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In Reply to: RE: Tube Bass Traps. posted by rosendds@frontiernet.net on October 25, 2016 at 16:30:23
I made them just as the fiberglass 'pipe insulation' came: in 36 inch sections. I then purchased some replacement PVC louvers from Lowes, made for vertical patio- door mini-blinds. These flexible plastic pieces were about 3 inches wide by 6-7ft tall. I affixed (staples) the white PVC encircling the top of each tube. I left half of the top portion (1.5 inches) raised above the top of the tube. When I stack two tubes, the upper tube fits into the PVC circle. Works well and is easy to move. Even two units together can be "hug-lifted" to place in another area.
Here's a picture. The gray tubes are real ASC tube traps. The others are mine. You can see how the whit PVC holds the top tube in place. I placed a brass thumbtack to show which side has the plastic diffusor on it. BTW : the diffusors work great ! But the ASC models are much better, but I couldn't afford more than 6 of them. Good luck !
"I see sound waves"
Follow Ups:
If this makes any sense. Here is a picture of a "map" I created of the tube traps. Arrows= the direction of the diffusors. It's modeled after the plans published by Peter Moncrieff http://www.acousticsciences.com/media/reviews/iar-optimizing-asc-tube-traps
"I see sound waves"
I have had ASC tube traps for 20 years and I couldn't be happier
with the results. Peter Moncrief convinced me about tube traps
and in my opinion was the best reviewer of audio around.
My room has 36 tube traps and other diffusors, as well.
Peter also convinced me of the Rotary Subwoofer!
Nice job and great room mapping !
"I see sound waves"
Super nice listening room!I'm trying to be satisfied with my six 3' 20" traps for now.I have all three 6' stacked traps on the rear wall with two in the corners & one in the center.
awesome thread. I love seeing all the effort of people building those rooms. Reminds me that I need to make more traps. I used the chicken wire and roxul method and just made 2. I couldn't imagine making 60+ of these! The cylindrical insulation would speed things up considerably though.
Making the tubes from flat panels must add a lot of work to the process.
Yup!
Can't figure out how to get more than 1 pic with my phone...
Nt
Nice set up Watts.Did you place traps in the corners of the back wall as well?Is the diffuser on the front wall DIY?
I have a couple of flat panels on the back walls; and a carpet. I should have more tube traps; like I said I need to make some more. The round insulation is what I will try next time. I want to make some triangular corner traps also. This room is 10.5 x 19.5 x 7, and with 3.6's and Mcintosh amps there is no lack of bass!
DIY RPG diffuser, actually 2 of them on top of each other, not sure what colour to paint it, so it remains primer red until I do. It is not random, each piece of wood is placed in a specific orientation according to a mathematical formula as researched by the BBC papers. This is not the source I remember seeing, but it looks the same:
http://audioundone.com/do-it-yourself-acoustical-treatments
Here is a closer picture of it
I might as well include a shot of the back of the speaker while I have the camera going.
I used Manville pipe insulation 20' which worked well.Nice job on the diffusors.In Jim Smith's 'Get Better Sound' book,he advises not placing the electronics between the speakers,but rather someplace on one of the side walls about 1/2 the distance between the speakers & the listening position.That isn't always possible,but you may want to consider it.
I have read something like that, but I think you don't want a huge piece of furniture taking up the space between the speakers, rather than the electronics themselves. Besides, at every hi-fi show this is exactly what they do; and they are attempting their best to impress others with the kit:
nt
I found that you can use a rack or anything else as a block to early reflections from the center front wall and center placed rack You place your rack or pile of junk ahead of the speakers.
I have a pile of CDs on top of a cart with equipment materials and audio rags and the vandy 2C - reaches higher than the listening seat and blocks some mid/tweeter output and early reflections. Improves imaging and detail vs. moving the cart and box speakers out of the way.
I am considering moving the racks to the middle ahead of the speakers.
I'm not sure what difference not having the rack between the speakers really makes,but I can tell you that adding bass traps took my system to a new level.The bass is more distinct with much less boom & hang.I think that the mid range is more articulate as well.
Agree on the bass traps and diffusion. Unfortunately for me the corners are occupied by other items that can't be moved (small closet and the dedicated AC).
As to the normal rack placement behind the speakers - it creates early backwave reflections from the face plates of the equipment that are really difficult to get rid of. People do this in order to cut down on the length of speaker or line level interconnect. I usually suggest people use a fake ficus or equivalent to diffuse the backwave before it hits the racks. For some people it is possible to get the dipole null aimed at the racks. Others have used their TV slightly ahead of the speakers to block the center reflections. The adjustment should result in pulling the center image forwards to where it aligns with the rest of the soundstage.
nt
Wow.Your listening room is a study in acoustical engineering. Just having 6 DIY 20" tube traps has made a big difference in the low base articulation in my room.I'm thinking that your listening room must sound very nice.Thanks for the information on the construction of ASC traps and the link to their set up articles.I may decide to build more traps after reading some of the articles.
Nice work on the tube traps.The PVC blind strips make for a nice finished look.Each 36" unit that you made has a wooden end cap on each end even when stacked with the PVC strips?How thick was the plastic sheeting that you covered 1/2 of the tubes with for diffusion?
The ends are made from 1/2" pressboard= low resonance, many speakers are made of this (don't get it wet!). The white PVC is attached with white upholstery tacks to the outside of this circle of pressboard, so the bottom of another trap (with no PVC on the bottom) fits neatly into it. NOTE: I cut these circles by hand with a drummel tool and compass. This was a pain. I would pay someone with a band saw to cut these. I don't recall the thickness of the diffuse plastic, but I did experiment with about 3 sizes. It was medium-sized, if that helps. Not a tarp.
"I see sound waves"
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