible to EVERYONE.

Welcome to Kiss Your Ears, where we’re all about creating an exceptional listening experience and helping modern music makers achieve results previously not possible to them. We are here to help you make your studio sound the best it can without breaking the bank, Whether you prefer ready-made options or DIY with our guidance.

In the past five years, we've shifted from custom to stock products, eliminating waiting times. That means, the studio acoustics standard that has been sweeping Europe is within your reach in just a couple of days from ordering.

Our mission is to simplify and democratize acoustic treatment, empowering you! Look at it as an acoustics revolution. Making high-end acoustic treatment widely accessible while letting you focus on the big picture.

Why choose Kiss Your Ears?

- Unbeatable price-to-performance ratio.
You save up to 90% compared to other companies.
- We are driven by INNOVATION not exploitation.
We are known for sharing our extensive acoustic research with our community. EMPOWRING you is our mission.
- We are trusted by the best ears in the world.
(See our reduced clients/ partners list on the homepage)

*Based on the mass offered by Kiss Your Ears products compared to absorbers offered by other acoustic treatment companies. Mass is literally the only thing that harnesses low frequency energy.

Premium Acoustic Treatment for Modern Music Makers

Why is acoustic treatment important for studios:

Most rooms have low-frequency issues below 300 Hz. Without treatment, mixes won't translate well. End of story.

ALWAYS Go with proper use of velocity absorption as a substantial first wave of treatment!

You can treat down to 40Hz with enough units in the space with velocity absorbers alone (if they are designed optimally, which most are not!). At least 1 unit per m² of floor space for optimal results. We would suggest 1.2 units per m2 as a basic minimum. Don’t worry, they literally disappear into the room once you start putting them in position and before you know it, you’ll want more.

Introducing KYE King Kong Bass Traps

These velocity absorbers are engineered to the point of maximum effectivity, attenuating 40 Hz at 60%, 70 Hz at 80%, and 100 Hz at 85% with the right volume of them in the volume of space.

When should you use velocity and pressure absorbers:

Start with broadband velocity absorbers; they're a pro-favorite for a reason. Tuned resonant absorbers come later. Their impact is specific and limited, so unless you face unique issues, broadband absorbers are your efficient starting point. However, When used correctly, they can greatly improve the acoustics in a room already treated with broadband solutions. Think of it like this: Any problems BELOW 40Hz should be treated with pressure absorbers, but only after you have implemented an initial substantial wave or velocity absorbers as per the rules of thumb we provide.

Note: There's ALWAYS room for improvement! Professional acoustic treatment WILL give you an edge. It's a tool like any other for creating maximum efficiency in the studio. Cut your mix down time IN HALF!

The order of room treatment effectiveness:

Room structure - The room’s structure is the most crucial factor in sound, and you can’t change it unless you design the construction yourself. Luckily, you can manipulate how the sound propagates inside the room’s structure.
Speaker placement and listening position - The listening position and speaker placement are of vital importance. You can usually adjust them, creating the starting point for our hierarchy.
Velocity absorption - Next comes broadband velocity absorption. It's straightforward - we’ve designed the most efficient velocity bass traps on the market for you. Applying them in various areas is the most efficient way to enhance your studio. This represents at least 80% of your treatment - or all of it if your budget stops there!
Pressure absorption + Diffusion - We have tuned (pressure based) absorption and then diffusion. These factors can be addressed for the individual room upon request. If you have the budget to look at diffusion from the start, we have designed the King Kong Premium Abfusers specifically for this purpose. If you are sure you have impactful issues below 40Hz, we can talk about using King Kong Premium Membrane traps from the start.

So… How should I treat my room?

Start by using a low-reaching velocity absorber for the bass. It's what the pros do, and it's cost-effective. Think of it like the '80-20 rule' - the first 80% of work is crucial and the same for most rooms. The last 20% can be pricey and is often unnecessary, but not many acousticians will tell you this. 95% of our clients are satisfied at the first 80% mark…

The bass first approach:

Our recommended approach prioritizes fixing the low-end. This impacts the full spectrum as the fundamental issues re-replicate up the frequency spectrum.

You should use the same depth absorbers for early reflections and bass trapping!

For balanced sound absorption, use traps with the same thickness and density for both bass trapping and early reflections. If you use thinner absorbers for high frequencies and thicker ones for low frequencies, you may end up with uneven absorption, leaving low frequencies resonant in the room alongside very absorbed highs (the “dead” or “claustrophobic” sound).

How many?

To determine the number of bass traps for low-frequency control, think about the proportion to your room's volume. We've simplified the calculation based on our King Kong series:

- Minimum control/production studio: 1 x KK per m2 of floor space

- Basic control/production studio: 1.2 x KK per m2 of floor space

- Professional control/mixing studio: 1.5 x KK per m2 of floor space (this is where most customers aim for, it's the real "sweet spot" for getting to a professional result on a budget).

