Custom acoustic panels with artwork or photos

[RobinKidderminster]

Here goes ..... If I were you .... (Feel free to tell me to go away )
£20 for a pack of 4inch rockwool. 4ftx2ft. Line the front wall (4ft vertical). See how it works for you and at worst.u have some loft insulation.
If it works then a simple wooden frame covered in cloth with the appearance of a 4inch shelf which doesnt even need to be attached to the wall. Freestanding would be ok. Pity I'm not closer to knock one up! But you may know someone to help. Only an hours work.

You should have enough to try first reflection points but then I think you may need a pro panel.

 

[MakkaPakka]

Foam isn't as effective as rockwool.

It's really not that hard to DIY panels. Get a mitre box to ensure you're cutting straight and take your time. You're only making a simple frame there's nothing advanced involved. I would recommend right angle brackets rather than nails/glue though as they're neater.

If you use good quality fabric (the Cara stuff on ebay) it's quite thick and will hide any minor imperfections.

As mentioned, a triangle full of rockwool is very effective, it's known as a 'super chunk'. They can even be made with the cheap £3 a roll fluffy insulation rather than the more expensive rigid panels.

 

[MakkaPakka]

stuff

The panel in your link looks neat. Did you have anything around the edges of the rockwool to keep shape around the corners?

 

[wilro15]

The consensus seems to be that I could probably live without acoustic panels and instead should focus on bass traps?

RobinKidderminster says to buy some rockwool as a test. Forgive me for being ultra-low-fi but would a load of pillows & duvets work as a test? Could I just stack some spare pillows behind the speakers and into the corner. Or is that as ridiculous as it sounds? :rofl:

 

[BigH]

The consensus seems to be that I could probably live without acoustic panels and instead should focus on bass traps?

RobinKidderminster says to buy some rockwool as a test. Forgive me for being ultra-low-fi but would a load of pillows & duvets work as a test? Could I just stack some spare pillows behind the speakers and into the corner. Or is that as ridiculous as it sounds? :rofl:

Probably not much use for bass. I thought bass was not your problem but higher reflections. Also leather sofas don't help.

What do you have down the left side of the room?

 

[jiggyjoe]

The consensus seems to be that I could probably live without acoustic panels and instead should focus on bass traps?

RobinKidderminster says to buy some rockwool as a test. Forgive me for being ultra-low-fi but would a load of pillows & duvets work as a test? Could I just stack some spare pillows behind the speakers and into the corner. Or is that as ridiculous as it sounds? :rofl:

Yes pillows and a duvet will work, but why focus on bass traps when your problem is at high frequencies?

A few big rugs on the floor and on the walls will help at high frequencies.

As for the bass, having your listening chair right in the middle of the room is a no no due to cancellation effects there, and no amount of bass traping will help.

Try listening from from either 1/3 or 2/3 the way from the front wall.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Not sure what you mean Makkapakka but rockwool is quite firm. The panel uses garden wire to hold the rw within the wooden frame and to strengthen it corner to corner. Not my best diy but a cheap test panel using spare rw and cloth.
Agreed BH the original thought was reflection of mid/high frequencies. They are easier to absorb and my feeling is that bass problems tend to sound like mid problems in that a muffled bass overpowers the mid. No science here, only intuition/experience. I found the bass traps cleared up a confused sound with complex music.
As to pillows & duvets I would say try them and if they help a little then a 'proper' treatment will be much more effective.

 

[MakkaPakka]

A rolled up duvet, placed upright should actually work fairly well in a corner.

 

[wilro15]

@BigH I say that because the opinion of people so far seems to be that acoustic panels don't work. Down the left side of my room is a window with a large radiator underneath - at present there is nothing on the windows but we are looking to get venetian style blinds.

 

[BigH]

I used 4" thick sofa cushions about 2' square, some were filled with thick foam and others were feathers, did not make much difference if any to my sound.

Im interested by the comments that bass traps do not reduce bass.

 

[wilro15]

@jiggyjoe Earlier posts from peeople seem to say that they don't think acoustic panels had any effect, so I am wondering if the problems lie elsewhere.

Bass is a little on the light side. Some people were saying this may be due to bass reverberating off the rear wall and cancelling out the bass from the speakers. I don't have a wall right behind me though so I suspected that was the result of lost bass. Turning up the bass control slightly seems to do that - I know that is an audiophile-no-no but its a compromise.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Jiggyjoe +1. Central seating is dodgy. So much depends on what we are prepared to do to acheive a home cinema system in a lounge environment. No answers but hopefully others suggestions help to find a compromise.
I find this thread of interest because those who ignore the room & only consider equipment will always be disappointed.
Cheers

 

[MakkaPakka]

Not sure what you mean Makkapakka but rockwool is quite firm. The panel uses garden wire to hold the rw within the wooden frame and to strengthen it corner to corner. Not my best diy but a cheap test panel using spare rw and cloth. .

