Bass Traps: Floor to ceiling, or half the corner good enough? - AcousticsInsider.com

[@Travith1]

Okay so I’ve officially watched every acoustic advice on youtube. The summary is If you want to do it, it might work but might not. If you do whatever and does or doesn’t work then try something else or don’t.

[@RoanGui]

😅😅

[@k1ttyF158er]

Yea.... Basically, there are a bunch of "authorities" on acoustics out there that will tell you that the problem is "super complex and won't ever be fixed by simple methods".... The math is hard...These guys tend to paralyze people into doing nothing OR push them into spending massive amounts of money.... The truth is, "Any" is better than "None". More is better than less. You can hunt down frequencies forever or you can pay an acoustician to measure. But it will always come down to money & in the end you will still have some issue. I worked in pro studios in the 90's. I worked in funky basement studios (still pro "alt" artists) and remote broadcast vans... No matter the room, no matter the money, every room has issues..... The wonderful thing about human hearing is that we can get used to any room (within reason). So treat your room. Figure out the problem frequencies. Address what you can. But adapt your mixing to fit/fix/avoid the problem areas.

[@JohnnyAllan-vj7sj]

Lol. I literally just build them for fun and put them up for looks. They've made zero difference in my space because they can't go where they need to. Either way my mixes translate everywhere, so it doesn't matter. I hear what I need to hear when I check it in my car. Go back, make some tweaks, bounce again and it's good to go. Now I know what good mixes sound like in my room, so if I were to treat it properly, I'd have to start from scratch basically lol

[@JonBakke]

This is the greatest advice I've seen so far! Or not! One of the two!

[@kenlen8029]

@@JonBakke lol this is kind of funny. Making music in a bedroom back in the day I used to listen through one set of monitors, then the monitor headphones, then a cheaper pair of Sony headphones, then a crappy pair of old wired ear bud headphone things that came with cheap smartphones, then listen on the tv then keep going back and adjusting then try again. It was about covering all bases and knowing the stuff would bump in a car stereo at the end of it all. I got pretty good at it and ended up with placements although it was such a time consuming process. Can't say I didn't enjoy it though.

[@andycaz91]

Seeing this kind of videos after my room treatment is done and ticking all the boxes is just priceless. Precise and healthy way to share great information!

[@jf542]

you are an invaluable asset to the community !

[@AmagrasMUSIC]

💯

[@softbreeze941]

Thank you for the article! Finally someone made it clear that these expensive foam corners that are all around amazon ARE NOT Bass traps and not worth buying.

[@DruiiChannel]

All those videos about bass traps are so confusing. This isn't without a voodoo, it's creating even more voodoo around anything other than porous absorption. This very video says that porous absorption is inefficient in tri-corners, that it DOESNT mean you shouldn't prioritize basstraping in tricorners 3:50 (then one minute later that it PROBABLY won't even matter; another video says they don't matter at all and you can just treat walls because thats where porous work), and that since they're inefficient in tricorners- well let's just put as much as you can and see what happens. Or put it in the center of bicorner, and see what happens again. And then in another video we can hear that resonance absorbers take too much space and can leave you with no room for further treatment. First we are advised to use as much inefficient treatment as possible, taking both money and space, and then we're told efficient stuff will take our precious space and money. How about optimizing the usage of different treatment, based on where it will be most efficient, to safe both space and money? Or if money is THE issue (I think that's the issue here, not anything else, porous is cheap), maybe just make a measurments comparison for only porous vs hybrid, in the same cost? Otherwise, with such flawed logic, it's just a confirmation bias.

[@aakritisharma1329]

Clear , Concise, Short & to the point video. That's how we want your videos!

[@rakanaltassan7797]

Good instructions and advices, However I would like you to add some pictures to illustrate your ideas, thank you so much

[@lasideasfugazes]

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

[@CMCairo]

I signed up for your newsletter, I am mostly using this to setup a listening room as somebody who enjoys a great hifi system. I answered your poll and got an email back saying I am being unsubscribed from your newsletter. Thats cool, no worries there and I appreciate the straight up honesty. But my question to you is, why wouldn't your material apply to a audiophile/hifi system?

[@enigmadubz]

Great vid and now subscribed to both your channel and the mailing list 👍

[@joshid07]

Killing it Jesco, really informative series of videos on bass traps, no bullshit and straight to the point!

[@PAULPINBALL]

Thank you!

[@Basscoach]

Great Video. I also love your hairstyle!

[@SpencerMMusic]

SO glad I found this video. many engineers treat acoustics as a mysterious magical art and don't try to explain on a level you do! can't wait to download your home studio guide!!

[@TomGranberg]

Super good to understand the difference between SPL and Frequency...

