2. misc-audio
  3. 163356-139155

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
newtoncr
151 posts
 
My strongest recommendation goes to acoustic sciences tube traps .
https://www.acousticsciences.com/products/tube-trap
their products, customer care and approach to your room is beyond compare.
I have contacted gik and have stillpoints in my system.
IMO the best in this business is asc. I would strongly encourage you to give them a call . Their room treatment makes the room musical not just damp resonance. Had the magico rep come to my house last week, he had only one thing to say “he has never heard the magico m3 sound better than in my room incl his showroom where they r partnered with Boulder electronics “ . All credit to the room treatment by asc. They r worth a phone call .


bigwave1's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
bigwave1
242 posts
 
6.5 foot ceilings, you have a difficult situation to say the least. Could be very difficult to manage p. Major bass absorption in great magnitudes, not inexpensive.   Please don’t make the the mistake of buying anything without knowing what issues you are trying to solve. You need data. Understand your rooms fundamentals regarding 30, 40, 50 cycle responses.  All harmonics blossom ( or not ) from there. These fundamentals, if not managed will distort the octaves above. You will never hear the true electronics, speakers that you own. Free education on acoustic fields web site. 
audio2design
1,351 posts
 
The Stillpoints Aperture is the only acoustical product that will give you both absorption and diffusion at the first reflection points of a system. And you want both!

- The Stillpoints Aperture have been found effective from 40 HZ to 40K HZ.

- DIMENSIONS: 22" high x 22" wide x 3 1/8" deep



These two statements are in conflict. Define "effective". I am guessing that was an incredible stretch for effective at 40Hz


3. Unevenly control one frequency over another. (This is often the case with traditional room treatments)



Well I am going to call BS on that one. Simply their size says this is actually impossible, but when has that stopped audio companies from claiming things impossible or unrealistic.


Sure, they probably do something. However, where are the performance graphs ... you know like real acoustics companies provide?  They don't work equally well at all frequencies, so what do they really do?   It is hard to take a companies products seriously when they make such claims.

Post removed 
paradisecom
336 posts
 
I just purchased all the materials from ATS Acoustics and built everything myself. The finished products are great and my listening room is a whole new animal, now. It really changed the room for the better. For just over $200, I was able to make (8) 2' x 4' x 2" thick panels.  Any room treatment brand you choose should yield excellent results since anything will be an improvement. 
More to discover