best place to mount broadband traps

[tresperros]

Hello guys,

I've built 8 traps few weeks ago. I mounted them (please see attached photos). Well, the difference is massive, regarding to what it was before.
However I need some advice regarding mounting panels. I was told to move panels up, to cover wall/ceiling area. My 'studio', let's call it workspace is a living room with acoustic treatment ( 8 broadbands traps, similar construcion to REAL TRAPS). The traps are 60x120x10 cm frames loaded with 2 slabs of rockwool each and covered with 'breathable' fabric. Two of them are mounted behind speakers, two in the corners behind a speakers, two facing speakers on a opposite wall and one in the corner on opposite wall.I am bit concerned about little 'dullnes' in current setup, maybe I should fit some paper sheats inside traps, to reflect more highs, or maybe I just can't get used to new sound of my room. I can hear some peaks in upper bass like 200-300 Hz, I think about bass traps, some day. Speakers are on pro stands fulled with sand, about 40 cm from back wall (excluding 10 cm of traps).
1. I got 8 panels mounted verticaly on walls (please see attached photos). It is not a pro studio, it's workspace in my living room. My girlfriend is not in love with panels and other gears.:) I need to find balance between studio and living room.
2. Maybe I am wrong but I got feeling that room is bit to dull. My friend who is a Sound Engineer told me it's fine, but I lost a bit of 3rd dimension , maybe because speakers are too close to wall ( unfortunatelly there's not a much I can do regarding this, maybe move them forward max. 10 cm). maybe because panels kill too much mids and highs.
4. However after instalation of panels I can say that is much much better then before, and I can hear some peaks in upper bass. That's the reason I want to build bass traps myself. On gearslutz forum someone adviced to fit vinyl sheets at the back of panels which can hellp to kill low frequencies. I was networking and found tube traps. I want to build 3 tubes, fit them in 3 corners of the room, behind the panels. I want build one square bass trap and fit it behind desk.
I will be very happy to hear from you about panels' placement.

photos - :
Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/WILLYW%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

[Glenn Kuras]

It looks pretty good to me. If you would like to compare it to the following page free free. If you think the room is dull then for any more bass traps use FRK facing to the front of them

GIK Acoustics: Room Setup


Glenn

[tresperros]

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

It looks pretty good to me. If you would like to compare it to the following page free free. If you think the room is dull then for any more bass traps use FRK facing to the front of them

GIK Acoustics: Room Setup



Glenn

Hello Glenn,

Thanks for your reply. Obviously I know your website and others ( I read this forum quite often, plus I read SOS forum, where you are very helpful)
I've run cd test with diffrent freq. I don't have any meter, though for my ears I got horrible peaks from 124-135 Hz (worst), a bit about 70 Hz, 95 Hz, some more peaks and dips, but not so obvious. I thought that boomy frequency in my room was about 200Hz ( I just thought, didn't check it) Now I know, sometimes when bass guitar plays one note is much much louder then anything else. Few days ago on SOS forum I was adviced to move my rear panels ( vertical ones up to ceiling, mount them 45 degr. between walls and ceilings) plus corner one up to ceiling and mount a sort of difussor on the current place of panels. ( I was thinking about 2 shelves with books). Same with my panels behind speakers. Corner ones - up to ceiling, vertical ones - same like on opposite wall - by ceiling 45 degrees. I think maybe it's great idea, but I don't have any more panels, so what about empty space behind my speakers ?
I was advice not to go into tube traps as well. I thought to build myself 3 and fit them behind corner panels.

What do you think Glenn ??

thanks

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by tresperros

...and mount a sort of difussor on the current place of panels. ( I was thinking about 2 shelves with books).

Books aren't great from a diffusion or an absorption standpoint. Check out this link on duffusion: http://www.gikacoustics.com/education_diffusion.html

The deal with books as diffusion is addressed there.

Frank

[tresperros]

Hi,

I got it, but.... When you see photos, you will understand that this is not a proper studio, just 'workspace'. Plus it's in a living room, so I need to find balance between living room and 'studio'. I can't mount proper diffusor on my back wall ( my girlfriend is loosing temper..) and the room is not too big. I need acoustic treatment which looks neat and pretty plus it works. By the way I was once in a private mastering studio in NY (top league) and there wasn't any professional acoustic treatments, just shelves with books ( a lot ) here and there, but when that guy played music...well I was jawdropping.
However, please advice me in this particular situation - should I move up my panels to 45 degr. ceiling/wall ? Is it bad idea to build tube traps myself and fit them behind corner panels ? Is it a really bad idea to mount 2 shelves on the rear wall (in front of the speakers) and move panels up to ceilings ?


thank you

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by tresperros

However, please advice me in this particular situation - should I move up my panels to 45 degr. ceiling/wall ? Is it bad idea to build tube traps myself and fit them behind corner panels ? Is it a really bad idea to mount 2 shelves on the rear wall (in front of the speakers) and move panels up to ceilings ?