[@sam24bit]

why fill the corners at all? Based on your explanation if porous absorbers work like just normal foam panels with more broadband absorption and are not pressure absorbers,then why concentrate on the corners at all ??, instead shouldn't we prioritize first reflection points???????? sorry i am confused very much

[@nofood1]

all his videos make me more confused lol

[@iamski]

Corners tend to accumulate low-frequency energy due to pressure build-up. When bass frequencies encounter a boundary (such as a wall meeting the floor or ceiling), they can't easily disperse, leading to an increase in pressure. This causes bass to be more pronounced in corners, resulting in boomy or muddy sound. By filling corners with absorptive material, you can mitigate this buildup by absorbing some of the low-frequency energy, thus reducing resonance and improving clarity. While porous absorbers primarily work to absorb sound rather than dissipate pressure, they can still help in controlling reflections, especially when strategically placed across the room. However, corner fillings are particularly effective for bass frequencies due to the pressure buildup phenomenon. In summary, while first reflection points are important for clarity and stereo imaging, corner fillings primarily target bass buildup due to pressure effects. Both are essential aspects of room treatment, and a balanced approach that addresses both bass control and reflection points yields the best results in improving overall sound quality and acoustics in a room.

[@blvck5943]

@@iamskiso basically some porous bass traps are better than no bass traps but porous bass traps coupled with well placed pressure dissipation is ideal?

[@basildog007]

Ok I'm in love with this channel 😍

[@Jonathan_Frame]

Thanks for all the info and the treatment framework. Keep up the great work!

[@donlew8222]

I've listened to hours of accustic guys and I haven't had a single question answered. Where is my asprine?

[@terrygreen6088]

It's very simple things that matter most are bass traps first reflections and then measurements without measuring the room you ain't getting Nowhere

[@mooneyes1114]

You can watch hours and hours of acoustic guys but they still won’t be able to your question on the whereabouts of your asprin.

[@rubensschiozer3058]

this video literally answered nothing lol

[@anthonypentland3817]

Yep, nothing 😭​@@rubensschiozer3058

[@timothylewis2450]

Thanks so much. New subscriber. Finally an authoritative scientific analysis explained in lay language with a practical perspective.

[@wtcwtc9861]

Great info. Thank you so much!

[@kmjansen]

Thank you for explaining this without trying to sell me an alternative product because it means I can trust this information. There is a lot of misinformation out there.

[@pvampman]

This is great info…I always thought my gik 4” “bass traps” were supposed to be mounted in the corners. Then if not the corners? ….Where?

[@EpochGF]

Where did you end up putting them?

[@rogerfurer2273]

Thank you for this series. I've been looking at some of your older videos on bass traps and I downloaded your guide, primarily to see if you cover the Hidley Hanger. I was hoping to find detailed info on the design formulas, because I used to service the equipment in the only Hidley room in Honolulu (for about 15 years). I was in awe of this room with his hand shaped hardwood horns and the mysterious 18" of space behind the fabric covering the walls. This is as near as I have come to understand the design principles of these traps: 1) Area will be related to the frequency in wavelength. I believe that 1/4 wave dimensions will work; thus (in feet) for 30Hz: 1125/30/4 = 9.375 = 9'-4.5". 2) Mass will be related to how much SPL can be attenuated. The panel needs to vibrate to absorb the energy, but too much vibration will cause it to act as a passive resonator and produce waves that will do strange phase dances with the source sound. So a large mass (heavy) is desirable, but since the panel needs to hang from flexible hangers (like rope) it can't be too massive. 3) Distance from wall will determine the "Q" or bandwidth of the "filter". This was what I was told and I have no info on just how those calculations work, but I imagine that the closer to the wall, the narrower the bandwidth gets to the fundamental, and the farther out from the wall, the more other wavelengths can impinge on the surface. And finally I'd note that these treatments are only necessary if you are going to be playing the program material at fairly loud volumes. If your listening to NS10s at levels you can converse over, there should never be a problem. Just like mixing on headphones (sort of). But when the band comes in and wants you to turn it up, well that's when the room will contribute to the sound. The Hidley room I worked in had soffit mounted monitors (built by Tom Hidley) that were a 15" speaker above a large wooden horn and a 15' passive resonator below. I believe the drivers were Gauss and each was biamped with a BGW750 power amp. There were NS10Ms on the meter bridge. The console and tape machines were MCI and they also had 8 channels of Pro Tools. I don't think I've ever experienced a better sounding room--and it was tiny! The outboard racks were against the rear wall so 3 people sitting at the console filled the entire listening space--anyone else had to stand along the sides of the room.

[@eddiemouss]

Nice! Thanks!! Big help. Clear and concise.

[@duc3r_prod]

perfect explanation man!

[@gordthor5351]

The standing bass waves hanging out in tri-corners (especially upper) hurts my brain when I hear a constant bass drone up high across the front wall. Floor to ceiling traps worked great to clean up the bass. Partial traps didn't cut it for me. I made 1/4 polygon shaped traps, which also have a bit of diffusion from the vertical wood strips (about 4"x 8' of surface area for each trap) behind the fabric, defining the 1/4 polygon shape, rather than a 1/4 circle shape.