- Advanced control/mastering studio: 1.7 - 2.0 x KK per m2 of floor space

It's a game of depth, density, surface area and positioning... but the most important thing is simply an adequate volume of correctly engineered MASS being brought into the volume of space.

But might it end up sounding "dead"? NO. Not with our products. They hit the whole spectrum, leaving the room's response sounding as balanced as possible.

Set-Up: Corners

To optimize sound quality, use thick velocity absorbers in the 12 dihedral corners at a 45-degree angle for most effective low-frequency absorption while taking up less space in the room...

Tip: place them horizontally rather than vertically to boost depth and therefore effectiveness.

Set-Up: Surface!

Sort out your Early Reflection Points (ERPs), which are key areas where sound bounces. Place absorbers at these points to enhance stereo image, lower reverb time, and create a more balanced audio experience by eliminating unwanted echoes.

Remember, our products have been rigorously tested and developed since 2018... There are no units on the market that can reach this low. They are already optimised. Just add more off them!

Testing Facility, Berlin

When placing absorbers on the ceiling (known by literally everyone as the "cloud" position for no good reason - maybe that just shows you the power of marketing in this industry), use thicker absorbers, not the thinner ones you see often. This is just another early reflection point. We designed the KKX for this (lighter version of the KKC) although KKC or KKP is perfectly fine in most cases.

This location can help address specific standing waves between your floor and ceiling. The "cloud" is one of several Early Reflection Points (ERPs) on the ceiling. For improved results, maximize the surface area of your early reflection points. You can even create walls using absorbers like the KKP or KKPA abfusser traps, which are more effective than simply attaching them to the wall (save on the install, get more traps = better). This approach captures a broader area of directional sound waves and addresses the "wall to floor" dihedral corner, potentially reducing the need to treat the "wall to ceiling" dihedral corner.

Here's a practical EXAMPLE (there are many options, again: it’s about the volume of units in the volume of space) diagram for setting up a ca. 15m2 room using the King Kong Room Treatment System. This system allows you to control room resonances effectively and create a high-end audio workspace without excessive costs. It's modular, so you can expand it without making previous phases obsolete.

Have fun with it! Add more than you think you need and check the results throughout... you WILL be surprised! Literally, this is an acoustics revolution.

Studio Transformation: Proper Treatment Results

Below are a series of visual representations of this first wave of treatment, following the 80/20 rule (20% of the work gives you 80% of the results). These are very precise readings. Remember, your hearing is actually in frequency bands so it would "feel" even smoother than this.

In analyzing a waterfall graph, think of the top (SPL) as the skyline, and the bottom, where you want to see empty white space indicating the cessation of resonant frequencies, as the shoreline. Waterfall graphs display amplitude vertically, frequency horizontally, and time in the third dimension coming towards us.

So, first we have examples of an "installed" system:

Pretty consistent right? Totally insane results compared to what everyone was used to until now. Our suggestions and observations come from A LOT of data.

Next, we have an example of a "no-install" system (rather than spending on an installation, just take more traps - they can stack on each other! Our Founder grew up playing LEGO...):

first a diagram of an example of what we mean by this ^
Notice the space to the wall = for reaching extra low frequencies. Top tip: The floor to wall corners are equally as impactful as the ceiling to wall corners!

Now, check this!

See, it really is like about mass/ volume...

Game changing results in both installed systems and "no install" systems, and we can go much further than this!

Really, we made it available for you. Do not obsess over small details that don't matter! Buy a substantial bundle of optimised King Kong Bass Traps and that will always take you somewhere better than you are!

After that?

King Kong Premium Membrane traps for any residual issues under 40Hz, and King Kong Abfussers for full spectrum absorption/diffusion. Boom.

King Kong Premium Abfusers make great "walls"... we are now taking this to insane level modular acoustics.

A final optional piece of the puzzle: Speaker EQ software.
The last puzzle pieces for improving your sound. They work best after sorting out room resonances with bass traps. Starting with software correction can lead to confusing results.

Do I have to treat my entire space at once?

We have optimized our products so that they can be added modularly when your budget allows! You can always upgrade later.
You need more than you think anyway ;)

You should be spending at least the same amount on acoustic treatment as your listening chain (speakers, convertors, interface). Otherwise, it's literally a false economy.

Our guarantee:

We can offer you the most effective and best value or you can have your money back - and we challenge you to find an alternative way to get more value/ a better value (cost to effectivity) from your room!
We offer incredible acoustic results that were previously only achievable at €10k+, starting at just €2-3k. You can achieve top-notch quality without breaking the bank. We have ripped this $h^t apart.