Personally, I'd hit the corners of the room and the back wall first. After that's done I'd treat the wall/ceiling corners in most cases. I'll definitely stand by my comments on books as diffusors...they won't work well for a number of reasons. You'll be much better off using 4" or 6" panels on the back wall.

Frank

[tresperros]

Hello Frank,

Thanks for answer. Would you mind to be more precise ? I got 8 panels only and obviously moving them from one place to another I need to find compromise. Please see atached photos and tell which one, where to ?


Thanks for your help mate


PS. I understand that mounting shelves with books on a faceing-speakers wall is a bad idea:) cheers

[Weasel9992]

Unfortunately I can't open the photos. Conventional wisdom is, of course, to get all 4 corners, back wall and front and real wall/ceiling corners. Since you don't have that many panels you'll have to move around what you have to see what works best for you. The back wall is certainly a necessity though...some of highest peaks and deepest nulls will come off the back wall. From there it's going to be about experimentation...or making more panels.

Taking some measurements would elimiate a lot of guesswork...there are some free room EQ wizards out there. Try this: http://www.hometheatershack.com/roomeq/

Frank

[tresperros]

Hello again,

Here we go - photos below. I need to add that my 'studio isn't a square... there's a plan of my room (sorry for a quality but I am not a graphic..)
I add simple notes regarding panels. I cannot move panels and experiment, because I rent flat and can't leave ugly holes on walls. So when I make my desicion, It must stay ( no mistakes.. :). Slabs are 10 cm deep ( 2 rockwool 5 cm slabs each), 60x120 cm - standard. Would you mind to point which panel where, please ?? Like I mentioned, cannot play with them ....


Thank you very much for your help. I'd forgotten about shelves already..:)))

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by tresperros

Hello again,

Here we go - photos below. I need to add that my 'studio isn't a square... there's a plan of my room (sorry for a quality but I am not a graphic..)
I add simple notes regarding panels. I cannot move panels and experiment, because I rent flat and can't leave ugly holes on walls. So when I make my desicion, It must stay ( no mistakes.. :). Slabs are 10 cm deep ( 2 rockwool 5 cm slabs each), 60x120 cm - standard. Would you mind to point which panel where, please ?? Like I mentioned, cannot play with them ....

First of all, that is the coolest layout diagram I've ever seen. It's like those felt board thingys we grew up with. Anyhow, I see what you mean about your room...symmetry is an issue there. Maybe take one panel from the front of the room and take that to the one uncovered back corner...you can take the one panel left in the front and turn it lengthwise between your monitors. I'd keep it the way you have it otherwise. I'm not sure what you can do about the symmetry issue.

Frank

[tresperros]

[quote=Weasel9992;2130892]First of all, that is the coolest layout diagram I've ever seen. It's like those felt board thingys we grew up with.


Thank you, it was a diagram which I used for planning. It was much easier moving models intead of furniture.
However it's nothing I can do regarding symmetry...well I can move out... What I was planning to do is :
1. all (3) corner traps - up to ceiling 45 degr.
2. 2 panels behind speakers - one up to ceiling 45 deg., another one horizontaly on the same wall, below the 45 degrees one
3. same thing with panels on the back wall - one up to ceiling, another horizontaly behind.
4. Tube traps - My 3 corners got panels, so fitting tube behind won't change a lot (regarding day to day use room as a living room) - Is it good idea ( I was told not to do so, and I've found somewhere else that it's OK) ?
5. built square bass trap and fit it behind my desk ( I got subwoofer and want to controll low freq better than now)?
6. I got horrible peaks in 124-135 Hz area don't know how to kill it...



thanks


PS more diagrams soon

[Glenn Kuras]

4. Tube traps - My 3 corners got panels, so fitting tube behind won't change a lot (regarding day to day use room as a living room) - Is it good idea ( I was told not to do so, and I've found somewhere else that it's OK) ?

I would just put fluffy (or rigid) fiberglass or mineral wool behind the traps.

Glenn

[tresperros]

Ok,
Any ideas where I can purchase it in UK ??

thank you