[@leandrosilva6414]

Great video Jesco as always! I understand the velocity vs pressure can be easily confused.. great explanation!

[@Hamachingo]

So... isn't it more effective to put the porous bass traps where velocity is highest? So is it better to hang the trap in the middle of the bi-corner than just leave it on the floor in the same corner?

[@dv5466]

right, I think thats what he said at minute 5:10

[@musicxtech6680]

nice video. So Quantity > Quality. I get quantity means "more numbers" but for Quality, what type (texture, material) is the best ?

[@Giant_Meteor]

By "quality", he is referring to targeting very specific frequencies, by careful measurements, using diaphragmatic-type absorbers. He's not saying those "quality absorbers" do not have their place, but his philosophy is that in a smallish home studio, you're going to be better off with lots of boxes full of rockwool, covered with felt, or something similar.

[@rubensschiozer3058]

this video was pure voodoo lol. you literally didn't answer the question of the title. some good advise tho! I've been enjoying the channel a lot

[@souzsifu]

so in theory foam bass traps can work well if you use more of them?

[@ProVoiceBH]

Thank you very much 👏

[@justinallen4817]

Great info, I'll consider all of this when i place my bass traps. Thanks :-)

[@BidoneDellUmido]

Hi Jesco, I have a question. What’s less worse: having windows behind the monitors (with port on the back) or having windows behind the listening position? My room is 340x440, right now I have the windows about 3m behind the listening position. I was able to hang 4 diffusers before the windows and I have a stage curtain to cover them. Can the sound improve if I switch? Thank you!

[@vvk9160]

If porous absorbers aren’t the most effective in tri corners because they target velocity instead of pressure, what is the best for a tri corner?

[@DeadOriginal]

WHAT ARE pressure absorbers made out of? can I throw some goodyear tires in the corners of my room? would that work as pressure absorbers? haha

[@bomt697]

Would your step by step break down work for a listening room as well? Dont have a mixing studio

[@RogerBadgerDSFlyer]

Another fantastic practical tip for us living in the real world (without $m budget for a purpose built studio). I’m fortunate to be setting up a room from scratch. Checked out the Studio Treatment Framework. Figured out my sweet spot for listening, now going about putting in what base trapping I can sensibly afford and fit, using off the shelf foam stuff. I will do a Round 2 at some point in the future and make my own, bigger and deeper, traps. My daughter is a young artist and I will get some canvas frames for her to paint whacky stuff on, then add additional framing behind them for depth, fill with the recommended 30kg/m3 stuffing to 6in deep and see how it goes. Combine traps with art for a better looking and more personally inspiring studio. Thanks for the great YT channel.

[@booradley3146]

If I may, I would like to give some feedback in general as a layman in all these things.. I found your channel very interesting and it helps a lot. But I struggle with one main thing and I think there are probably a lot of people like me. I stumbled across here after Darko (like many others) and like others I have a hifi system for many many years and one thing I have noticed is that many channels and content is geared towards studios or sound engineers; and there is very little content aimed for someone who has a living room. - The layman. I have downloaded the sheet and thought I could tailor it for my living room a bit, but it's not entirely possible either. People say put carpets (and in a video you say don't) and whilst I am aware that bass builds up a lot in certain areas in my room, but things like bass traps, I still haven't fully understood if they help equalize the bass in the room or reduce it .There's not much content out there about when you need it but more about how it should be applied. As someone willing to invest in boosting the sound in a living room, I wish there was more content tailored for us. A small dummies/beginners guide would be helpful for Joe starting out. :)

[@DEADLINETV]

I think there is a big difference between a room treated for mixing/mastering and a room treated for enjoying your music/movies at home. When mixing/mastering you want a room that is as neutral as possible, that reflections don't mask or amplify certain frequencies. For instance, a lot of mixers prefer the old Yamaha NS10 speakers. They are know for have great mids and thus are very helpful when mixing. (Usually those mixers also have very big speakers with a very wide spectral range and use the NS10s appart from the big ones). My point being is that someone who wants enjoy audio has different needs than an engineer. They could probaby use some of the same methods, but I think (and do correct me if I'm wrong) you would need to look at how to treat a room like a recording artist's studio. Meaning that your hifi set is more like an instrument than just an amp and speakers. I can imagine that your room can sound more live and an mixing/mastering room, without overdoing it ofcourse. Does the manufacturer of your gear have any advice for you? And yes, this can be a great niche for someone to jump in and make video about!

DEADLINE You are absolutely correct sir.

