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Owens Corning 703 vs. Roxul Safe 'n' Sound?

I'm going to make some sound absorbing panels to place on the wall behind my listening chair. Owens Corning 703 and Roxul Safe 'n' Sound rigid boards are two choices to make them with. Anyone have experience with both, or even one?
128x128bdp24
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sbank
3,378 posts
 
@bdp24 Glad to know it's useful source for you. My take is that Jon Risch was one of the first to encourage others to do DIY builds of acoustic treatments and gave detailed recipes to build stuff like bass traps. He leaned towards cheap and focused only on results, even if it looked so bad that spouses would never accept them in a visible part of their home. Ethan then started RealTraps, which while affordable in audiophile terms (though more expensive than GIK I think), also had fit and finish that make them a little more visually acceptable to many. 
The guys selling panels with art on them have crossed the bridge in terms of looks, but I have no idea how they sound...Cheers,
Spencer
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bdp24 OP
9,788 posts
 

Exactly so Spencer. I have a dedicated room and answer to no one but myself, but I have a fairly developed sense of aesthetics myself, and a desire for a nice looking environment in which to listen to music. I don't have to build any "real" bass traps (one of the disagreements between Ethan and Jon is in regard to what qualifies as one), as in the mid-90's I found thirteen of them, in sizes 9", 11", and 16", for ten bucks apiece (!) in The Recycler, a Southern California weekly "for sale" newspaper.

The music room in my new abode forces me for the first time to sit very close to the rear wall, hence the need for treatment of that wall. I have prioritized having my planar speakers 5' from the wall behind them over the listening position being away from it's wall, as the rear wave of planars really must be delayed at least 10ms behind the front wave, and distance from the wall behind them is the only way to achieve that. Ethan and Jon (and ya'll here on Audiogon) are giving me the info I need to do the rear wall "correctly". Thanks again!---Eric.

mrjohnford721
1 posts
 
I'm also working since 2 years so in my opinion and experience  Owens Corning 703 and Roxul Safe 'n' both are best choices but If you want to make your own rigid boards then there are many options that will allow you to make your own rigid boards - they can be made to fit all sizes and cost plans.
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 
@bdp24 Hey Eric, It's been almost two years since this conversation! How did your room treatment decisions and implementation turn out. Inquiring minds want to know! Cheers,
Spencer
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bdp24 OP
9,788 posts
 

Happy New year Spencer. I'm still getting use to this Northwest weather, quite different from that of the California desert I spent six years in before moving up here. Everything is frozen in the morning! It's dark and cool all day during the Fall and Winter, which I'm really enjoying after being in blinding light and heat for six years. No more skin cancers! I've spent a lot of time on California beaches, and have paid the price.

I bought a nice piece of 1/2" X 2' X 4' plywood and cut it in four equal pieces 6" wide, from which a 6" deep frame measuring 4' square can be assembled. I then got a bag of Roxul Safe 'n' Sound, which contains twelve 3" thick pieces almost 16" wide and 48" long. Three pieces fit inside the frame, and two layers completely fill the frame's 6" depth. Perfect! One bag is just enough to make two absorptive panels, one of which I will position on the wall right behind my listening chair. I'll place the frame on top of a pair 9" Tube Traps butted up against that wall, and the combination of the Traps and panel should mitigate both reflections off the wall and the bass mode (present in all rooms at wall/ceiling/floor boundaries) at the listening position. I haven't done it yet, but Spring isn't that far away ;-) . 

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