Check out the RPG Profoam on Audio Advisor. They did a very good job on my room. 30 day money back guarantee if you don't like them. |
some good info here:
http://decware.com/room.htm
And I like the plans for these bass traps:
http://www.ethanwiner.com/basstrap.html
Bounce over to the Asylum and do some studying up as well:
http://www.audioasylum.com/index.html |
Make sure that any foam that you use is fire resistant or fire retardant. Coming from New England, those pictures of the Warwick nightclub fire (100 horrible deaths, many more additional horrific injuries) will haunt me forever! |
http://www.primacoustic.com/index.html
Especially the Europa Flutter walls an 8' x 3' array costs about $220 Canadian. You get all the pieces and glue them on so you can take the 8' x 3' and use it on 6' x 6' for example. |
I have some non-foamy suggestions.
How about curtains? Maybe not along the entire wall, but in certain key areas like first reflections and so on, possibly to suggest windows that are non-existent.
If you eventually put up shelving for your media that could be effective as well.
Good luck! |
Some great tips- Thanks! Drguayo, those primacoustics products look great! I checked the site, but they don't have prices listed. Do you have any idea what their basic packages start at?
Thanks,
Jeff |
Jmslaw,
Did my entire dedicated sound room / HT with inexpensive DIY treatments. Check out my "system" link. |
If you don't mind a weekend or two of work, this is a very attractive and yet works as good, if not better, than purchasing expensive and ugly commercial stuff.
1) Take 2x2s and run them horizontally every two feet on all your walls.
2) On your front wall and your side walls, up to the point of first reflection put 2'x4' rigid insulation (I used Owen Corning). Between each one, run 2x2s vertically.
3) For the rest of the room, if you want the benifits of insulation, get some cheaper rigid insulation that has silver foil on one side. Put that between the 2x2s with the silver side out (otherwise your room will be to dampened) and continue with the vertical 2x2s. If your room doesn't need anymore insulation just add the vertical 2x2s every 4 feet and leave space empty.
4) This is the part your wife will like. Get yourself a fabric that you like and stretch it onto the 2x2 frames and stable it there. You will want to run it horizontally.
5) Get yourself whatever molding you like and frame the cloth with the molding along the bottom, top, one down the middle of each wall where the cloth overlaps, and of course the corners.
There you go, looks like expensive wallpaper. And now you have a live end, dead end room with acoustic absorbtion surrounding your front speakers. A couple of DIY bass traps in the rear corners and your done. |
Ok,I stole this idea from AVAhifi. Go to the redecorating place and ask to see their sample book for accoustic fabric wallpaper. It goes up just like paper wallpaper and is available in different colors and patterns. Becuase there is not much call for it,it is expensive.
You can "paper" the ceiling and doors. That plus carpet should give you a room that absorbs a lot of sound. |
Put acousic tile on the ceiling. This is the largest unbroken area available for treatment, and is very effective. Also, an easy diy project. A nice rug on the floor, curtains for any windows, and a few upholstered pieces of furniture, and you are in business. |
Sorry to be bearer of not so good news, but acoustic ceiling tiles suck; and they seem like such a good idea in theory, but they do something strange to the phase of the signal; nevertheless, happy if they worked for you just the same... |
Geoffkait...I have found that ceiling times (of the proper variety) are amazinly effective for quieting a space...say an office in a noisy production area. I can't think why they would work differently from other types of room treatment, but then I haven't actually tried them. Thanks for the ":heads up". |
Owens corning makes a 703 ridged yellow board that comes in 2'x4'x2" up to four 4 inches.This can be covered with a roma wool found at any fabric store.Careful what you wrap the acoustic panel with,if it is not acousticly transparent it will reflect the sound.Acoustic panels being four inches thick will absorb down to 250-500hz.Great for first reflections.Next is tubetraps.I made Jon Risches(he has a web site) and they turned out great and work wonders on exess bass.Then for the back wall you can make RPG skyline diffusers.
My room is based on live end, dead end, where the front is dead and the back is live but diffused.This is what worked for me you can play around with what ever works for you.All these can be made at home for pennies(well...dollars)Good luck! |
Yes they can be made very cheaply. All you need is some wood for frames for the 2 feet by 4 feet Owens-Corning 703. Burlap is a cheap fabric that can be purchased in a few colors and is acoustically transparent. The best looking fabrics as well as performing are the ones from Guildford of Maine. I used GOM 2100 series in black for my panels.Try www.fabricmate.com for great prices on GOM. My wife complained about me making stuff until the end result. If you take you take and make sure the frames are straight, when you cover them with fabric, they look as nice as the commerically made ones. My wife likes them and says that they look good. I used Z-clips that you can get from www. rockler.com for about 12.95 to attach them to the wall. Unlike many tweaks, this one will be very easy to hear. |
Does anyone have a source for the Owens-Corning 703 material? I haven't seen this at Home Depot. Is it a styrofoam-type sheet, or compressed fiberglass? |
It is a compressed yellow fiberglass.Do a web search at Google in your area.The lumber yards usually won't carry it.Try "insulation" in your yellow pages.I think I made (16) for about 250.00.Fabric incuded.I also user a thin plywood as a backing to staple the fabric to.The plywood also makes it easier to hang on the wall. |
You are right, Home Depot does not carry it. If there is a Lowes in your area, they carry it. Otherwise go to the Owens-Corning website and do a search for dealers in your area. It is similar but, not the same as the rigid insulation that Home Depot sells. |
