Diffusors that are actually affordable!

[Land Fish]

Wow... $30 for 12 square feet of diffusion. RPG is almost 10x the price.

MIO - Green Design For Everyone

anyone tried these things??? do they work?

they look really cool

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by Land Fish

Wow... $30 for 12 square feet of diffusion. RPG is almost 10x the price.

This is a perfect example of "You get what you pay for." There are probably a dozen different reasons why RPG's diffusors are better than those stamped paper thing-a-ma-bobs. If you post this in the Acoustics section you might get even more than a dozen.

--Ethan

[warhead]

It seems if you put paper up on a wall that you would pretty much hear a paper sound, particularly if this thing is fairly thin and has its own resonance to it...? I haven't heard it, but I'd like to know how much of that paper you now hear whether it's diffusing certain frequencies or not.

Not trying to crap on the idea of a cheap diffusor, just wondering if there are as many drawbacks to something like this as there might be benefits.

War

[mdme_sadie]

Seems like a more expensive version of the old egg-cartons treatment (did anyone ever try this out?).

[A LaMere]

This being the "low end" I'll go ahead and say that almost anything is better than a flat wall bouncing sound back at you in my opinion...

I'm not sure how the recycle/paper thingamabob will work... Or I guess to answer War's question... I'm unsure if the advantages are equal to/outweigh the disadvantages in this case...

If you're trying to diffuse a bit on the cheap, I generally fill the room with "stuff" and it sounds better than an empty room. I also find that this is an idea most music creators will latch onto as most have plenty of "stuff" to fill a room up with.

I do think $30 is worth a trial for any kind of diffusor attempt...
but perhaps that's why I'm poor, and have all these damned diffusors that don't work at all laying around my house??

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by warhead

It seems if you put paper up on a wall that you would pretty much hear a paper sound, particularly if this thing is fairly thin and has its own resonance to it...? I haven't heard it, but I'd like to know how much of that paper you now hear whether it's diffusing certain frequencies or not.

Not trying to crap on the idea of a cheap diffusor, just wondering if there are as many drawbacks to something like this as there might be benefits.

War

It is hard to say how they would work or at what frequencies it is scattering sound or absorbing sound. That my friend is the reason there are test labs for companies to use. If a company does not have testing you really have to ask yourself why.
I think if someone wants diffusion and can not afford to buy the real deal then it is best to DYI something that is proven. It might cost you more then $30.00 (or maybe not) but you know at that point that you have done things right.

Glenn

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by warhead

this thing is fairly thin and has its own resonance to it

Yes - self-resonance, too thin, unproven design, yada yada.

--Ethan

[cjogo]

For us :::: whatever resembles "sound proofing" and reflects/absorbs -- fits the walls and ceilings of our humble studio. This is a great time of the year to collect Styrofoam from discarded TV packing inserts~! They make great corner traps.
At least they are not lead~filled
http://www.redshift.com/~cjogo/FULL_VIEW.jpg

The free standing black "sound walls" are early office room dividers...$25 each > they are quite thick & heavy http://www.redshift.com/~cjogo/RED_DIVIDERS.jpg



You can see the "special" bass trap in the corner of this studio we track ...about 10 feet of truck tires with gravel poured inside http://www.redshift.com/~cjogo/TUNES/images/webTV.jpg

[norton]

I'm thinking with my ears here... and if you stuffed those guys with a little rock wool or something else dense and I think you'd get some serious bang for your buck. I've been eyeing MIO for a while. Interesting stuff to be sure!

These guys might not be as good as a custom built wood pieces.... but if money is the barrier.. then the MIO stuff is a decent gamble.

Muscle Shoals didn't use anything "specially engineered" for their rooms... and the records that were dropping out of that space still sound GREAT!

At its core, diffusion needs to have the proper ratio of relief to wavelength, and be rigid enough to deflect those wavethengths.... and that's about it.

We can split details down to the n'th degree, much like capacitors or oxygen content in cabling... but in the end it's not what the diffuser's made out of that really matters. What counts is actually taming down the fllutter echos, getting rid of standing waves and managing booming bass frequencies.

There are TONS of ways to achieve these results... from room design to DIY and ready made solutions. The bottom line... is that acoustic management doesn't have to cost fat cash to work.... or even come from a product designed specifically for acoustic treatment to be effective.

Take the daptone guys for example... Old tires to float the floor, totally hand-made space. And what do they get for it? REALLY good sounding records.

I just don't see how the average studio operator could possibly get his/her money's worth out of spending $500 for 2 2'x4' wood grid panels that are ready made from a***lex? I just don't see how that kind of model swings.

If it's all about "getting what you pay for" and you paid for that.... then i'm sorry, but what you got was screwed.

In the spirit of experimentalism... I say for the money... order 'em up and stuff 'em with stuff.... and listen. Do they work?? sweet! Do they suck? well then don't buy any more. Thirty bucks well spent on an educational process.

[GordZilla]

Originally Posted by norton

I'm thinking with my ears here... and if you stuffed those guys with a little rock wool or something else dense and I think you'd get some serious bang for your buck. I've been eyeing MIO for a while. Interesting stuff to be sure!

These guys might not be as good as a custom built wood pieces.... but if money is the barrier.. then the MIO stuff is a decent gamble.

Muscle Shoals didn't use anything "specially engineered" for their rooms... and the records that were dropping out of that space still sound GREAT!

