DIY Bass traps

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Strike3

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DIY Bass traps
« on: 3 May 2020, 06:24 am »
So I think I may build some bass traps. I have the plans for the AcousticFields diaphramatic broadband style as well as their quadratic diffusors. But after looking at the GIK models I almost think its more cost effective for some of their membrane bass traps. Does anyone have any experience with either of the two companies? Also does anyone have any recommendations for determining low frequencies that I need to correct for based off of my room measurements. I thought I saw a program once or twice but I can't remember what it was.

FullRangeMan

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Re: DIY Bass traps
« Reply #1 on: 3 May 2020, 06:48 am »
Hi,
Starting Block is really for people to introduce themselves.
This question/thread is best posted in Acoustic Circle,
 so I'll move it there for you now.

JLM

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Re: DIY Bass traps
« Reply #2 on: 3 May 2020, 11:46 am »
Welcome!

Why do you want to build bass traps?  What are your complaints?  Have you measured the room?  Recommend measuring with REW (Room Eq Wizard) or Dirac with calibrated microphone.  Can't solve a problem you haven't defined. 

Suggest reading Floyd Toole's "Sound Reproduction" 3rd edition as the consummate audiophile primer to learn how speakers behave in-room before spending money/sweat elsewhere.  Knowledge is power.  In the book, you'll be lead to the use of carefully placed multiple subwoofers (I have three) as the second step (the first being finding the proper room, bigger is better, well shaped, and insulated).  Typical setups act like a hand moving back and forth in a shallow tub of water.  The waves hit the end and bounce back.  When they encounter the next wave they either cancel, double up, or interfere with each other.  In your room that translates into peaks/dips of up to 30 dB at different combinations of frequencies and locations. 

Absorption is the next step (mostly as a band-aid for sick rooms).  I use ten GIK 2ft x 4ft 244 panels (six "full range" and four "limited" range, <80 Hz) in my 8ft x 13ft x 21ft (an ideal room).  Very effective in lesser rooms and not expensive.  GIK uses Owens Corning 703 high density fiberglass, the secret to their effectiveness.  Glanced at the Acoustic Fields activated carbon, but the concept doesn't make sense to me as for instance the size of a 100 Hz sound wave is over 11 feet versus the tiny size of activated carbon particles.  Plus they're expensive and bulky.  Check out specifications for any absorptive products/materials. 

Bi-directional (not linear slots) quadratic diffusors are the best type to be used, but can only effective down to roughly 1,100 Hz due to the depth of the panels and the physical size of sound waves.  Most diffusors aren't bi-directional and aren't made of acoustically opaque construction.  Thankfully good diffusors are easy to make out of painted wood (but heavy).  Here's a good recipe:  prerecords.com/diffusor.cfm

timind

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Re: DIY Bass traps
« Reply #3 on: 3 May 2020, 12:43 pm »
I believe bass trapping in corners is almost always beneficial. Maybe I should say always in small rooms. This belief comes from the two rooms I've used them in.

Two years ago we moved and my system went in to a finished basement with a ceiling 2 inches shy of 8 feet. All of my bass traps were 4 feet tall so rather than order custom sized traps, I decide to DIY. It was a learning process, which means the second trap was much better built than the first trap. Here's a pic with the DIY trap on top:



Rob Babcock

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Re: DIY Bass traps
« Reply #4 on: 5 May 2020, 01:47 am »
Corner bass trapping is almost always helpful.  You can certainly build your own but depending on local availability of materials and your comfort level with DIY it's not a bad idea to buy bass traps, either.

giggsy

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Re: DIY Bass traps
« Reply #5 on: 22 May 2020, 09:14 pm »
What damping materials are you using for the traps?

jk@home

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Re: DIY Bass traps
« Reply #6 on: 25 May 2020, 02:55 pm »
Here's a thread describing how I built my diy panels, used Owens Corning 703 (6" version for the bass traps:

 https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=113202.msg1177900#msg1177900