Diffusers and their use

Diffusers and absorbers are the acoustic tools used by studios and listening rooms. Learn about what works and why.

[@NoEgg4u]

You can also use large plants as diffusers. They do not need to be live plants. And plants are typically spouse approved.

[@joeythedime1838]

Paul, excellent explanation on acoustic diffusers. Following your journey on physically building out Octave Records has been a wonderful learning experience. With many of the principles you have been discussing easily applied to enhance our current listening rooms.

[@glenncurry3041]

I friend asked me about turning a small room into a "guitar playing room" so he could practice and record a bit. Small square hardwood floor typical old house nightmare. I told him rug manditory, book case on one wall and to pull out one of his old "soft sculpture" wall rugs for another wall.

[@stimpy1226]

Great explanation of sound diffusion Professor! You covered this topic masterfully. Start thinking about creating an extended course called ‘Sonics Made Simple’.

[@stimpy1226]

Paul McCartney used to practice his singing and guitar playing in a tiny bathroom when he was a teenager.

[@martindl4290]

So a diffusor is just random stuff in a bookshelf. Here I was thinking each depth and distance in the diffuser needed to be specifically calculated for it to work.

[@glenncurry3041]

The trickiest part of the specific calculations is to achieve randomness! 😆

[@octaverecordsanddsdstudios1285]

Well, that's true but I was presenting a lower cost alternative.

[@matthewv789]

In order to be nearly fully uniform in dispersion pattern and across frequencies, yes the calculations are important. But anything with variations of height, angle, absorption, etc. can be a big improvement over a flat wall.

[@markprebich3988]

Great explanation, as always. What's the trumpet piece at the end?

[@txmike1945]

It isn't Wynton but it sounds a lot like a piece on one of his albums. Do you have that app where you can hum a few notes and have the sing identified?

[@markprebich3988]

@@txmike1945 Shazam says, When It's Sleepy Time Down South (Gabriel Mervine, who probably not by coincidence plays with the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra)

[@txmike1945]

@@markprebich3988 Yes, Wynton does it on track #1 of his CD I play periodically, "Standard Time Vol 2 Intimacy Calling." A few years back I had the pleasure of running into him in the parking garage of the New Orleans airport and we had a half-minute to talk about horn playing.

[@Pinomatt61]

Hi Paul. How can I understand I need a diffuser in a specific room’s point? Is there a typical sound defect that can tell me a diffuser may be the solution? Or do we need to put diffusers in typical points of the room and we can be sure they’ll give their benefits? Thank you !

[@iainmackenzieUK]

Thank you - will diffusers work for all frequencies? including the troublesome bass? if so, do we need to add a particular range of 'book' sizes for the longer wave lengths?

[@octaverecordsanddsdstudios1285]

No, unfortunately, bass is very difficult and requires big traps with absorbing materials. Diffusers work at higher frequencies.

[@iainmackenzieUK]

@@octaverecordsanddsdstudios1285 OK. Thanks for clarifying. Really helpful. Good luck with the new studio. :)

[@Paulmcgowanpsaudio]

@@iainmackenzieUK Thanks!

[@matthewv789]

It depends on the depth. QRD diffusers like these need to be quite deep to extend to lower frequencies, much deeper than the 4” seen here. Barrel diffusers might work better at extended frequencies though. Those can be made by curving thin plywood or other materials, or cutting concrete forming tubes in half. (A thin material will tend to absorb bass, but either way may help control it.)

[@iainmackenzieUK]

@@matthewv789 thank you