When absorbers start to look more like great furniture? Pictures?

[Glenn Kuras]

Well we sell these but maybe this would inspire you??

[PaulP]

Originally Posted by Spall

I'm having some broadband absorbers made up for me shortly and I'm looking for inspiration. These will be hard wood frames complimented by nice joins and be a combination of function and ultra good looks.

I guess I'm reaching out to lovers of fine looking furniture here perhaps, because what I'm aiming for is something that will impart as much style into the room as effective absorption. Funnily enough for inspiration I've been looking at nicely crafted book shelving and the like.

Can anyone point me to any photos of absorbers that may be in line with what I'm after? Nicely finished, bold and stylish. Something out of the ordinary perhaps?

Are you treating a control room, live room, music listening room or home
theater ? Or something else entirely ? I'm curious because I don't see
much reason to have beautiful furniture quality absorbers in a control
room. High end live and listening rooms seem to go to diffusion much more
than absorption (or at least what absorption there is is concealed). That
leaves home theater but again the absorption is usually concealed.

I'm currently an ex furnituremaker and have been giving some thought
myself to making interior decorator quality treatment. Not an easy task.
I think the more you can hide/integrate the absorption the nicer it will
look. Glenn's coffee table is nice but you're going to need a lot more
absorption than that for any kind of effect. The absorbers with printed
artwork / photos (that Glenn also sells) look pretty good, but they have
no 'furniture' showing. Maybe something similar but with a nice painting-
style frame ? (but again you'd need a lot of them and your room will end
up looking like Dumpledore's office).

I find this concert hall inspiring. I'm guessing the light panels are absorption
that has been added recently. I think a slightly darker material would have
looked better though.

Paul P

[Spall]

Originally Posted by PaulP

Are you treating a control room, live room, music listening room or home theater ? Absorbers with printed artwork / photos (that Glenn also sells) look pretty good, but they have no 'furniture' showing. Maybe something similar but with a nice painting-style frame ? (but again you'd need a lot of them and your room will end up looking like Dumpledore's office).
Paul P

Haha, how did you know I was going for the Dumpledore look? Sensational.

The room I am treating is a small mix room which is essentially a studio within my (rented) house. I've recently composed/produced a TVC which has enabled me to upgrade my gear/workflow and I have to expect that at some point I may have a client or two drop in.

So it has to look as professional as it can until I can move out into a proper facility. You won't see any oil lamps or rugs hanging in this room, I'm trying to present it cleanly and as nice for drop-ins as it is for myself.

The conert hall photo is stunning. Yes the white absorption panels look good and agree that it would be more effective if darker. I like the timber frames though.

And as you say - I ideally want the 'furntiture' showing also. My only thought thus far is getting some nice thick hardwood frames built with great looking joins - possibly with additional wood decoration inside the frame. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[PaulP]

Since your room is small I'd go for the simple modern look. A solid wood frame
the width of the absorber with rounded edges. Perhaps with holes in the
sides (which would make for a better absorber) but they'd have to be more
than simple circles to look good. The species of wood would be chosen to go
well with your decor.

I'd probably use a box/finger joint at the corners like this (but with solid wood, and disregard the groove) :

If you wanted to get really fancy maybe something like this :

That's a heck of a joint and you can see how it's done here.

Then pick some nice cloth. I think the front looks better if the cloth is
on some sort of frame which is then mounted in such a way that there
is a sort of channel between the main outer frame and the cloth frame.

Diffusers, which could be useful sonically in your room, are great candidates
for nice woodwork.

Paul P

[Spall]

Hi Paul, sorry about the late reply on this.

So very impressed by your work, that is top class craftsmanship there. The finger joins are exactly what I'm after also, now to find someone here who can do them well. As for a channel, I think I understand what you're getting at there.

As for diffusers, yes you are right there and if there are any examples floating about I'd love to see 'em!

I sat through the process on your site to, fascinating stuff.

Cheers..

[PaulP]

Originally Posted by Spall

I sat through the process on your site to, fascinating stuff.

Those pictures and the site are not my work, I just picked them off the net.

In my defense here is one I did do, seen before sanding and finishing:

The wood is 1" thick yellow birch.

Please show us what you end up with.

Paul P

[Weasel9992]

Wow, Paul...very, very nice. That kind of craftsmanship is a fading art.

Frank