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Author Topic: bass traps  (Read 2113 times)

Mitch Lawyer

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bass traps
« on: November 09, 2006, 02:31:42 PM »

Currently, we have our big services in the gym at our church.  Acoustic nightmare.  There are too many issues to list.

We have some acoustic treatments, but not much.  Any thoughts on cheap but relatively effective DIY bass traps?
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Jeffroy K

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Re: bass traps
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2006, 01:25:25 AM »

I found this website to be quite helpful.  

http://www.ethanwiner.com/basstrap.html
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Tom Van Valkenburgh

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Re: bass traps
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2006, 11:26:41 AM »

Here is some interesting reading if you are a hardcore DYIer.

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/a1.htm

I came across this site while researching acoustics on the web. I have not tried building any of these and I don't know how he comes up with his performance measurements, but you have to give the guy credit for ingenuity at least.

If these were used in a public place, like your church, you would want to be very careful about:
- using fireproof acoustic fabric to cover them
- making sure panels and tubes were securely mounted
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Multimedia Coordinator
Heritage UMC
Lynchburg, VA

Brad Weber

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Re: bass traps
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2006, 12:03:04 PM »

Just curious, but has anyone made acoustical measurements in the space or performed any analysis in order to generate recommendations for acoustical treatment?  If you are in a gym and there are, as you noted, numerous acoustical issues, then bass traps would typically be pretty low on the priority list of acoustical treatments to consider unless you have specific problems that need to be addressed.

Are there specific problem(s) you are trying to address or goal(s) that you are trying to achieve?  Are there any relevant requirements such as permanently installed versus portable/removable or of their being resistant to basketballs thrown at them?  Are there specific frequencies at which you need the traps to be most effective?

A Google search for "DIY bass traps" gives numerous results.  The actual effectiveness of these traps described is rarely defined and in some cases rather questionable, especially given some of the comments and assumptions made in relation to a number of them.  Mr. Winer does indeed offer some interesting suggestions and his panels may be quite effective, but lets simply say that some of his statements and supporting information are perhaps open to criticism.
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Brad Weber
muse Audio Video
www.museav.com

Tom Young

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Re: bass traps
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2006, 12:42:02 PM »

Very good points.

In particular the point about tools & techniques that have not been measured or otherwise verified is high up on my list of pitfalls that clients seem often to willfuly overlook or ignore. This also falls under the classification of methods known as LAR, or: "looks about right" which most often is applied to seat-of-the-pants loudspeaker system "design".

In any acoustic environment that exhibits reflection problems there is a 'right' way to remedy the situation (and sometimes more than one way) and then there is the more often employed path of throwing up "dead cats", or any easily available/affordable acoustic absorption, installed with no consideration for the frequency components of the problem and also no awareness of other means to consider, such as diffusion.

Not quite a rant........
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Tom Young, Church Sound section moderator
Electroacoustic Design Services
Oxford CT
Tel: 203.888.6217
Email: dbspl@earthlink.net
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Ivan Beaver

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Re: bass traps
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2006, 01:18:01 PM »

To add to Tom's and Brads suggestions.  Before beginning any acoustical treatment, you need to know exactly what the problem is.  Is it flutter echo-if so from where?  Is it Reverb?  If so, what freq is the worse and are there any freq close behind in level?  

You HAVE to know those things BEFORE starting a treatment.  Kinda like going for medical treatment.  Hey Doc I heard this new pill is great.  I want some.  BUT FIRST the doc has to know (as least as best as he can) what YOUR symtoms are-not the spokesperson or actor on TV that you heard.

The better you are at finding the exact cause of the problems (there may be several), the better chance you have at fixing them.

Oh Tom BTW-we make a lot of money with dead cat panels Laughing, because people don't want to spend the money up front to do it right, it is more about the "look" of the room than the functionality of it that really matters Crying or Very Sad .  Sometimes just throwing up a bunch of them will do wonders, usually because the room was so bad to begin with.
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Can I have some more talent in the monitors--PLEASE?

Ivan Beaver
dB Audio & Video Inc.

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: bass traps
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2006, 01:18:01 PM »


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