My DIY Acoustic Panels

[stuofsci02]

I have been working on my Basement setup for about 18 months now. It was an unfinished space.

Recently I decided I would build my own acoustic wall panels to take out the first reflection points, and tame the room a little. I thought the room already sounded great, but whoooaaaa, what a difference these panels made. I am ashamed that I waited this long. They have made one of the biggest differences of anything I have done.

I built these puppies out of Owens Corning 703, framed them in 1x4 pine and wrapped them in a cotton fabric that is both light weight and allow air to easily pass through. I would recommend these to anyone, as they are easy to build and the improvements are astonishing.

By my math, these panels should absorb everything from 250 hz and up very well. Even at 150 hz they are about 20 times as absorbant as the drywall surface.

I have noticed since installed them, that the room is so quiet when nothing is on. Echo is nonexistant. Sound stage has been improved dramatically, vocals are more focused and silky smooth.

Here are some photos of the building and finished product:

[rvsixer]

Wow, that is a great looking room. Nice job.

[Hank]

Very nice job - the fabric covering looks pro. At the back of the room, did you do anything there? One of those on each side wall at the back of the room will take care of "slap" echo.

[JonMarsh]

Cool stuff! A lot like Realtraps Guilford Mini-traps, or the RFZ traps I bought earlier this year! As I'm sure you know now, this kind of stuff makes a huge difference, and I'd call pretty mandatory to taking your system to a higher level.

Thanks for sharing your experience and pictures.

For those looking for material sources and info, check out this link:

ATS Acoustics

[---k---]

Very nice done. Classy look.

I'm sure you know this already, but I thought I would mention it. If you want to extend the bass absorption down in frequency, suspend the panels off the walls a little. Or put across a corner. If you look at Bobgolds website, he has the ratings for both placed directly on the wall and hung 16" off the wall.

I have 4 mounted in my room similar to you. But, if I could get away with it, I would consider hanging those behind the speaker so that there was about a 4" gap behind them. It wouldn't change the look significantly, but should improve it some.

Did you try any across the corners? or any other positions? I've seen on Real Traps site, he places them lengthwise across the floor to wall corner and ceiling to wall corner.

[stuofsci02]

Wow, that is a great looking room. Nice job.

Thanks!

[stuofsci02]

Very nice job - the fabric covering looks pro. At the back of the room, did you do anything there? One of those on each side wall at the back of the room will take care of "slap" echo.

I must give my wife credit. She helped me wrap them, and she did an amazing job on the corners.. I realized right then why I married her...

I have been thinking about ones in the back.. The problem I am worried about it making the room to dead.. I think I need some diffusers back there instead of absorbers..

[stuofsci02]

Very nice done. Classy look.

I'm sure you know this already, but I thought I would mention it. If you want to extend the bass absorption down in frequency, suspend the panels off the walls a little. Or put across a corner. If you look at Bobgolds website, he has the ratings for both placed directly on the wall and hung 16" off the wall.

I have 4 mounted in my room similar to you. But, if I could get away with it, I would consider hanging those behind the speaker so that there was about a 4" gap behind them. It wouldn't change the look significantly, but should improve it some.

Did you try any across the corners? or any other positions? I've seen on Real Traps site, he places them lengthwise across the floor to wall corner and ceiling to wall corner.

I think my next step will be DIY bass traps.. I don't really have any good corners for them though.. I am going to have to figure it out.... Because I my kids I am not able to have stuff sticking too far off the wall..

[stuofsci02]

Cool stuff! A lot like Realtraps Guilford Mini-traps, or the RFZ traps I bought earlier this year! As I'm sure you know now, this kind of stuff makes a huge difference, and I'd call pretty mandatory to taking your system to a higher level.

Thanks for sharing your experience and pictures.

For those looking for material sources and info, check out this link:

ATS Acoustics

Yes.. You are right... These are very similar to what I built...

[dyazdani]

Great job - these look almost identical to what I built a few years back. For my bass traps, I built the same thing, but out of 1x6s for the frames. They were filled completely with the fiberglass though instead of leaving a space as you did for the HF traps.

Nice room too!

[---k---]

I think my next step will be DIY bass traps.. I don't really have any good corners for them though.. I am going to have to figure it out.... Because I my kids I am not able to have stuff sticking too far off the wall..

You do what you can and live with it... Totally understandable. I no longer have the big corner absorbers i built a while ago...

[Eric S]

What a great set of panels and a very nice looking room! Congrats!

I built a set of 6 panels a few months ago that turned out looking much like yours. I did a two-tone tan and blue to match the colors of the room. This is probably one of the easiest DIY projects I've ever done.

[stuofsci02]

What a great set of panels and a very nice looking room! Congrats!

I built a set of 6 panels a few months ago that turned out looking much like yours. I did a two-tone tan and blue to match the colors of the room. This is probably one of the easiest DIY projects I've every done.

Nice.. It is an easy project... Throw up some pics of yours (if you have some), I would love to see them..

[Eric S]

Here is a pic of my sound absorbers:



You can find more details and pictures in my signature link. Three more items to work on before I can call the theater "complete": finish the surround speakers, HD projector, and new furniture. Right now, the theater is the catching spot for old/retired furniture, hence the green chair...

Eric

[gbegland]

You better be really careful. You have treaded down the slippery slope of DIY! Pretty soon, you be selling those nice B&Ws and making a pair of Statements or something. Everything looks excellent. Nice job. :T

Mine are frames from Ready Acoustics. Came prestuffed with 2 layers of 2" rigid fiberglass. I removed the back layer and inserted Bonded Logic.

Greg

[AdelaaR]

Very nice rooms inhere ... especially Eric's with the blue curtains and the diffusers on the ceiling looks really pro

[Eric S]

Very nice rooms inhere ... especially Eric's with the blue curtains and the diffusers on the ceiling looks really pro

Thank you for sharing your kind thoughts! Its been a long time in the works and I'm very pleased with it. Just another few months for additional details ... :B

I've always enjoyed seeing what others have done! Many of the posts here have provided some great inspiration for me!

[JonMarsh]

Here is a pic of my sound absorbers:



You can find more details and pictures in my signature link. Three more items to work on before I can call the theater "complete": finish the surround speakers, HD projector, and new furniture. Right now, the theater is the catching spot for old/retired furniture, hence the green chair...

Eric

VERY nice looking, Eric! :T A great work in progress!

[Hank]

Good work! And, very nice room. I'd suggest before you go further, get some measurement software and a mic. Also, Jon's reference is a good one.

[kevinm]

Has anyone here experimented with the corner bass trap route? I've been investigating those for a while....seems mixed on approaches.

[JonMarsh]

Two issues there-

1) to determine if a corner trap is needed

2) to determine if you need broad band or tuned to a specific frequency range (think Helmholtz radiator)

3) Plan of attack for design and for construction.


Doing a "Fire, ready, Aim" plan would not be optimum, as in most things... :W

[kevinm]

Haha, I read "fire, ready, aim" a few times before I actually read it correctly. At first I was confused. Aren't you supposed to aim before you fire? Haha.

I have the measurements of the room from REW, so I was going to start working with the data to see where the troubled spots are. Can't wait to find some of the issues!