subwoofer rattles the room!

[pbarach]

My listening room is 12'10" x 14'5", and the front speakers are located along the short wall. On certain very low notes (e.g., organ pedal notes in the range of 20-30 Hz or thereabouts (for classical music lovers, the organ pedal phrase that happens near the end of "Saturn" in Holst's Planets), the entire room is resonating--but only on those specific frequencies; I had the subwoofer in a front corner when this happened. Then I moved it just behind one of the speakers along the front wall; same problem. Any suggestions for conquering this very specific room resonance problem?

 

[jaxvon]

I would think a good parametric EQ with adjustable Q would be able to fix that problem. Perhaps something like the Behringer DCX2496 or Feedback Destroyer.

 

[mtrycrafts]

), the entire room is resonating--but only on those specific frequencies; I had the subwoofer in a front corner when this happened. Then I moved it just behind one of the speakers along the front wall; same problem. Any suggestions for conquering this very specific room resonance problem?

Or, you could fix each resonating surface or object with an isolator, something between the object and surface?

 

[Tomorrow]

I'm still on RATTLE search and destroy missions after installing my STF-3. It's amazing what will buzz, creak, and rattle during a good s/w movie like The Chronicles of Riddick. All my electronic gear requires slippers, everything on the walls need pinning down. Heck, even the windows destroy the clean low bass with rattling. Virtually all of my wife's knick-knackery rocks and rolls with the sub.

But I'm still working on it.

 

[pbarach]

Or, you could fix each resonating surface or object with an isolator, something between the object and surface?

How can you stop double-hung windows (33"x48" each) from vibrating? The windows have leaded panes in their upper sashs. Not only the glass rattles (I can try puttying the windows), but the lower sashs actually vibrate against their tracks.

 

[shokhead]

How can you stop double-hung windows (33"x48" each) from vibrating? The windows have leaded panes in their upper sashs. Not only the glass rattles (I can try puttying the windows), but the lower sashs actually vibrate against their tracks.

Gee,i think its cool and let it rattle along. I'm happy to have a good enough sub to do that.

 

[ironlung]

Gee,i think its cool and let it rattle along. I'm happy to have a good enough sub to do that.

You must be kidding right? That reminds me of the guys back in high school with the $200 Chevy Celeberty and 2000 watt subs in the trunk. They were pleased as punch with the trunk lid buzzing away.

"SUBBIN' NASTY STYLE...........YOU KNOW!!!!"

Dynamat is relativly cheap compared to the cost of a high performance sub. Even some stragetically placed duct tape can do wonders for the rattles of the bric 'a' brack on the walls. As for the 1950 windows re-glaze can help replacement is probably the best bet.

 

[j_garcia]

Bass traps in the corners? Pull the sub out of the corner? By moving the sub towards the center of the room, you change where various frequencies collect and that alone may help. Have you run a sweep and measured the response to find out exactly what frequency the vibrations occur at? It sounds like you have a big peak down low, and when you get into the 20s, things do start to rattle.

 

[Tomorrow]

You are of course on the mark, JGAR. A sweep is the thing with repostioning perhaps.... and then one-ata-time nailing down of the remaining rattles.

By the way, we have new vinyl clad, dual glazed windows. They rattle just like any old 50's windows would. And I don't know whether to hate the noise or be proud. heh

 

[shokhead]

You are of course on the mark, JGAR. A sweep is the thing with repostioning perhaps.... and then one-ata-time nailing down of the remaining rattles.

By the way, we have new vinyl clad, dual glazed windows. They rattle just like any old 50's windows would. And I don't know whether to hate the noise or be proud. heh

Ironlung doesnt approve so dont be proud of it. LMAO I find it to be a badge of honor of sorts. Having a sub that wont rattle things is kinda like having a miniature *****.

Edit:
Remember, this is a family forum, try to make things appropriate.

 

[Tomorrow]

Ironlung doesnt approve so dont be proud of it. LMAO I find it to be a badge of honor of sorts. Having a sub that wont rattle things is kinda like having a miniature *****.

So THAT'S why I have Craigsub-envy. LOL!!

