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In Reply to: RE: Corner Traps - Quantity Over Symmetry? posted by Ferrstein on January 30, 2009 at 17:39:26
705 is a little better than 703, and nicer to work with, but both are similar. If you have only four inches available, make the traps that thick with no gap. Any floor corners available?
--Ethan
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Here's another issue this room has - the window and the radiator. I plan on making a radiator cover that can incorporate some 705 or 703 panels. For symmetry sake, I'll probably make a dummy radiator cover for the other sidewall. I figure I can use it for LP storage.
I plan on covering the window completely. Maybe some 1" or 2" 703 or 705 covered in fabric. I will make two panels and hang one over the window and one on the opposite wall, again for symmetry.
These Acoustats don't disperse much to the side, but I've found that first reflection is still somewhat important.
The radiator is well below ear level so I doubt it's doing real harm. Much more important are the windows on the right and the bare wall on the left. Again, at ear level.
--Ethan
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Here's a detail of the front wall.
Ethan, to answer your earlier question about any floor corners available... yes. I will eventually be moving my equipment racks to the closet behind my listening chair. I can put some 4" thick 705 or 705FRK traps at 45 degrees at the floor/back wall interface, as well as the back wall/ceiling interface.
I can also put a 705 trap on the ceiling/wall interface over the listening chair at the other end of the room.
As for the speakers, that's a long story. I have been an Acoustat freak for two decades. I own just about every model Acoustat has ever made, and for the last decade I've driven them with direct-drive servo amps. I've found that the servo amps allow (and require) a larger speaker-to-room ratio. I realize these look huge in the room, but I will also be trying a slightly narrower model. These have three panels per side (they are model 3s). I also have some two panel per side speakers that I will try. I also have some even wider, but I'm thinking they won't work in this room.
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And the winner is... Monitor 4s! Who knew. Yep, they look way too big for the room. I almost didn't even try them. Sonically they are head and shoulders above the Model 3s and Spectra 22s. The bass is smoother and more natural, the midrange projected forward a bit, images were appearing ahead of the speakers... really just a whole lot better. Just goes to show you it's always best to experiment!
Anyway, that's good news. I'm still planning on building corner bass traps and a rear wall trap, but I'm much more confident that these speakers will work.
Floor reflections may also be a problem. Throw rugs are a good solution.
--Ethan
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Here is a close-up of the door issue. I have only 4" available.
Question: with only 4" available, would I be better with:
a) 4" 705 flat against the rear wall, or
b) 3" 705 flat against the rear wall, and a 1" piece of 705 on the door
Of course I would copy whatever I do here on the other side of the room.
Ideally you'd have four inches thick on the door and on the wall, and accept that the door will never open all the way. If you leave the door open that's almost the same as having a bass trap. Otherwise, maybe use two inches plus two inches, door and wall. Or get a bass trap on a stand that can straddle the corner and be moved out of the way.
--Ethan
> Or get a bass trap on a stand that can straddle the corner and be moved out of the way.
Now that right there is a great idea. Or maybe put it on the wall with hinges or something. I'll look into that.
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Hi Ethan, and thanks once again for your help here. While I'm happy to be starting with a blank slate, there are also several sticky issues with this room. Below is a picture of my back wall. As you can see, it is hard to maximize trapping there while maintaining symmetry. Looking at the picture, I have 18 inches from the left wall to the left side of the closet door. Because of that, I can make two 18" wide floor-to ceiling traps. The thickest I can go here is 4" because of the door on the wall in the opposite corner.
The biggest problem I see here is that you are sitting directly in front of a reflecting wall. You really need absorption on that wall, especially directly behind your head.
--Ethan
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