Favorite Room Treatments

[Paul Pohopien]

Was wondering if we could hear some opinions on favorite room treatments, foam, tube traps, carpet, ceiling and or wall treatments?

Given the directional nature of Logan's I'm really interested in hearing what everyone feels is the most important treatment area (corner, side walls, etc.)

Just for perspective, might be a good idea to provide rough room dimensions and speaker types.

As for me, I found the largest improvement in treating my rear wall with Jon Risch's DIY insulation recipe and am considering treating my low ceiling next. I use Aerius in a fairly small 12X15X7 room.

Paul.

 

[kach22i]

1. What is; Jon Risch's DIY insulation recipe?

2. Please provide a link.

3. Looking at the member systems will give you a good idea of whats being used. Even if someone forgets to mention their room treatment they often show up in the photos.

4. I am member systen #42, what you don't see is the heavy wool blanket which I drape over the TV, and the pillow I stack on top of the TV for serious listening.

5. I made all of room treatments and speaker bases. It was a bunch of fun, plus a lack of money (at the time) made me do it.

 

[DTB300]

1. What is; Jon Risch's DIY insulation recipe?
2. Please provide a link.

Jon Risch Web Site. Many DIY things from Acoustic Treatment, IC's, PC's.

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/index2.htm

 

[jjqiv]

See this thread:

http://www.martinloganowners.com/~tdacquis/forum/showthread.php?t=594

 

[DTB300]

jjqiv....

Have you had a chance to make the 16" version yet and compare to the 7" version? If so, what were your results?

Dan

 

[SugarMedia]

I saw a rather abstract wall treatment at an audio store in Croatia last week. They were placed on the wall behind the speakers as art and looked suprisingly cool...

They took cardboard egg cartons, the kind that hold 24 eggs. They then used a painters canvas, which was about 4'x3' in size. Some coating glue (flour and water), a staple gun and paint. The paint had the consistency of it being a powered mix... similar to what you might commonly find in a grade school.

Each 24-count egg carton was then stapled together, but not flat. I'm guessing they were molded when slightly wet to create dips and peaks and then stapled to the canvas' and then painted a solid color.

I took some pictures of them, but not with my digital. I will try to post at a later date, or show you the ones I am going to 'try' and make.

 

[jjqiv]

jjqiv....

Have you had a chance to make the 16" version yet and compare to the 7" version? If so, what were your results?

Dan

No, I have not picked up any new sheet rock yet. If the rain ever stops.......

 

[Paul Pohopien]

Kach22i - Good idea checking on the member systems, thanks.

DTB300 - I've constructed only the larger (about 16") tube traps and one 4 foot by 8 foot fiberglass panel at the back of the room. The rear panel really helped draw the image forward, and back into focus. As far as the "tube traps" I still have some boominess and I suspect pretty much anything that would deflect sound away from sitting in those corners would do the trick. I'm actually considering doing away with the tube traps and building a floor to ceiling panel, about 3 feet wide, to fit up against the corner.

For the cost that we all pay for this stuff, I consider these little "room tweaks" extremely cost effective. Even if they only work marginally, there is probably a larger impact on the sound that an esoteric brand of interconnects!

 

[DTB300]

Room Corners - DIY

No, I have not picked up any new sheet rock yet. If the rain ever stops.......

I have made my own corner items (15" triangles) recently out of foam board - this is poster board with foam between. I then put some white glue on the back and put some polyester fill stuck to the glue. This made about a 3" layer of fill covering the entire back except the very corners. So essentially I have a reflective surface on the front and absorption on the back.

In all, it cost me under $5 to make all 4 of them - a DIY dream. Since I have drop acoustic tile ceilings, I was able to attach them with paper clips stuck into the tiles and into the foam board - very unobtrusive (the painters tape was too much on the outside, or would not stick right on the backs). My walls are "stucco-like" with a very rough finish, so the bottom corner just sort of sticks there being caught by the texture in the corners on the edges of the foam board.

If anyone is interested in pictures of what I have done, just let me know and I will take some to post.

