I bought some Owens Corning 703. Now what?

When I moved I to my current home 8 years ago I asked Dennis Foley about my proposed basement room, which has a low ceiling. He didn’t recommend it at all, and I took his advice and found a different room. 
I understand if there absolutely is no other alternative, but reacting emotionally to free advice from an expert doesn’t seem wise. 

cissado, Miller -- I heard the advice about corners. I did a bunch of SPL measurements. In my room, corners don't have much bass; it's the front wall behind the speakers that's really overloaded.

Thanks djones. I'll look that Schroeder stuff over.

edunbar Oh, I'm not reacting emotionally. I understand his advice and others have told me, too. I cannot move the room for a few years because we have a family and will do a renovation at some point but I'm stuck where I am. There are many elements of this room that are pluses and it already sounds quite good. So, while I understand the kernel of the advice is sound, it was offered without knowing any of the details of my situation. My sense is that someone at that company (I don't know if it was Dennis who replied) figures they have all the business they can handle! That's fine. GIK and I are talking, and I want to see about Real Traps, too.

I’ve spent the last 4 + years turning my dinning room into an enclosed soundproof highly accurate and articulate dedicated listening room. My room allows for an absolutely stunning listening experience! I have extensive experience with Acoustic Fields bass management technology. I hand-built all 40 of my activated carbon bass absorption panels based largely on Dennis Foley’s designs. I also built a front wall/ inner- wall diaphragmatic carbon absorption system in the room....down to the studs design. My room design and configuration is based on a blend of ideas from Acoustic Fields, Chris Huston and Dr. Earl Geddes. My room design uses diffusion + absorption. The reason I say this is because it took me hundreds of hours and probably thousands of dollars to learn what works well and what doesn’t, before I ended up with my current room layout. I hope to share with you and others some of what I’ve learned as you work to improve your listening experience. I understand that you’re unable to make significant changes to your listen environment, but hopefully I can add something useful to this discussion.


With little understanding and lots of determination, I started my journey over 4 years ago buying 20 panels from GIK as well as absorber products from other online retailers. I started by adding floor to ceiling 12’ thick corner (limp mass) bass traps. I used front wall & ceiling bass traps and absorption panels from GIK and even built several different types myself. I hung dozens of panels from my ceiling and walls. I could go on and on about all the limp mass absorption products I cycled through in my search for small room greatness. I’ve built and rebuilt my room five times over. Each time learning, listening, adding and removing as I go. I was fed up with all the effort and still my room lacked in everyway. My room is small 13x16x9. Pretty average small room. Bass was a major issue. Room modes, bass issues, mid frequency issues, echo, flat/ dull, lacked dynamics..... compressed lifeless sound. But I can tell you this, with the proper use of material and placement anyone (even in a small room) can have a world class music room. With regards to your question about best use of Owen’s 703 bats and where you might see changes....I hate to say it, but a handful of fiberglass bats alone will not provide any meaningful bass absorption. Don’t spend time or money on room corners. Limp mass absorption panels will provide some attenuation of room echo and reverberation. Simply place a few bats on sides walls, a few on the front wall and maybe one or two on the ceiling and see if you notice an improvement, that’s it. Listen for better instrumental placement in the sound image, is there a little more accuracy, if so, the 703 panels are working. Again, bass won’t change much if any. Try this, when standing in your room, clap your hands, do you hear a slap echo between two apposing flat surfaces, if yes, place a panel one each side to kill the echo. An airgap between the wall and panel provides little improvement. (remember this, small rooms usually need more absorption, big rooms usually need more diffusion. Both is best).


Some improvement is always nice. There isn’t anything that can be done to change your ceiling height, it is what it is. Enjoy your room, make a few easy changes if possible to improve your listening experience. If you really want to take your room to the next level, be read for big room modifications.

A link to my room/ system. Hopefully link woks.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8747
(shalommorgan’s listen room)

@shalommorgan
That's an inspiring effort and a beautiful setup you have. Thank you so much for sharing that, along with your advice. I just spend an hour or so moving things around and so my side walls became my front and rear wall. Terrible -- lots more bass problems and harsh highs. I'm going back to listening across the room width - I have no side reflection issues that way.

I'll take your advice about not expecting too much with a few panels. I do realize that a large amount of a room needs coverage and that my ceilings pose an ineliminable problem. I'm experimenting to learn, but your room now shines out as an ideal!