Home made bass trap : As good as commercials bass traps ?

[Romain74]

Hi all,

I'm looking to build home made bass traps, with rockwool as usual (have seen many post on gearslutz and searching on google) but if i compare our bass traps to "pro" bass traps i can see many differences of conception.

For example : The primacoustic Fulltrap

Primacoustic - Acoustical Solutions

The extended range is achieved via a 3-way absorption process that includes an absorptive front panel to control mid-range and high frequencies; an air cavity behind the front panel that extends bass and provides low mid control; plus a heavy limp-mass membrane that is suspended within the frame and left to vibrate to absorb deep bass.

So my question is : If you have not a 1 Million $ facility, Could home-made bass traps be almost as good as pro bass traps ? (don't know if this sentence is 100% understandable).

Thanks, Rom.

[avare]

Originally Posted by Romain74

So my question is : If you have not a 1 Million $ facility, Could home-made bass traps be almost as good as pro bass traps ?

The short fun answer is no, they can be identical in acoustical performance.

Enjoy!

Andre

[gremmy]

broadband absorption panels are probably the easiest DIY acoustic treatment (certainly easier than diffusers, which can be a real PIA!)

So anyway, there is no reason why a homemade absorption panel cannot perform as good as a commercial purchased unit. The biggest reason to buy them is to save time, or if you don't have the tools or the confidence in the shop to build your own.

Looking at the description you provided, the only part of that "commercial" trap that I wouldn't know how to build is the "limp mass membrane," which many commercial traps do not have anyway.

The front absorption panel and the air gap are easy to DIY with identical results to commercial panels, provided hat you are using materials with known acoustic properties and standard construction techniques.

[RKrizman]

It seems like you could do a DIY built in very easy by stradling a corner with 4" thick 705 and then hanging your limp mass membrane behind it. Just put in a wood crossbeam, nail it on, and let it hang. I'd guess the material could be the 1 lb per sq ft roll up stuff sold to provide isolation between rooms.

You may or may not want to have facing on the side of the 705 that faces into the room for some high frequency reflection.

-R

[PaulP]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

It seems like you could do a DIY built in very easy by stradling a corner with 4" thick 705 and then hanging your limp mass membrane behind it. Just put in a wood crossbeam, nail it on, and let it hang. I'd guess the material could be the 1 lb per sq ft roll up stuff sold to provide isolation between rooms.

It would be easy to run a test without the limp mass then hang it and test again.
It would be interesting to see what effect it has.

Paul P

[DanDan]

It would be easy to run a test without the limp mass then hang it and test again.
It would be interesting to see what effect it has.

+1 would love to see that test.
DD

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by DanDan

+1 would love to see that test.
DD

me too but would like to see it in a lab.

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

me too but would like to see it in a lab.

Yeah, I agree. Informal tests are fun, but there are too many variable and few real controls. It ends up being just one more thing for people to bicker about. Lab tests are much less susceptible to uncontrolled error.

Frank

[RKrizman]

OTOH, you can try it in your own room and see if it improves things or not. You'll know.

-R

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

OTOH, you can try it in your own room and see if it improves things or not. You'll know.

-R

I like that idea. In the end, that's the only thing that really matters.

Frank