[@booradley3146]

@ Well it's more about the book than the movie. :)

[@rain7328]

@ funny you should mention Mr. Duvall. Watched him late last night- .... couldn’t sleep. Of course, he “killed it” in a western starring Kevin Costner ( Open Range) ......I never sleep well after purchasing new gear for the studio. .... always been that way I guess. Maybe too much excitement for me.... idk. Anyway.... just thought I would add a couple of trivial do dad’s. 1) Radley was his debut film role! 2) He was also the owner of the famous line: “ that’s pretty bold talk for a one eyed fat man “. Of course he was talking to Mr. John Wayne... aka Rooster Cogburn in 1969’s True Grit . Again.... he slayed the role of Lucky Ned Pepper! Well.... better get back to prepping these studio walls for paint. Be well, &..... as always.....safety first.

[@dustyrhoads66]

What about the corner created by where a single wall meets the ceiling? should there be bass trapping there as well?

[@Wizardofvoz2]

Thank you for all the great info.

[@Nils31199]

What is the width and height of your traps? Also how heavy are they? Just things i need to know before buying the plans and building.

[@turtlefeet7722]

Quality always matters.

[@thivaharparamasivam7544]

what type of panel is behind you?

[@MR_Cellarpop]

Thanks; great info😀

[@DjBydLo]

HI Yesco, amazing channel thank you! I was wondering if in a box room, like a 3x3x3, is a good idea to make the ceiling fully absorvent by dropping the ceils and stuffing it with rockwool. THanks!

[@daverhodesproductions]

Thank you so much for answering my question via email and expanding on it in this video! Love your work, my studio would sound a lot worse without all your awesome info!

[@nikitam.4126]

hey, Jesco & guys! i built myself an 8 panels, from 15cm thick Rockwool RockSlab Acoustic. Covered only in thin natural fabric. they’re working great, but… it has a little but annoying smell, which gives me headaches. i tried to let it dry, but after few months in a room with an open windows it’s still gives me headaches. is this normal, or maybe, RockSlab Acoustic is bad for health? for now i just pulled out panels from the room, can’t use them.

[@mj8495]

Denim insulation is a good alternative to rock wool.

[@nikitam.4126]

@@mj8495 thanks, mate! this also has to be as thick as possible, right?

[@Chris-yy7qc]

I might want to add: Space bass traps and absorber panels as much away from the wall as possible. This way you move them more towards the velocity area and work much more effective. Even like 10 cm of spacing will boost the performance of your absorbers by a lot. Btw you can imagine this sound pressure/velocity thing by imagining a ball thats thrown against the wall. When the ball hits the wall, the velocity will be zero for a brief moment. Before it bounces back.

[@renderizer01]

I have basically no chance to place any corner bass traps in my room. First of all it also serves as a living room (one has to live...somehow) and it's pretty much filled with shelves, a sofa and a table (plus tut desk and some other stuff). Due to the existence of a balcony door (that's being used as such) the desk can't be placed evenly between the side walls (or anywhere else, for that matter) and there's no space to put corner bass traps next to the window and the balcony door (there is also the matter of heaters and pipes in the corners on both sides). The left doorpost of the living room door is exactly in another corner (with the wall opposite the desk). You see, I couldn't open the door with a panel installed there and considering that I'm living in a third-storey flat it wouldn't be the best of ideas to try and get in and out of the room via the balcony. The neighbours would've like that either, I'm sure ;O). The last corner is actually composed of three smaller, cascading corners. The room looks pretty harmless at first sight (5,5 m long, 4 m wide and 2,9 m high) but once you start thinking about bass traps for the corners the headaches begin. Fun!

[@MV-es3sk]

Which rockwool density is the best for this purpose?

[@updown5238]

Thanks mate, some diagrams to go along with your video would be good.

[@TranceHeed]

I’m looking to buy bass traps in a small studio room, but only 2 corners fit them - the other 2 have a window and door right beside the corner with about 10cm space. Any ideas?

[@fallenleaf24]

Where do we get the designs for the base traps you use? Im guessing they go all the way back into the corner. I'm guessing they are all solid wood & not frames wrapped in fabric. I'm also guessing they are filled with Rockwool. I'm guessing that the design on the front with the slats are not random. I came here from the vid that @Newrecordday2013 did of his room. he mentioned he got the design from this channel & I'm yet to find any info on them. I'm guessing hat you get them after making contact & requesting a room fix. (which costs obviously)

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

Funny thing reading your guide, thank you btw. With especially the last one 'this is NOT a bass trap' as these things are sold, to be a bass trap ....... Good thing i didn't order anything before reading. Also, now what hahaha.

[@cultovvinland188]

What would you suggest for for a basement space with lots of metal air ducting through the middle of the room? As well as to metal support stilts that seem to be ringing like tuning forks, The walls are concrete and most available space has been covered with sound blankets

[@Wizardofvoz2]

Do you consult? I would love to show you my lying room! lol.

