Where to Place Bass Traps

[Rob Coates]

Where would be the best place to place bass traps in an irregular shaped room such as this:

[Jens Eklund]

Originally Posted by Jens Eklund

1. Learn how to make measurements: REW - Room EQ Wizard Home Page
Don’t do anything without measurements.

2. Find the best position. Usually centered up against a short wall, is the best place to start. Confirm with measurements. If the room is big, you can experiment with a position away from the wall but then usually more than approx. 1,5-2 meters from it (speakers).

3. Identify and treat your modal and SBIR related issues and educate yourself about different bass-absorbing techniques.

4. Treat areas that otherwise creates early reflections.

5. If the room is big enough, add diffusers (but read up on how to use diffusers before going nuts).


Always base your decisions regarding different treatment, on measurements. Avoid thin porous only absorbers (including wall to wall –carpet, drapes etc.) unless a measurement indicates the need for it. There are many informative threads lying around; find them.

[Glenn Kuras]

s Where would be the best place to place bass traps in an irregular shaped room such as this:

Starting out you are going to want to place them in the corners. Here is a layout you can go from
GIK Acoustics: Room Setup
Also there are some newsletters here that might help you with the understanding of room acoustics.
Acoustic Primer. GIK Acoustics. Acoustic Panels and Bass Traps.
Articles and Newsletters. GIK Acoustics. Acoustic Panels and Bass Traps.

[Jens Eklund]

The general rule of thumb; ”put it in the corners” might work in many scenarios but if not rectangular shape and rigid boundaries, one really needs to measure and investigate the modal behavior of the space in order to know what needs to be done (and this actually applies to all rooms even if rectangular since no wall is completely rigid and there’s always at least one opening to the room; the door).

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/5939703-post11.html

[Glenn Kuras]

Did I say not to measure??

[Jens Eklund]

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

Did I say not to measure??

No, you did not, you just forgot to mention it ...

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

Starting out you are going to want to place them in the corners.