I spent last weekend at the recording studios mentioned in the subject line with Jurassic 5. While there I examined the recording rooms for vocals and intruments to see what they did for acoustic control. While we wouldn't want the overdamped sound of a recording booth for our listening rooms, most of our spaces do need some help acoustically to improve our listening pleasure.
Here is what they use, over all the wall surfaces are covered with loose fitting pleated (5" wide) material, nothing special other than it was a fairly loose weave. Most of the walls are simple drywall with a few spots of rigid insulation material. Nothing that we don't already know works for our home theaters/music rooms. What did surprise me was that the walls were receased 4" anywhere there was a diffuser. Several DIY sites for acoustic panels have mentioned that they should be a few inches away from the wall to be effective.
Making a copy of the wood diffusers they use would be pretty simple and probably no more than a afternoons worth of work. Considering the cost of wood diffusers from most companies these would be worth considering.
Here is the formula:
The wood strips are screwed onto 3 horizontal 1"x3" pieces of MDF, evenly spaced, about 13" apart.
There is a 3/4" gap between each wood strip.
Each wood strip is 54" long.
Unfortunatly you will need a table saw to make the strips because for the most part they are unconventional widths.
The strips are the following widths, to be laid out in the order given.
1 1/2", 3 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", 2 3/4", 3 3/4", 2", 4", 2", 2", 1 1/2", 2 3/4"
2 3/4", 4", 2", 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 1 1/4", 2", 2 3/4", 3 1/2", 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 2"
This was the size of the widest diffuser I ran across. There were many that weren't as wide that followed the same formula, in that they started with the first measurement I gave and then only continued to whatever width was needed.
Seems like a worthwhile project for anybody that wants the effect of wood diffusers. My guess would be that you could paint or stain the strips any color you needed to make them fit into your living situation. I suppose you could even stretch a loose weave fabric over them.
Here is what they use, over all the wall surfaces are covered with loose fitting pleated (5" wide) material, nothing special other than it was a fairly loose weave. Most of the walls are simple drywall with a few spots of rigid insulation material. Nothing that we don't already know works for our home theaters/music rooms. What did surprise me was that the walls were receased 4" anywhere there was a diffuser. Several DIY sites for acoustic panels have mentioned that they should be a few inches away from the wall to be effective.
Making a copy of the wood diffusers they use would be pretty simple and probably no more than a afternoons worth of work. Considering the cost of wood diffusers from most companies these would be worth considering.
Here is the formula:
The wood strips are screwed onto 3 horizontal 1"x3" pieces of MDF, evenly spaced, about 13" apart.
There is a 3/4" gap between each wood strip.
Each wood strip is 54" long.
Unfortunatly you will need a table saw to make the strips because for the most part they are unconventional widths.
The strips are the following widths, to be laid out in the order given.
1 1/2", 3 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", 2 3/4", 3 3/4", 2", 4", 2", 2", 1 1/2", 2 3/4"
2 3/4", 4", 2", 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 1 1/4", 2", 2 3/4", 3 1/2", 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 2"
This was the size of the widest diffuser I ran across. There were many that weren't as wide that followed the same formula, in that they started with the first measurement I gave and then only continued to whatever width was needed.
Seems like a worthwhile project for anybody that wants the effect of wood diffusers. My guess would be that you could paint or stain the strips any color you needed to make them fit into your living situation. I suppose you could even stretch a loose weave fabric over them.
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