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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
nolojunko
34 posts
 
@hilde45

Here is a link data/graph of 4" OC703.  Note random incidence vs normal incidence.  This is just FYI, since it came up incidentally (pun intended).

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/studio-building-acoustics/502621d1444038910-low-end-resp...

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/studio-building-acoustics/502620d1444038344-low-end-resp...
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
Thank you for the links. I cannot figure out how to get rid of a couple really persistent nulls.
richdirector's avatar
richdirector
268 posts
 
I have 3 art panels rear walls look good too as well as curved bass absorber diffusers in rear corners. 
Diffuser and bass tritraps on first reflection points and some in front corners too. 
Large leather g plan sofa. Thick carpets... And other furniture cushions used to further clean image. Should have something on ceiling 3.7m up... But cornicing too pretty to mess us. 

Helps with sound imaging all of it... https://imgur.com/gallery/B6BV1rW
Hifi room https://imgur.com/gallery/bRKSwoW
richdirector's avatar
richdirector
268 posts
 
Also placed speakers using cardas method really helps
lemonhaze
415 posts
 
@hilde45, stubborn nulls or deep partial nulls just need more bass traps and in the right place which are the corners. All corners can be considered, This means the wall to ceiling corner and the wall/wall corners. And unfortunately they must be BIG.

Superchunk corner bass traps that go from floor to ceiling are very effective and easy to DIY cheaply. Mine have turned out well and look great. A 2’ x 4’ OC703 or similar panel is cut in half giving 2 x 2’ square sections that are then cut on the diagonal providing you with 4 triangular pieces that are then stacked one above the other until they reach from floor to ceiling. This is what it takes to absorb bass frequencies which as we all know are long wavelengths. Google for easy DIY plans. In previous posts I have provided links to programs that will analyse the modal region of your room. They all show bass build up in corners.

See link for start of Bass Trap
https://i.imgur.com/Lwx8NTR.jpg

@corelli, nice clean layout you have. Am I mistaken and you referred to bass traps on your rear wall. If so I am afraid that they will not be true bass traps and wonder what professional said they were. They will provide broad-band absorption but for bass will need to be in some corner and a whole lot deeper. Ignore this If I misunderstood you.

I have noticed some suspect advice from Foley at Acoustic Fields.
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