At its core, diffusion needs to have the proper ratio of relief to wavelength, and be rigid enough to deflect those wavethengths.... and that's about it.

We can split details down to the n'th degree, much like capacitors or oxygen content in cabling... but in the end it's not what the diffuser's made out of that really matters. What counts is actually taming down the fllutter echos, getting rid of standing waves and managing booming bass frequencies.

There are TONS of ways to achieve these results... from room design to DIY and ready made solutions. The bottom line... is that acoustic management doesn't have to cost fat cash to work.... or even come from a product designed specifically for acoustic treatment to be effective.

Take the daptone guys for example... Old tires to float the floor, totally hand-made space. And what do they get for it? REALLY good sounding records.

I just don't see how the average studio operator could possibly get his/her money's worth out of spending $500 for 2 2'x4' wood grid panels that are ready made from a***lex? I just don't see how that kind of model swings.

If it's all about "getting what you pay for" and you paid for that.... then i'm sorry, but what you got was screwed.

In the spirit of experimentalism... I say for the money... order 'em up and stuff 'em with stuff.... and listen. Do they work?? sweet! Do they suck? well then don't buy any more. Thirty bucks well spent on an educational process.

I gotta agree with this... what the heck.. for $30 it's worth checking out

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by GordZilla

I gotta agree with this... what the heck.. for $30 it's worth checking out

or

My home made diffuser

[cjogo]

A collection from the recycling center

should be able to cover a 26 X 24 studio >> for well under $50

shipping material--inserts from TV , Stereos, etc ---
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/attac...1&d=1199236616
_MG_7294.jpgt

[wolffy]

I'm curious about these as well:

T'Fusor Sound Diffusor - Acoustic sound diffusion products from Auralex Acoustics.

Any comments or existing users? They cost 6 times more per sq ft than the MIO ones.

[jdg]

i have these, they do not do anything except look nice.
they would be OK if they were actually reflective.. but the only thing they reflect is light.

[wolffy]

jdg,

Which ones are you referring to?

[jdg]

sorry, the original ones in the first post.
i "modded" mine a bit, i hard mounted them on a basic 1D diffuser, with a huge basstrap behind them for my rear wall. they sound exactly the same with, and without them.

i should shoot the rear wall for fun, to see the response.

again, they sure look purdy, and the shape is pretty good from what i can tell with my limited accoustics knowledge.. but, they are paper.
(attached pic)

[mahasandi]

The idea is very cool. The recycled
part is great. Filling them is the way to go.
$30 to support an environmentally cool
company : cool.

[sonictheboom]

Originally Posted by mahasandi

The idea is very cool. The recycled
part is great. Filling them is the way to go.
$30 to support an environmentally cool
company : cool.

It's not like they made wood out of plastic exactly. They expanded energy on reusing plastic no?

[Land Fish]

Originally Posted by A LaMere

This being the "low end" I'll go ahead and say that almost anything is better than a flat wall bouncing sound back at you in my opinion...

I'm not sure how the recycle/paper thingamabob will work... Or I guess to answer War's question... I'm unsure if the advantages are equal to/outweigh the disadvantages in this case...

If you're trying to diffuse a bit on the cheap, I generally fill the room with "stuff" and it sounds better than an empty room. I also find that this is an idea most music creators will latch onto as most have plenty of "stuff" to fill a room up with.

I do think $30 is worth a trial for any kind of diffusor attempt...
but perhaps that's why I'm poor, and have all these damned diffusors that don't work at all laying around my house??

That's kind of my philosophy on this one.

I also like the comment about just having lots of stuff in the room.

so other people on GS have used these!? that's great.

If you are a busy studio, then there is usually just so much gear in your space that diffusion isn't manditory. But, this would be for the side room that is crappy dimensions, 12 ft x 11 ft x 10 ft... almost cube... not good.

I was thinking of filling them as well... not sure with what though...sand? and then glue some 1/4" MDF to the back?

if anything, just the aesthetic improvement would be worth $30.

[Land Fish]

Originally Posted by jdg

sorry, the original ones in the first post.
i "modded" mine a bit, i hard mounted them on a basic 1D diffuser, with a huge basstrap behind them for my rear wall. they sound exactly the same with, and without them.

i should shoot the rear wall for fun, to see the response.

again, they sure look purdy, and the shape is pretty good from what i can tell with my limited accoustics knowledge.. but, they are paper.
(attached pic)

I'm slightly confused. with or without what? the bass trap and 1D thing, or the whole rig?

[jdg]

basically, i mounted the MIO product on a crude version of: http://www.novatone.co.uk/acousprodu...ge002_0006.jpg
which is mounted on a huge basstrap

[Bounce]

What if you polyurethaned or shellaqued the surface of the MIO's to give them less absorption/more reflection?

[jdg]

thats what i always wanted to try.. maybe in a month or so, i'll try it

[drummerboy1533]

Spend the bucks now.Grap a pair of Ethans diffusers and be done with it .They'll hold their resale value for sure.Think you can chance on a DIY diffuser or a cheap immitation and try to pawn it down the road? Room treatment is EVERYTHING!

[LouD.]

Originally Posted by cjogo

You can see the "special" bass trap in the corner of this studio we track ...about 10 feet of truck tires with gravel poured inside http://www.redshift.com/~cjogo/TUNES/images/webTV.jpg

that is one
cool
friggin
ROOM!

lots of ceiling diffusion?