Initial impressions? Not real sure yet, as I have to play around with them in place and removed. But initiall the music sounds a little louder with them in place - NOTE: The Eight Nerve product, which these are based after, except those are pillow like, stated the same effect - the room seemed louder. Bass seems every so slightly better, high end seems to be a little less "ssss'y" on words on "S" when singing...and vocals seem more clear. So it is reduced "S's" or better vocals which would reduce the "S" sound? Good question. But again this is initial and I need to do more listening tests with and without.

I am also thinking about putting some fabric over the front part, just for better looks than the white foam board look.

Not sure what the wife will think about them when she sees them, other than what JJIV stated...that we are nuts

Dan

 

[Kruppy]

Pictures

Dan,
I wouldn't mind seeing some photos when you have the chance.

 

[SugarMedia]

Dan,

I too would like to see a few photos.

Regards,

 

[DTB300]

Posting Photo's

I have not forgot about posting the photos for everyone....Been busy with things....I will try to get something up soon...

Dan

 

[jjqiv]

Dan,

My reaction was similar to yours with just the corner triangles. What made a bigger difference was the addition of the wall seam treatments. I like your idea of using foam board. Inexpensive and light. I think I'll try that instead of sheet rock for the larger triangles and maybe the ceiling to wall seams.

As in the article, a good test for the change in the room sound was to listen to the sound of your own spoken voice.

Jim

 

[DTB300]

Dan, My reaction was similar to yours with just the corner triangles. What made a bigger difference was the addition of the wall seam treatments.

So you did the same thing with the sheet rock...just made long rectangles to go in the seams? How long and wide did you make them? And did you place them half-way between the corners?

I like your idea of using foam board. Inexpensive and light. I think I'll try that instead of sheet rock for the larger triangles and maybe the ceiling to wall seams.

I just happen to have it lying around and thought...like sheet rock, but lighter, cheaper, and easier to work with, and if it falls down, no mess.

Right now I have about 3" of poly fill on the back. The triangles sit in the corner, but have room around all the edges for sound to get behind for some possible absorption. I first had them tight to the corner, but then thought about the pillows that Eighth Nerve uses, so brought them out a little bit.

Now I will try to add another 2-3" of poly fill to get more fill behind - more density of fill, and keep the same distance from the wall.

I plan on replacing some receptacles tonight, and I hope to be able to work on the corners some more and get some pictures for folks.

BTW...my wife has noticed them and asked: "What are those doing in the corners?" I told her I was playing around with acoustic fixes in the room and used the foam board to save significant amounts of money. I think all she heard was ........save significant amounts of money......as I did not have to remove them

Dan

 

[jjqiv]

So you did the same thing with the sheet rock...just made long rectangles to go in the seams? How long and wide did you make them? And did you place them half-way between the corners?
Dan

No, for the wall seams I used some 1'x7'x3/4" scrap mdf I had lying around. I just tilted them into the corners.

 

[DTB300]

No, for the wall seams I used some 1'x7'x3/4" scrap mdf I had lying around. I just tilted them into the corners.

Okay...so you did the seam from the floor to the ceiling at the corners of the room. I thought you did the seams along the ceiling and side walls - my bad..

So it looks like your board was 1 ft wide and 7 ft tall. I would have to glue or attach two pieces of foam board together for length as I have very low dropped acoustic tile ceilings. The foam board is only 30" in length - almost 3 ft.

Dan

 

[DTB300]

Okay...I will be posting 4 pictures.

Picture 5A is a front view of the triangle - Note paper clips on corners
Picture 6A is a side view before I added more poly fill on the back
Picture 8A is a side view after adding more poly fill
Picture 10A is triangle mounted up in corner - Because of the extra poly fill, I had to use a nail on the bottom to hold it in place.

Note that I also have a stucco type wall, and dropped acoustic ceilings in a partial basement with heavy carpeted floors. Pretty good sounding room already for me, but I do get the usual bass accentuations or standing waves in the corners of the room. Not sure if I could ever get DIY Bass Traps in the room or not with the wife

Hope this helps out with the pictures to show what I have done. Like I stated before I am also thinking of covering the faces of the triangles with some material to make them look a little better.

Dan