 

[majorloser]

I have a similar problem but not in the theater room. I understand that bass frequency formation has a lot to do with distance. Hence, the guy down the street rattling your home windows with his booming car.

My problem is with other rooms. I realize now when I built the room I should have isolated the internal drywall from the outside drywall in other rooms. The walls are 6 inch stud walls with fiberglass batting and 5/8 inch drywall.

I was wondering if there was something that could be done now to stop things from rattling in other rooms. Don't notice it in the theater and don't want to spend a fortune fixing it. Not noticible outside the house either.

 

[pbarach]

Have you run a sweep and measured the response to find out exactly what frequency the vibrations occur at? It sounds like you have a big peak down low, and when you get into the 20s, things do start to rattle.

I think you're right, and I will run a sweep as soon as I can find my Avia DVD (just moved, still unpacking). Even stamping on the floor is enough to rattle the windows in this 1920 house...

 

[mtrycrafts]

Bass traps in the corners? Pull the sub out of the corner? By moving the sub towards the center of the room, you change where various frequencies collect and that alone may help. Have you run a sweep and measured the response to find out exactly what frequency the vibrations occur at? It sounds like you have a big peak down low, and when you get into the 20s, things do start to rattle.

It is a matter of frequency and volume that rattles all his stuff at different frequencis. I seriously doubt these traps will help.

 

[j_garcia]

Traps will help tame certain frequencies at the intersection points where standing waves tend to collect and it may or may not help, because it depends on what frequencies various rattles are occuring. I'm sure room modes are responsible, and traps can help reduce them. It won't help with the windows though. I had the same problem at my old place, where the rear wall was basically entirely windows/sliding glass door from floor to ceiling 10' tall x 14' wide. In my current place, the windows don't rattle, but the floor does vibrate quite a bit because the room is large (19x20) and I am upstairs. Placement doesn't cost anything to adjust though, so I'd start with that.

 

[ironlung]

buzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz

Ironlung doesnt approve so dont be proud of it. LMAO I find it to be a badge of honor of sorts. Having a sub that wont rattle things is kinda like having a miniature *****.

I apologize if I offended. I too live with the rattles. I handled all that were within reason. Before I started the rattle hunt I could bounce pictues and candle sconses(SP) right off the wall. Some that I can't (cheaply) get rid of are the paneling in my basement buzzing on the studs. A few screws helped. The buzz grinds on my soul.

I can't believe I am defending the importance of a quiet room for a pleasant home theater experience. This is a Hi-Fi site no?

Shokhead what are you doing thinking about the size of my junk anyway .

All in Jest my friend. Don't get so upset.
I guess my previous post I sound like a jerk.
It was meant in fun. I can just picture thoes guy in school grinning from ear to ear with the buzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz you could hear 1000 feet away. It's just not what I consider high fidelity.

Ironlung

 

[shokhead]

I apologize if I offended. I too live with the rattles. I handled all that were within reason. Before I started the rattle hunt I could bounce pictues and candle sconses(SP) right off the wall. Some that I can't (cheaply) get rid of are the paneling in my basement buzzing on the studs. A few screws helped. The buzz grinds on my soul.

I can't believe I am defending the importance of a quiet room for a pleasant home theater experience. This is a Hi-Fi site no?

Shokhead what are you doing thinking about the size of my junk anyway .

All in Jest my friend. Don't get so upset.
I guess my previous post I sound like a jerk.
It was meant in fun. I can just picture thoes guy in school grinning from ear to ear with the buzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz you could hear 1000 feet away. It's just not what I consider high fidelity.

Ironlung

No problem,crank it.

 

[ironlung]

No problem,crank it.

At least you don't hold a grudge..

 

[Eric Apple]

Room modes

The room modes really give a big bump in the freq resp. So if you are after accurate music reproduction, you really need to tame those peaks with an EQ. I have measured several times 15+ db peeks on a mode that's resonating the walls - usually a couple at a time say 30 and 60 hz when they are that high.


Of course, if you just want loud thump - the modes work in your favor unless they are at a really annoying freq. Good for movies and seat shaking bass if you don't mind missing details in the somewhere in low end.