# Trying to improve sound...but confused



## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I have a home theater/music listening room that is also a living room and we rent. So any sound treatments I do have to be temporary and limited unfortunately. The room is 12ft deep by 14ft wide with a 10ft ceiling. The MLP is a couch on the long wall and the equipment is on the opposite long wall. This is necessary because of an opening to the dining room and two windows. The front three speakers are about 15" from front wall. Can't move that much. Sub is 26" from side wall and 6" from front wall (measuring to edges of box) Speakers are Ascend Sierra-1's and sub is sealed 15" Rythmik. 

I made three 'bass traps' but only have one in the original position because my measurements with REW showed a more uneven frequency response with them in the corners. Two are right now behind the couch. I cut mineral wool into triangles with a 24" face and inserted them into a 1x2 and plywood frame. I think I messed up because the plywood on the tops and bottoms are solid and may be causing an echo issue. Is it a good idea to take them apart and cut or drill holes into the tops and bottoms?

Also, I am trying out two sheets of 3lb Rigid Fiberglass 2'x4'x2" behind my L and R speakers. I thought I heard an improvement in sound but couldn't measure a difference with REW. It seems like these sheets would help reduce echo in my echoey room! Here's a pic of my room:


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Regardless of a slightly more uneven response, I would think the bass absorbers woudl still be a be a nice benefit in terms of decay time control and tightening up the bottom end. What you may be experiencing is 2 problems offsetting each other - when the corners addressed one of the 2, the other is no longer cancelled so you're seeing it.

Bryan


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

You're right about the bass response being better with the traps in the corners. I think I'll take them apart and drill 1" holes in the tops to allow more sound absortion. 

Do you think I might have better results from placing the 2' x 4' x 2" panels on the back wall halfway up? I have a window directly behind the mlp with two layers of curtains in front of that. I could hang the panels on either side of the window. My room is quite echoey. Are two panels enough to make any noticable difference?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Just a thought, you said your seating is against a wall? that can increase what you "hear" as boomyness.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

The back of the couch is pulled out a foot or so from the wall. Can't do any more than that because the room is so small


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

You might want to treat that wall behind your seating to reduce reflections as well.


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

I agree with Tony, My seats are only about 14'' away from the back wall and treatments there really helped.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I have two pieces of ATS rigid fiberglass 2' x 4' x 2" 3lb variety. How would you recommend I hang it from the wall? Should I allow an air gap? I noticed at JoAnn Fabric that some microsuede is not very breathable. The cheaper 'costume' suede is though. Should I go with that? I used beige burlap on my corner bass traps, but it's too rustic imo.


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## phazewolf (Feb 5, 2012)

On the rear wall you may want too if you can go with panels that are 2' by 4' by 6" the thicker panel will help a lot when using them as a bass trap with them only being 2" thick that would tend to limit how low they effectively work.


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Agreed. The thicker you can go the better.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I only have the two panels. To get more I'd have to order another package which I probably can't do. I already have homemade bass traps in three corners of my room. Although thicker traps would be most effective, I'm trying to keep the waf higher with thinner panels. I'm not unhappy with the sound of my room but I know it could be better. I can hear my voice echo if I speak loudly. So would two 2" thick panels with about a 1/2' air gap help with mid-to-high frequencies? If the difference is minimal, I'll give the panels to my brother who has a dedicated space and already has 10 bass/midrange panels.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

Here are the back two corners of my room. The proposed panels would go on either side of the curtain


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

better than nothing and maybe over time you can talk here into going thicker.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Seems odd to me that the room has echo issues with the big furniture, plants, drapes, and the additional sound deadening you have already added.
If the floor is solid surface (tile, wood, laminate) that is an issue to look at.

From watching the TV shows similar to House Hunters and Property Brothers it appears the popcorn ceilings are now totally out of style, a benefit of the popcorn (blown acoustic) ceiling is sound deadening.

If the floor is carpet or you already have a thick area rug in the living room and the ceiling is a blown ceiling I don't know what would cause echoes.
.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I do have carpet but the ceilings are plaster and 10 ft high, so there is still a lot of bare wall. Plus the room is only about 12 x 14ft.


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Agreed. High ceilings, while nice, leave a LOT of hard flat parallel surface with nothing to absorb, break it up like there is down lower.

Bryan


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Flat plaster ceiling makes it tough to address by just working down low.
Any opportunity to make a large pretty panel and attach it to the ceiling ?
If you use moulding to trim it in it could be made to look like a design feature.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

Probably can't do the ceiling even though I like the idea. Here are a couple of pics of the ceiling and the back wall with panels sitting on the backs of folding chairs. Listening to Nickel Creek 'Butterfly' and Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

natescriven said:


> Probably can't do the ceiling even though I like the idea. Here are a couple of pics of the ceiling and the back wall with panels sitting on the backs of folding chairs. Listening to Nickel Creek 'Butterfly' and Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions.


Ok, I think the problem has been identified... It's Nickle Creek and Cowboy Junkies.... J/K...sorta


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## swingin (May 11, 2011)

Just an FYI, Joann's has speaker fabric also. It' breaths well. I used wine bottle corks to mount them away from the wall a bit, plus I dont get any rattling from it when the subs kick in


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I want to match my wall color. What would you recommend n a light tan/beige?


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## swingin (May 11, 2011)

natescriven said:


> I want to match my wall color. What would you recommend n a light tan/beige?


Well ya got me on that one, guess your just going to have to search that. Possibly find a fabric you can dye? Good Luck.


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## phazewolf (Feb 5, 2012)

That is simple if your using GIK traps call them and ask for fabric samples. And if now they may sell you fabric so win win.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Yes, Agreed. 
GIK Acoustics is the place to look.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I made some wall panels. 2" of rigid fiberglass with a 1/2" air gap. Hopefully the two hundred holes along the edges help with distortion.


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Guilford of Maine offers a variety of 'tans' in their FR701 series of fabrics. You can go to samplecenter.guilfordofmaine.com and search for FR701. You can order samples from them free of charge. I think they'll send you up to 6.


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

Well I was able to find something from the local JoAnn that works for me. See post above. It is 'Costume Microsuede' in Cornstalk. It's very breathable and is a pretty close match for our wall color. Much more breathable than the samples I got from ATS. And I only spent $12 for 2 yards!


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## Horrorfan33 (Jun 11, 2013)

swingin said:


> Just an FYI, Joann's has speaker fabric also. It' breaths well. I used wine bottle corks to mount them away from the wall a bit, plus I dont get any rattling from it when the subs kick in


Would you mind showing how you used the corks for mounting?..I would like to try this method myself..:T


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