Acoustics Wall - The project.

[haraldo]

I spent years upon years, getting where I am with the music rig, but I did not do the things with acoustics, so in 2022, I decided to make a change.

Build an acoustics front wall, that does this:
- Surrounds the TV to make the TV flush mounted in the wall
- Maximize acoustics benefits, iainly absorption
- Make it a stunning statement of modern visual design.

I contacted Art Novion to get some ideas and inspiration and they sent me this:

In this thread I will document, step by step the process of my acoustics wall, from concept to completion

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - Art Novion

After spenind more than half a year researching all kinds of panels on the market I enden up with these panels from Art Novion, Portugal. This is not cheap at around $1700 for a package of 10 panels, but they look stunning, and perform really well, I think. Quietly Siena K, NaruraL OAK

The panels arrived on a large pallet

Unpacked, wow

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - toolset

Some of these panews had to be cut and extremely precisely, so I needed to get some precision tools for this cutting, I don´t have but I was able to rent a professional De Walt battry driven track saw, making it possible to do precise cuts with millimeter precision.

I also used a simple miter saw that I have in order to cut the 2" x 2" studs for the framework.

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - Building the framework, part 1

Here is the starting point, room for improvement

Building a skeleton to support the acoustic panel, leaving room for Rockfon Industrial 2" absorbers, depth exactly matching so that the front of the acoustic panels will be flush with TV.

Everything is painted and all parts of the framework that could be visible is painted matt black so that it will match the absorber part of the panels.

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - Building the framework, part 2

Framework done, time to cut and fit Rockfoon Industrial absorbers, the absorbers are very easy to cut with a special knife dedicated for this use.

I you look at tha last photos there are free room at the bottom for dedicated cable trunks, so that all cables will be hidden, behind the acoustics wall. The power cables, speaker cables and signal cables are also split to spaced dedicated channels.

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - Fitting the panels

Fitting the panels to the framework, this is simple by just fastening with small screws that go into the 2x2 studs.

Almost done

Also at the side, to be hidden behind the bass traps I added some extra power connectors with filters, to connect the subwoofers, the idea also being that any noice from the subwoofer power supplies should not be going back to other equipment, if it has an effect, I don´t know
But it makes for a very clean, good looking, setup

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - Finished ... (almost)

The finalized wall, butg now I realize the white DIY bass traops stand out too much, so I had to do something here too.

Painting them black
Maybe not?

 

[haraldo]

Acoustics wall - Finished ... (take 2)

I added a real oak panel bedind the AV rack to make it look cleaner and hide the cable mess

I had more acoustic panels so I fit them to the front of the bass traps, I think better

Getting there ........

 

[haraldo]

Studio Mode

I also made a "studio mode" where I add much more absorbers to kill the first reflections on side walls and reflections from the back of the speaker.... probably also adding panels in the ceiling as per Art Novion recommendation in the first post.

The result ...... The Art Novion products are simply stunningly amazing
I think mission accomplished, it looks good ...... and music to die for

 

[Mikado463]

Bravo , nicely done !

 

[haraldo]

Bravo , nicely done !

Thanks a lot

Just hope it could be some inspiration to others

 

[TLS Guy]

Thanks a lot

Just hope it could be some inspiration to others

Well, it certainly is front of the pack for acoustic treatments, as it looks like a panelled front wall. In general the best rooms look as if they have not been treated when in a myriad of subtle ways they have.

One big misconception is the first reflection issue. With good speakers you absolutely do NOT want to kill it. If the speakers off axis response mirrors the axis response, then those first reflections are in general highly beneficial and really open up the sound stage. The design of the cabinetry on my mains, really scatters the off axis response which is highly beneficial. This is another design tip I adopted from John Wright in his last design right before his untimely and early death.

 

[ski2xblack]

That's a killer job you've done there, a very clean and elegant look. Just top notch.

One big misconception is the first reflection issue. With good speakers you absolutely do NOT want to kill it. If the speakers off axis response mirrors the axis response, then those first reflections are in general highly beneficial and really open up the sound stage...