[@1samwhich]

Hey Jesco, like many others, I've been on this seeminly endless journey of measuring my room, adding in absorbtion, moving obsorbtion around, moving my desk around blah blah blah. It's a bit tiring to say the least. But today I had this thought... We all focus so hard on making our studios sound proof, insulated, building these weird bass absorbtion contraptions that may or may not work, and making our studios as sound tight as possible to some degree - trying to control primarily bass frequencies. What happens if we just open the studio door? Could that allow some of the bass pressure to escape thus reducing the problems we have with mixing bass in our studios? Maybe letting our studios breath a bit more might be part of the answer? I havent had a chance to take more measuremets since thinking about this but thought i'd start a discussion in case anyone is interested :)

[@davelassell]

Not that any of us is going to try this, but how would one go about finding the highest sound velocity vs finding the highest sound pressure? Is the high velocity thing just the math and measurement of the wavelengths and sources?

[@mychinabean]

Thanks for this! My ceilings are really high and have funky angles so if I went from floor to ceiling I would have to have 14 foot traps. Is that correct or can I just make them from floor to 9 feet high ? Would you be down for a video call to look at my room. Of course I would pay for your time. Cheers

[@midas1048]

danke lieber jesco, deine videos helfen mir sehr beim einrichten/bauen meines neuen studios :) hoffe dir gehts gut, liebe grüße

[@tjkadar]

Quantity has a quality all its own.

[@jorgeandreozzi4945]

Hi jesco, great job! I have a question. I am thinking that perhaps it is better to have some areas with 10 inches of porous absortion (and act as real bass trapper) and some with 2 inches vs all in the same size of 4 inches in which case there will no bass trap in the low end?

[@tierangreen]

So, would you recommend putting diffusion in tri-corners in the ceiling? Or maybe hanging monitors? Creating unparallel surfaces.

[@General_Ictus]

I was just about to ask the same question...

[@tony86082]

I would think no bc low freq collects up there. A diffuser, unless very thick and dense material (like a wall) will not stop that from happening.

[@kevinshea9794]

I think the question was more if you have 4 "bass traps"and 2 corners, is it better to use 1 in each corner and 1 on each wall or all 4 in the 2 corners filling top to bottom. Thanks

[@MrBonger88]

Does this apply to wide range diaphragmatic bass traps as well? I usually see only one per corner at around ear height , Primeacoustic Maxtrap for example. Or am I better off going with some very thick regular (fiberglass etc) bass traps from floor to ceiling? Thanks

[@Skinnyorangemusic]

I have a question, following quantity over quality there is a 48 pack of foam bass traps only 3"thick vs 12 7" thick. On a budget, afraid 3" wouldn't be enough to actually trap bass waves, is there one you would recommend?

[@MrPAULYPOOH]

What do you mean by sound velocity? There is only amplitude of a wave. Velocity would mean some waves are travelling faster than others. Please explain velocity of sound waves

[@shaundavidssd]

150hz travels faster than 80hz

[@dickeyjones6992]

I have a small room 11 x 13.75 and am wondering what should be the dimensions of the bass traps and the other panels?

[@GreySectoid]

If porous material isn't the best for corner base trapping, what are some good materials for sound pressure?

[@zed4496]

dear jes... just wondering how its gonna sound if I do fill all 4 walls (ceilling to floor) of a 4.0x3.2x2.5m studio with absorbers... it would sound too much dull? a wooden difuser straifght at back wall could help with the mid - hi frequencies? let me know cheers!

[@almightytreegod]

What was your process for deciding on placing the velocity trap behind you in the corner in this video, as opposed to just covering the walls more, where those types would be more appropriate? And does an air gap have any affect at all in corners and as long as it isn’t a gap larger than the material from the corner, is it a positive or negative effect? I’m limited on how many panels I can afford to build, and already wasted a lot of time/money on building membrane traps, so at this point I’m just trying to figure out placement better. I’m starting with the first reflection points of course, but then just trying to figure out corners vs cloud vs walls in order of priority. Thanks, this was already incredibly helpful!

[@devilsoffspring5519]

What was wrong with your membrane traps? Why didn't they work?

[@akosiniroh]

great content! 👌👌👌👌👌

[@garyshirinian]

Thanks for sharing. I'm about to make my room 9.5 feet by 11 feet by 8 feet high as hobby. Where do you suggest to put the bass traps that I'm about to build with ruxol compfort 80 which has 3 lbs. Thx.

[@kevinlentz7604]

Corners first

[@garyshirinian]

@@kevinlentz7604 thx for replying.

[@johnc.8298]

What about doing mixing out of doors in open air? I do a bit of home recording and am considering sound shaping my room but since I live in the middle of a 100 acre farm where it's fairly quiet I'm wondering if taking my speakers and computer outside on a nice calm day would negate the need for mixing indoors. Has anyone tried this? Are there other factors other than reflections I need to be concerned about?

[@GudXM]

Keep an eye on overusing lengthy Reverbs. Applying my knowledge my mixing in VR, variables such as the ceiling height have a major role in the way the sound bounces off things. That being said, consider that the only reflection you face outside is the floor and you might think your mix sounds good but may have overpowering elements such as bass. My solution is to mix outside and test your mix in different setups. Also another important rule that if your mix sounds good in mono, it'll sound good in stereo. Keep this in mind when testing your mix outside! Good luck and have fun!

