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About to invest in room treatments; GIK, RealTraps, DIY -- what is your experience?

I'm reaching the point soon where I'll invest in some treatments for my two channel listening room. Standmount speakers with tube amps. Room about 28x14ft with low ceilings, 6.5ft. Probably different kinds of treatments are needed. I'm not exactly sure yet what I'll need or how much to spend. This is not my final listening room, but I won't be able to configure another one for a few years.

I've seen many people tout GIK on this forum and I'm already communicating with them a bit. I will also reach out to Real Traps and possibly others. I do not feel bound to go with just one company or solution, so if you've mixed and matched, I'm curious about that, too.

Any recent comparisons between these two, or others? Do you have stories of good or not so good products or service? Any comments about the value of competing products? I'm not super handy or have a lot of free time, but DIY is also considered. 

128x128hilde45
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@ebm  Can't quite make out what you're saying. Are GIK/Tube traps better than Stillpoints? 

@djones I was on the long wall and had good results but the short wall (now that I've rearranged the room) offers a much deeper sound stage. Speakers can come  as far as 6.5 feet off front wall if I wish and I can treat some of the first reflection points  which are now more prominent than before (on long wall). Bass is a bit crisper now.
erik_squires
16,060 posts
 
My GIK panels have outlasted every other piece of equipment I own. Of course, they are not the only good brand out there.

ATS also makes quality products at even more reasonable prices

https://www.atsacoustics.com/

My suggestion with those speakers is to add enough room damping to the mid-treble so that the bass can shine through.  Include your ceiling between listener and speaker.  Try diffusion between the speakers.

I also always use GIK Soffit traps as close to the speakers as I can and the end results are always very smooth bass with my 2-way monitors.
theaudiotweak
2,797 posts
 
Find or build Argent Rooms Lenses these allow you to capture and reshape the sound waves to your listening chair. Natural lambs wool is a great material to construct your own panels and cover to your liking. Tom
audio2design
1,351 posts
 
A quick look at the "Argent Room Lens" indicates they are no more than a method of diffuser panel.  Would need more detail on the dimension to know what the effective frequency range would be.  I am not saying that is a bad thing, just pointing out what the effectively are.

I don't see them "reshaping" the sound waves to your listening chair per se, so much as diffusing the side emissions from your speakers in what appears to be a recommended placement, which again, is not bad thing, or providing diffusion wherever they happen to be.
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