Room treatment suggestions

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spike99

Junior Audioholic
Hi,

I'm starting to think about room treatment for my HT in my living room.

I have checked a couple of companies like Auralex & Realtraps where u send them pictures & room measurements and then they make recommendations.

Is there any company that are recommended ? I'm a bit concerned about wife complaining about home decor. I'll have to do some convincing... :) So if there's a company that has better home decor... the better.

Thanks in advance.
 
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jostenmeat

Audioholic Spartan
Check out GIK Art panels. You can send them art, and they can custom dye them for you. The pictured set belongs to Glenn Kuras (of GIK).

Real Traps has very nice stuff, and it does use pricier OC 705 with some nice powder coating process for the frames IIRC, but they are much pricier than GIK. The GIK cheaper stuff doesn't have the fit n finish, but you can step up the wood framed type for a better look, and of course then there are the art panels.

If anyone is any good with art (dye), you could look to save a lot of money whether full blown DIY or perhaps some Chameleon kits I think they're called, from Ready Traps. No it's Ready Acoustics.

http://www.readyacoustics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=26_11_15&products_id=34

 
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spike99

Junior Audioholic
Thanks.

I'll start checking these suggestions.

BTW, will I notice I real difference in sound ? I know that I had gone to best buy to audition for my B&W speakers and I have not heard the same WOW factor in my living room... I don't know If I'll be able to duplicate that room acoustics... but my question is... Is it worth it ?

I also remember walking to a audio dealer and had taken me to a room where when he spoke... It was like... wow... I'm sure that room was treated from the floor to the ceiling.
 
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WaynePflughaupt

WaynePflughaupt

Audioholic Samurai
Wall-to-wall carpet is a great acoustical treatment, and relatively economical too. In fact, I’ve never felt the need for additional treatments. But then, every place I’ve lived in, the living room had an irregular floor plan that opened up to other areas. If you have a “shoebox” room, your mileage may vary. Still, Best Buy has carpet on the floors in the Magnolia listening rooms, and you can bet that audio dealer did too...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
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dapack69

dapack69

Senior Audioholic
Unfortunately, I have hardwood floors.
I recommend putting a throw rug half way between the speakers and your listening area.

I use ready acoustics for my room treatments.
 
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spike99

Junior Audioholic
OK, So I have checked a couple of companies and have an idea what I need to do... but the question what company to go with... Below are my impressions

GIK - Leaning towards this one. The ability to put pictures on panels on their ArtPanels is appealing.
RealTraps - Good but panels are plain. I believe I have the ability to have a painter paint on panels but can be very very expensive doing this.
Auralex - Although plain panels... their trapezoid panels could be decorative and wife pleasing...

There are some differences in thickness of these panels... and I'm not sure if it makes a difference...
GIK - 242 panels are 3.5" thick
RealTraps - RFZ Panels 2" thick
Auralex - Panels 1" thick

Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
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jostenmeat

Audioholic Spartan
If by plain you mean monochrome, ok then. Otherwise, while being monochrome, the RT panels have excellent fit 'n finish, better than any DIY I have personally seen.

The varying thicknesses have to do with 1) target frequencies, and 2) the material being used. GIK uses mineral wool which not only costs less but requires less "mass", or at least that is my present belief. OTOH, the material is much more difficult to work with for the DIYer.

If you got to RT's site, you will see that there is not only a difference with their different traps, but you can even get different versions of the same size trap to better target HF or not.

Do not paint your panels. There is a specific reason that I used the word "dye" in my first response here, and that is because paint is reflective.
 
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spike99

Junior Audioholic
If by plain you mean monochrome, ok then. Otherwise, while being monochrome, the RT panels have excellent fit 'n finish, better than any DIY I have personally seen.

The varying thicknesses have to do with 1) target frequencies, and 2) the material being used. GIK uses mineral wool which not only costs less but requires less "mass", or at least that is my present belief. OTOH, the material is much more difficult to work with for the DIYer.

If you got to RT's site, you will see that there is not only a difference with their different traps, but you can even get different versions of the same size trap to better target HF or not.

Do not paint your panels. There is a specific reason that I used the word "dye" in my first response here, and that is because paint is reflective.
Yes, what I meant to say was that RT RFZ panels are not decorative enough. They will be a tough sell for my wife :)

On the other hand, GIK can elect to print any pictures... this choice although more expensive is wife friendly...

On the performance side... are RT & GIK comparable ?

BTW, GIK panels are cheaper compared to RT... except they become more expensive that RT when you select panel with art...

Painting is out of the question for me... especially since I had someone quote me $1,200 per panel... LOL

What does DIY stand for ?
 
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Tubamark

Enthusiast

Wall-to-wall carpet is a great acoustical treatment


In general, carpet is NOT a treatment:eek:; it is best regarded as a surface material that has some impact upon acoustics. While it may have had a positive effect in your rooms, it often has the opposite effect in others.

Carpet only absorbs high frequencies. It can address sound "glare" off the floor, and can make a hard-surfaced room sound less harsh.

BUT, In a room with sidewall or bass issues (which most rooms have):(, carpet will only exaggerate the problems!

-- Mark
 
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Techlord

Audioholic
I was in the same situation the Original Poster (OP) a year ago, I wanted the expensive look at a cheap price so you have to find some middle ground. I purchased three 4 foot by 2 foot Owens Corning 703, then I ordered three Real Time's Chameleon C2™ High Frequency/Noise Absorption Panel - $139.99 for the frame, fabric and mounting hardware. All you have to do is order however many OC 703 you need and simply rap them into the fabric supplied with the Chameleon High Frequency/Noise Absorption Panel and hang them. $139.99 for the frame, fabric and mounting hardware and about $80 for three OC 703 fiberglass 4" panels equals about $180 for each panel that you can custom make in any color you want..

Techlord

 
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signmastr

Audiophyte
ATS acoustics also offers DIY or pre-made panels at reasonable prices.
 
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pjoseph

Full Audioholic
I need to put up some panels as well, I plan on making them myself since i do not have the cash to buy ones already made plus I love building stuff anyway.

Those ones shown on post #2 are amazing, does anyone know where to purchase material that has some kind of art or design on it for the panels?


Thanks
 
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valvesnvinylfan

Audioholic
I've ordered from both ATS and GIK and they're both great sources, especially for value, if you cannot DIY as I could not.
 
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