[@drewphillips3730]

how thick should the bass traps be. I have two in the front wall corners 7ft tall and 6ins deap. Should i increase the thickness. Kind regards Drew

[@MarkSass]

You can guesstimate the frequency response of your absorbers with this calculator. www.acousticmodelling.com/porous.php I also found a (German) blog, that listed the flow resistances of typical materials used for porous absorbers, wich I found very helpful in order to get an idea of how different materials react at certain frequencies. Just play a bit with the before mentioned calculator. www.heimkino-praxis.de/absorber-material/ BTW: If you want to use mineral wool you should be able to find the specific flow resistance value for that particular product in the product specifications from the manufacturer.

[@jessehaetta7538]

Thank you for the advice, always appreciated

[@thepokerparadox]

Relatively specific question - but if you have a video on this please direct me. I record videos from a desk that is in a corner. I just want to make my audio as clear as possible, but it isn't necessary intended to be "professional". If I fill in a corner space of 96x48 and 96x24 floor to ceiling. But do no other acoustic treatment in the roam (the room is kind of triangular shaped with the longest way being floor to ceiling windows). Will I still see a decent improvement if I am speaking facing into the corner I treated from about 2-3 feet away?

[@ling6701]

Hi, thanks for the video. I've a question: I see lot of diyers making wood frames around their porous absorbers. I'm not very good with my hands and I was wondering: can I just place the porous absorber directly on to the wall? Will I loose absorption quality? In other words, is the framing really useful absorption wise?

[@costinvaly1]

No, it just keeps it together and makes it easier to handle.

[@devilsoffspring5519]

A wood frame isn't really necessary, but the cloth around the insulation batts (or rigid insulation board) keeps all the fibers from getting into the room and driving everyone bananas. Fiberglass in particular is bad for you, and will make you itch like crazy! It can also make your bass traps more appealing to look at. Wood frames (or any frame) isn't needed for them to work, though.

[@Simakos71]

Correct me if i am wrong but sound velocity is a speed of the sound, right? Sound can not have higher or lower speed, it does not depend on a sertain position in the room. Speed of the sound is a constant in the air. It can vary a bit depending on the room air temperature and humidity. But for the given conditions it is a constant. Panels does not decreas the speed of sound. They decreas the amplitude of the sound to the point that reflected sound is not perceivable by the ear any more.

[@JohnSmith-qt4pv]

The speed of sound is the speed of the compression wave though the medium (air). Velocity in this case is the velocity of the medium, the air particles, as the transverse wave travels though it. If you have a standing wave for example, there's no particle velocity at the nodes and maximal velocity at the antinodes. Think of it like waves on the beach. The water itself is only moving up and down while the wave is transverse moving across the water.

[@guillermomiranda_gm]

pls try using images so we know what you trying to say sometimes.

[@o.g.willing]

Hey all? I am building my own bass traps. Did you really wrap the mineral wool in the plastic first? Thanks for answer!

[@jemwand2530]

I wouldn't, due to plastic being non porous...not an expert but none of the 'pro' companies do that and the common wisdom seems to be to use acoustically transparent facing fabric, meaning sound waves will pass through, not be reflected back.

[@vacuumelite2065]

Remember : when considering low bass frequency, plastic wrapping is invisible to those long wavelengths. If you show a room wall surface raw rockwool/loft insulation, it will absorb high/mid frequency FAST.

[@vacuumelite2065]

Keep the plastic ON. It is a bass trap. The mid/high will be diffused off the curved surface which is good. Later you can fine tune by adding sections of mid/high absosbant materials to the bass trap if needed.

[@CallumSk8er]

@@vacuumelite2065 yep. Some bass traps are even designed to reflect/ scatter higher freqs and only absorb the lower ones

[@danrey724]

Interessting, as allways! But you missed the point where one should start the placing of the very first absorbers if not in the corners of a room...maybe you can put in a side note :-). Kind regards

[@austindean7951]

hey could you elaborate some on what you mean? there is a typo in you comment so i’m not certain on what you mean. what absorbers do you start with?

[@danrey724]

@@austindean7951 thanks for making me aware! Should be clear now.

[@saardean4481]

@@austindean7951 you start with the side walls and the front wall around-near the source -speakers as this is where the max pressure is. At least that is so in the average room. Big rooms and very smal rooms have different dispersion of energy

[@ontogeny6474]

Look into first reflection points -- you can use a mirror to help you with this.

[@saardean4481]

@@ontogeny6474 with bass frequencies not that easy. The mirror is used when you look for places to put diffusors.

[@Stoic-liege]

Man l cant wait till this is all over, acoustic treatment, recording gear l am getting i mean its all good but cant till its over, everything has stopped and its all about room treatment, monitors and recording equipment.

