How Are You Using Bass Traps?


When it comes to room treatment I found bass traps were easy to deploy. I got dense studio foam bass traps that were 1' x 1' x 2' and placed them right in the front corners roughly from floor to ceiling. Immediate improvement in the tightness and clarity of the bass in my room. What advice would anyone have who wants to use bass traps in their room?

 

kota1

that is funny, I guess you can use a net when you "trap" bass too :)

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It is room dependent. I have a large room ~30’ across the speaker wall. I use the corners for bass trap storage. I had bought them for a previous home. I wouldn’t consider them a cost effective solution for my home.

 

Also, I am pretty sure all traps are not made the same. Tube traps have one side (under the fabric cover) with a reflective layer to reflect high and midrange while dampening the bass. Just looking at them you would not know this. 

This tool will tell you the frequency, type (axial/tangential/oblique), and locations of room modes based on your room’s dimensions and can be helpful for a rough guide to begin experimenting with room treatment:

I use OmniMic most of the time, but I've used REW. :)  My point was just to not use traps willy-nilly.  In my rooms they've always made an improvement though.

@erik_squires , I have measured using Audyssey Pro software which includes a calibrated mic and a detailed graph. Are you using REW?

Measure first. :)  Not everyone needs a bass trap.  Absorbers (including traps) change both frequency response and clarity.  They are essentially room tone controls.  If you lack bass, you want to absorb mid-high frequency. 

Most people have too much of everything, so a balanced approach of reducing the reflections and resonance times is usually a good idea, but each room is different.  If you have a lot of glass surfaces for instance, you need extra mid-hi absorption wherever you can get it.  Ceilings, behind your listening position, etc.