Right, I have few 'bought' panels and they have thin wood around all the corners to ensure the fabric can be pulled tight whilst not squishing the corners in. Some of the DIY examples on youtube are just a frame the exact dimensions of the panel and the panel is laid on top of it i.e. nothing at all on the front corners of the rockwool that the fabric is pulled over.

I've made corner traps (super chunks) but ordering some slabs for the rest of the room soon.

 

[BigH]

@BigH I say that because the opinion of people so far seems to be that acoustic panels don't work. Down the left side of my room is a window with a large radiator underneath - at present there is nothing on the windows but we are looking to get venetian style blinds.

Acoustic panels do work, where did you get that from?

Windows are a problem, laminated glass will help if you ever think of changing it. I would get some thick curtains, venetian blinds I think will make it worse, vertcals blinds of a soft material may help.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Cant keep up with this thread! Bass with its (very) long wavelength and high energy suffers cancellation where high frequencies are easily absorbed by carpet, curtains, furniture etc.If two (loud) high energy waves are out of phase (as in reflected) the result will be no sound. (In a perfect scientific environment). In practice, ofcourse, it leads to frequency distortions, muddy bass etc.
I think even with an open ended room the reflective bass remains an issue. I am no expert and as always suggest experimentation to see what works before committing.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Not sure what you mean Makkapakka but rockwool is quite firm. The panel uses garden wire to hold the rw within the wooden frame and to strengthen it corner to corner. Not my best diy but a cheap test panel using spare rw and cloth. .

Right, I have few 'bought' panels and they have thin wood around all the corners to ensure the fabric can be pulled tight whilst not squishing the corners in. Some of the DIY examples on youtube are just a frame the exact dimensions of the panel and the panel is laid on top of it i.e. nothing at all on the front corners of the rockwool that the fabric is pulled over.

I've made corner traps (super chunks) but ordering some slabs for the rest of the room soon.

I chose for lightness to make a wooden frame from 4inch/4mm wood and steel corner brackets bolted. I tensioned the frame corner to corner with garden wire and ensured square. The 2inch rockwool then dropped in, one from each side. I then used wire to stop the rw from 'falling out'. This is not any recommendation, merely an explaination in making a lightweight panel. Cheers

Back to the op, Playing with duvets & pillows both behind the fronts and on the floor & walls should highlight the most important areas for treatment & then go from there. I was recommended a panel behind the setee but found corner bass traps far more.effective but every room is different.
Wanna buy some headphones??

 

[wilro15]

@BigH in an earlier post I linked to these but someone said they may not work that well.

 

[wilro15]

@Rob Yeah I just want to listen to music now!

 

[RobinKidderminster]

BigH's link seems sound to me tho look expensive. I think everyones oprions here look good.
However, you want to listen to music???? Are you mad???? This is a serious forum!!!! Wake up man!!!!
Enjoy. :cheers:

 

[BigH]

@BigH in an earlier post I linked to these but someone said they may not work that well.

Yes they are small and probably the wrong sort of material and thickness to do much good that does not mean all panels do not work. Thats like saying an airrifle will not kill a elephant but does not mean all guns are the same. You need to get the right tool for the job. I would do some reading of sites like this: http://gikacoustics.co.uk/testing-for-corner-bass-trap-placement/

 

[michael hoy]

Try these people - http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ssn=advancedacoustics&rt=nc

Used them myself.

 

[BigH]

Try these people - http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ssn=advancedacoustics&rt=nc

Used them myself.

Thats the link I was looking for, there is a kit for £100 that maybe good for you?

 

[MakkaPakka]

Pesonally I wouldn't bother with foam at all.

If you can find the 'NRC' ratings you'll see that foam has a very limited range compared to rockwool (which incidentally is a brand name - similar things are available).

Explanation of NRC here:

http://www.soundacousticsolutions.com/blog/what-is-nrc-/2747

 

[wilro15]

The Auralex brand of foam panels and wedges publish their NRC ratings here :http://www.auralex.com/testdata/

Having said that they look expensive too.

 

[jiggyjoe]

I think going down the road of acoustic panels all over the room will end up causing as many problems as you are trying to solve.

without measuring your speakers in room response its going to be nigh on impossible to know what frequencies need what treatment.

unfortunately people choosing these lovely minimalist sparse rooms to put their hifi/av rooms is a complete disaster as far as sound reproduction goes.

The best way to getting a good sound is to put some stuff in the room, rugs, pictures,plants, statues, ornaments, cd racks, bookcases etc all over the walls and floors.

This will diffuse and disperse the soundwaves, much better than trying to absorb.