[@ReyHolliday]

Ive been researching diaphragmatic (pressure) absorbers for my new studio build. Whats your take on their design? Specifically their specs, materials and layering (air gaps etc)

[@AceTheAlien]

I have bass traps in every corner of my room but not floor to ceiling. Are cornercubes effective with filling in the gaps in between bass traps placed top and bottom?

[@omalenningen4860]

Is it important to place the traps exactly in the corner or is it ok to have some space between the walls?

[@RooketJacket]

it´s ok to have space between the trap and the walls. It´ll change how effective the traps are but with my experiencing it might even improve when u have space between.

[@DonaldMerrit]

I repeatedly hear that it's a good idea to have a little bit of space behind your traps.

[@74357175]

Where can I get a definition of "tri corner" and why are they called that?

[@rez9386]

Does the method you mention applies to sub woofers that are on the floor or studio speakers that are on speaker stands? I feel like because my sub woofer being on the floor requires a different approach. Great video nonetheless

[@Genital.Wartzenegger]

what exactly is a tri corner ?

[@jackedkerouac4414]

I heard when filling half of a corner with bass traps the top / close to the ceiling should come first

[@peterpida1840]

And how about density of material? I have opportunity to do bass traps from hemp wool. But they sell 35kg - 42kg/m3 or 90kg - 100kg/m3. But I dont know if 100kg/m3 isnt too dens - becouse it should slow the air...

[@dxsaigon]

From the number I've seen, you're going to be better with the 35 kg for bass absorption. the thicker the better. Maybe 6 inches with a 6 inch air gap.

[@peterpida1840]

@@dxsaigon Thanks for respond, but why is that then? Is it too dens and air (sound) will not penetrate such thing?

[@dxsaigon]

@@peterpida1840 If you look at charts that show materials of various densities at the same thickness, you notice that the bass is absorbed more in the less dense materials. As for why specifically this is, I don't have any expertise. My guess though is that higher density materials either reflect or transmit the bass instead of absorbing it.

[@berner]

I have a 17x12 foot room that I'm converting to a home gym. It's in an apartment and I want to deaden or dampen the sound from bleeding through into other units. I'm new to all this but I thought I'd ask what you might recommend for it. I'm thinking of going the route of sound dampening panels but I still want to hang pictures and such up on the wall. Do I need to cover up the entire wall in panels or can I have room between them to allow me to put up pictures? Thanks in advance.

[@TheeRocker]

Hi berner, you want sound-Proof material. In this vid he is talking about sound Treatment and treating for frequencies. One thing you want to do is seal air gaps, which usually happens with lots of solid mass. The more dense the better. Sound proof is an expensive challenge. The floor and ceiling are tougher the than the walls. It's hard to add material above and below for a few reasons.

[@andrewjarvis7777]

"if that's all you have, try it...see what happens" THANKS LMFAO

[@williamhicks2763]

Your website doesn’t accept my email address to download document. Simple and valid email address so not sure what the problem is.

[@Journeymanlive]

So better fill those corner with membrane traps ? Ok have you ever measured 15" bass amp as a bass trap ?! they are typically made to produce bass, I'm wondering if they do move with the ambiant air ( maybe minus the magnet) and act absorb by just moving away and transfering the energy into heat!!!

[@jofa89]

I added bass traps floor to ceiling in the 2 corners behind the speakers. Everything got better except that they killed the high freq too much. I cant stand the sound, it´s too dead. Sounds like in a a/v demo room. What should i do? Can i cover the bass trap´s with anything so they dont affect high frequencies?

[@peterpida1840]

watch the video again and look at the corner. Do you see pieces of wood on bass trap?

[@jofa89]

@@peterpida1840 Yes, and i know they act as a diffusor.. Im interested if the "vicoustic" pattern would work on bass traps. Or does the effectiveness on bass frequencies decrease when you start covering them with wood.

[@TomGranberg]

You can add binary reflectors on top if need be, bass frequency generaly dont care, they go where they damn please.

[@michaelweinstein3056]

There's fabric that's more reflective than the typical Guilford of Maine fabric that's widely used to wrap panels and traps. Don't remember the brand off hand, but search around

[@CallumSk8er]

​@@jofa89 I doubt the wood will reduce the effect of bass absorption. You know how when a car drives by blasting music or a youre in a different room to someone listening to music? You only hear the low freqs because bass can easily get through solid objects. A slice of wood wont do anything

[@bobcabrera3080]

My home studio is only one side of a 10' x 20' room, and due to limited space, I can either place 12" wide by 48" high bass traps in all four corners of the room or place 24" wide by 48" high bass traps in the front wall corners (where my desk and monitors are located. Which is better, four narrow traps or two wide traps?