I do agree that killing off side reflections is generally unnecessary or even deleterious. But I suspect for haraldo's room, his "studio mode" would be beneficial.
-First it looks like his L and R are very close to the side walls. Good off axis response is indeed essential, but those reflections are also delayed in time. According to things I've read from Siegfried Linkwitz (and admitting he could be wrong on this), if the reflected sound is not adequately delayed it can adversely affect image/soundstage. Such close proximity of the speakers to the walls may not allow enough time delay. The "studio mode" greatly attenuates those reflections, largely eliminating that potential problem.
-Second, though untreated/undecorated, the right wall looks to be less lively than the big windows of the left wall, so "studio mode" might restore some acoustic symmetry.

 

[TLS Guy]

That's a killer job you've done there, a very clean and elegant look. Just top notch.


I do agree that killing off side reflections is generally unnecessary or even deleterious. But I suspect for haraldo's room, his "studio mode" would be beneficial.
-First it looks like his L and R are very close to the side walls. Good off axis response is indeed essential, but those reflections are also delayed in time. According to things I've read from Siegfried Linkwitz (and admitting he could be wrong on this), if the reflected sound is not adequately delayed it can adversely affect image/soundstage. Such close proximity of the speakers to the walls may not allow enough time delay. The "studio mode" greatly attenuates those reflections, largely eliminating that potential problem.
-Second, though untreated/undecorated, the right wall looks to be less lively than the big windows of the left wall, so "studio mode" might restore some acoustic symmetry.

That is true to extent, but having the speakers close together is even worse. Actually there is pretty good data that having the mains at least 14" from the side wall is just fine. In practice I find windows in his location are just fine. In my last AV room, and my current one, I have windows one side and not the other, and it is absolutely no problem.

I will say that the whole concept of room treatments has more nonsense and harmful advice than just about any other topic in audio. It all comes down to making excuses for lousy speakers which are far more numerous than bad spaces.

 

[haraldo]

That's a killer job you've done there, a very clean and elegant look. Just top notch.


I do agree that killing off side reflections is generally unnecessary or even deleterious. But I suspect for haraldo's room, his "studio mode" would be beneficial.
-First it looks like his L and R are very close to the side walls. Good off axis response is indeed essential, but those reflections are also delayed in time. According to things I've read from Siegfried Linkwitz (and admitting he could be wrong on this), if the reflected sound is not adequately delayed it can adversely affect image/soundstage. Such close proximity of the speakers to the walls may not allow enough time delay. The "studio mode" greatly attenuates those reflections, largely eliminating that potential problem.
-Second, though untreated/undecorated, the right wall looks to be less lively than the big windows of the left wall, so "studio mode" might restore some acoustic symmetry.

Thx a million times for your compliments

For absolutely everything I do... I use my ears and if it doesn´t improve the listening experience, I don´t do it ..... In this case the absorbers for the first reflections is a definitve upside, all that absorption and bass traps help the bass enourmosly, but still room modes to kill

And I measure what I do .... with Trinnov ....
Subwoofer response is uneven, so something with windows v.s. side wall

I had one of the best people I know with me here ... he said, I never heard Jim Reeves better
So I guess I done some things right

 

[haraldo]

Well, it certainly is front of the pack for acoustic treatments, as it looks like a panelled front wall. In general the best rooms look as if they have not been treated when in a myriad of subtle ways they have.

One big misconception is the first reflection issue. With good speakers you absolutely do NOT want to kill it. If the speakers off axis response mirrors the axis response, then those first reflections are in general highly beneficial and really open up the sound stage. The design of the cabinetry on my mains, really scatters the off axis response which is highly beneficial. This is another design tip I adopted from John Wright in his last design right before his untimely and early death.

You suggest I have lousy speakers?

I have been spending weeks with speaker placements, and I always end up with speakers far from front wall and really close to side walls and killing reflection .... imaging and realism is simply unreal in this case IMHO. Impossible to "hear the speakers", voices out in the room