Note: Having high end monitors in an untreated room Is a false economy. You’ll get better results using low quality old hi-fi speakers in a treated room.

Can you come visit my space to determine what I need?

We can visit your space for an in-person consultation at a cost of 150 euros, but it's usually not necessary unless your room is very unique or you have a big budget. In most cases, it's a straightforward process for us, and we can work with photos and dimensions you provide to recommend the right treatment. This helps save time and money for both of us. We have plenty of data to back up our recommendations if needed. We do this every day.

We don’t want to treat the room fully, just improve the sound. Is there a KYE solution for this?

You have the choice. We provide tools and expertise. Go as far as you want. Of course it's still worth it, as long as the units are optimised. You will never need to undo an obsolete step.

I want to treat half of my room, will that be enough?

If that’s what you can afford right now, do it. If you do with us, it will still be the best use of your budget. Be careful if a company says you need many products for a small space; that won't give you a pro result. Also, remember, when dealing with low-frequency energy, you're treating the entire room, not just one area. Bass is omnidirectional.

If you don't stop optimising your synth set up, and your speaker system aaand your VSTs, maybe you should also not stop optimising your Acoustic Treatment...

What’s the minimum number I need to tame the bass?

Using 0.5 bass traps per square meter, focusing on corners, will make a big difference. For the best budget-friendly treatment, KKC sets are the top choices.

Do you make custom sized units?

If you want bigger, it's cheaper to just add our units together.

If you want them smaller, it will cost more than the units we produce in batches due to the economy of scale. Remember we want to offer you the most value for money. That's not it.

Do your products offer any isolation?

Isolation and acoustic treatment are different. Isolation controls sound transfer between spaces, while acoustic treatment deals with the propagation sound in one space. Our King Kong series products provide some isolation benefits.

Check out this infographic showing significant noise reduction with only 1.2x KK traps per m² in a 25m² room. It covers sound levels from 40-500Hz.
Because these units deal with sub-bass frequencies and the sub bass resonances are a part of your isolation system, this kind of treatment also takes care of some isolation for you. Remember, you can do further than this example...

*If you want to design an isolating system, this is also an area of our expertise. Get in touch.

Can I add your products to my existing setup of home built traps? What effect will they have?

We often need to fix problems caused by less effective treatments. We can suggest optimal unit placement and might recommend doubling them up for better absorption. So, take a substantial bundle from us, and most likely you can repurpouse your old units by doubling them up to match the thickness of the KK traps.

What’s your current delivery time from order to payment?

We can ship immediately. After producing over 10.000 units, we switched to stocking them to provide faster lead times.

What about the placement of my window? What about that corner thing? What about that pipe?

These small details are unimportant in comparison to the significant impact of our broader perspective. We focus on the big picture and don't dwell on trivial matters. Let’s not mess around with silly details that have almost no real impact once you treat the major issues properly.

I want to get a vocal booth…

Using this room treatment is much better for recording vocals than a small vocal booth. Our CEO, who's both a producer and a vocalist, promises that. Vocal booths are usually too small for controlling sound below 100 Hz, leading to problems like odd artifacts and resonances up to 400 Hz. They're designed for scratch vocals for live bands and aren't ideal for high-quality recordings. If you're recording lead vocals, especially for a song's main focus, it's best to avoid using a tiny booth.

Will these fit in my room?

They disappear quickly when you place them. You might find you want more than the recommended 1.2 - 2.0 x KK per m2.

So what if I already know I want to go further, with pressure based trapping and diffusion?

Begin with phase 1 treatment, leaving room for improvements in other areas. This lets us gather data for precise phase 2 treatment, customizing units for your room's remaining issues, and seeing how the room interacts duting treatment application. Treatments like tuned membrane traps and Schroeder diffusers come later, after using a professionally substantial first wave of velocity absorbers. In the early stages, diffusion isn't very effective at all. Many "diffusers" you find in stores are actually just scattering panels, not true diffusers. If you're on a budget, let us know, and we'll help you get the most value out of it. That's what we specialize in.

Whether the budget is 1,000 Eur or 10,000 Eur, we can provide the best use of it. Only you limit you.

Do you do Student Discounts?

Kiss Your Ears was founded to make high-quality acoustic treatment affordable. We have an efficient in-house production process, so our prices are competitive. We focus on value, offering better products at lower prices. You can start with a few units and add more later. We offer great value at any price point. We can't make our units cheaper, but we already have discounts built in. Our success has pushed other companies to improve their offerings. If our premium models are too pricey, consider our value range. With us, you get more for your money. Have some honour, man….