[@MarekBino]

Thanks for sharing your insights. I have one question that's haunting me for quite some time. I'm going to set up home "office" that will double as recording/mixing room (rectangular shape). And because recording and mixing won't be the only use cases for that room and because of how window and door placement it seems, that listening position will need to be oriented facing the longer wall, rather than more optimal short wall. How "bad" I can expect it to be?

[@alphanumeric1529]

I'm sort of setup in the short dimension of a really long rectangle, though my back wall, not front wall where speakers are, but back wall, isn't really a wall. But from my listening position to the right is at least 25 feet of clutter, aka diffusion, and some absorption, and to my left is at least 25 feet of the same, slightly more clutter (bass full stack of 4x10 and 1x15, guitar amp head, 4x12, mixer, loudspeaker, guitar cases, some absorption from a cloth upholstery chair, carpets, tall tables, stored cardboard boxes, stacked floor to ceiling in the corner with all kinds of different sized boxes. It's all a mess, really. And that back wall... it's really a framed but unskinned wall, so just 2x4 studs, with shelvs in front, loaded with all kinds of stuff, boxes, it's pretty intense on the diffusion, no absorbtion. And on the other side of that transparent wall, is another wall of shelves loaded with oddly shaped things. And on the other side of that "room", again, just 2x4 studded walls, with no drywall is more "stuff" cylindrical objects, all kinds of diffusion, then that room has a "wall" that is just studs, and there are shelves lining the next room covered with all kinds of reflective objects, then on the other side of that room is a hard wall, with you guessed it, all kinds of stuff, though minimal shelving, though there is some and some bare flat hard wall. So, how do we tackle this theoretically? We don't. It is a theoretical nightmare. There is no symmetry, other than being in the middle of the long dimension of a 50 foot by 14 foot room, though the back "wall" of the fourteen foot dimension is, again, not really a wall but a transparent diffuser, and another wall of diffusion and another wall of diffusion and another wall of diffusion, then finally the last wall with some diffusion, though it is around seated head height bare concrete wall. That total dimension to the real back wall may be 35 feet. I haven't measured in a long time, my apologies. But, you couldn't possibly really look at this theoretically. It is chaos. But, when we moved in here, I set up a desk in the narrow end of the 50 foot dimension, perpendicular to my current monitoring axis, floor to ceiling was 9 feet, concrete wall to concrete wall, left and right was only about 10 feet. And the acoustics in there were terrible. It was that small room sound, sonically stuffy. Huge nodes and antinodes. Unbalanced, asymmetric. Horrendous. Ergonomically, design wise, it would have been better for my full real desk to be down there, but the acoustics were horrible. So I set up a temp desk in the middle of the 50 foot dimension, with my monitors firing on the short 14 (ish) axis. And the sound was MUCH better. Now, I don't have an optimal setup at all. Think. I'm sitting about 4, 5 feet back from my monitors, so that is direct line of sound. Then, for the bounce sound, its got to go 25 feet in each direction, bounce and come back, a 50 foot round trip, and all along that path of travel is diffusion... Are you getting me? It's a mess. But just set up your monitors where you'd like to monitor, and test it. Listen there, at your real monitoring level. See if there are terrible nodes and anti-nodes. Move around and just listen, you'll hear it if it is there. You'll hear the bass get super loud with your head in the right spot, or the bass/sub might just disappear with your head in another position. But test with you in the sweet spot, basically, your ears at the tip of the equilateral triangle between your monitors and your head. And move around a bit, and see how big the sweet spot really is. Is it just one head in size? Super long way of saying, just try it out before you design your space and commit to a layout. Acoustics are like war (usually, unless you have a war sized budget), everything is planned out, and when the first shot is fired, all the plans are abandoned. Lol, it is that chaotic. If you've got a mixer in front of you, you'll get comb filtering, a synth keyboard parallel to the sound travel, you'll have a big reflector that is going to diffuse only a narrow band of high freq. It's a mess. But just do a temp setup with monitors and speaker stands, even if they are stacks of book, or boxes. Just try the space out. I bet you'll pretty definitively hear a difference between your two choices, and will know which way to go. And from there, then you can start to work on corrective measures, even from a more theoretically sound pov. But be wary of conclusive advice from internet experts who don't have ALL the parameters of your room AND objectives, and who are likely just repeating advice they've heard in the internet echochamber. Again to analogize, this is like the law, everyone "knows" the law, or they had a brother in law who was in the same situation and for him the attorney said do "X" so you should do "X" too. Attorneys are loath to give advice to friends and family, as without ALL of the facts, something that requires a serious and technical interview/discussion where one little detail can be dispositive, changing the situation entirely. So, definitely listen to people who are actually studied on this subject for some ideas, but also, just try it in reality, and see what reality has to say. From there, fix what you can, the best you can within your budget and use case. // So there it is. Could have said that in a three line paragraph. What is wrong with me? Apologies.

[@eddieruddock7014]

My bass traps are so big they meet at the centre of each wall... But now I need bass traps in the new corners 🤔