Bass Traps

[poppachubby]

Hey All!! I have made these bass traps. They aren't quite finished yet. I was hoping for some suggestions on what to cover them with. I was considering carpet underlay but I'm not sure.

Any input will be good, thanks!! Chubbs

[frenchmon]

Looks great! How did you put them together?

What I did was get some good fabric...curtain like material and kinda nailed them up across where the two walls meet...across the corners. About 12 inches from where the two walls meet on both sides. To my surprise it worked. Before the bass would kinda hang out in the corners, but after the simple tweek the bass is removed from the corners. I'll have to get pictures later.

frenchmon

[poppachubby]

Looks great! How did you put them together?

What I did was get some good fabric...curtain like material and kinda nailed them up across where the two walls meet...across the corners. About 12 inches from where the two walls meet on both sides. To my surprise it worked. Before the bass would kinda hang out in the corners, but after the simple tweek the bass is removed from the corners. I'll have to get pictures later.

frenchmon

Please do!! Pictures would be great because I'm not seeing what you're describing 100%.

I took some raw industrial boxboard that we get at my work. It's compressed from recycled board and really, really thick and heavy. I wrapped a sheet of it around a metal drum and tied it off. After a week I went back to it and it had taken on the shape of the drum. I stapled the seam together. I made it a top and using a heavy duty staple gun, stapled the top to it. I then used some offcut mellamine I had for the bottoms.

I was going to use the Mellamine for speaker stands but oh well...what do you think of carpet underlay for a covering? E-Stat said that back in the day he just used a roll of insulation as a trap.

[harley .guy07]

I would say some interior vinyl would look good if it was installed right. Black would be the color I would use but it would depend on the collor of the room you are putting them in.

[poppachubby]

I would say some interior vinyl would look good if it was installed right. Black would be the color I would use but it would depend on the collor of the room you are putting them in.


Good idea but I need a material with an absorbing ability. The vinyl will disperse the sound.

[Feanor]

Good idea but I need a material with an absorbing ability. The vinyl will disperse the sound.
What am I missing here, Poppa? That cardboardish exterior will tend to reflect the sound, not absorb it. Is this what you intend?

[poppachubby]

What am I missing here, Poppa? That cardboardish exterior will tend to reflect the sound, not absorb it. Is this what you intend?

You're right Bill, that's why I am asking for advice on a good covering. I was hoping that by covering it with an absorbent, it would do the job. I want them as bass traps, absorbing.

Keep in mind this is more of an experiment than anything. The cost of buying proper traps is far out of my reach right now. In fact, I would find it difficult to spend that kind of money on traps regardless of my finances.

I'm open to any thoughts or advice you have on this Bill. However, the core construction of these is already done. We must work with what I have. Also know that they are completely hollow. Oh Bill!! BTW any thoughts or knowledge on dac chip TDA 1543???

Thanks alot, Chubbs

[Feanor]

You're right Bill, that's why I am asking for advice on a good covering. I was hoping that by covering it with an absorbent, it would do the job. I want them as bass traps, absorbing.

Keep in mind this is more of an experiment than anything. The cost of buying proper traps is far out of my reach right now. In fact, I would find it difficult to spend that kind of money on traps regardless of my finances.

I'm open to any thoughts or advice you have on this Bill. However, the core construction of these is already done. We must work with what I have. Also know that they are completely hollow. Oh Bill!! BTW any thoughts or knowledge on dac chip TDA 1543???

Thanks alot, Chubbs
Nothing comes to mind that would be cheap. What might work would be sound-aborbing foam like this (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=260-515) from Parts Express, however a sufficient quantity wouldn't be that cheap. Esthetically, if you didn't like the look of the foam, you could cover it with some speaker grill cloth like this (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=260-339).

The TDA1543 is an old DAC chip. It is strictly 16 bit. From what I hear it sounds good, but is used in NOS DACs because low cost, given fancy functionality isn't required. If you're more technical than me, you might get something from of the datasheet, here (http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/philips/TDA1543.pdf)

[poppachubby]

Nothing comes to mind that would be cheap. What might work would be sound-aborbing foam like this (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=260-515) from Parts Express, however a sufficient quantity wouldn't be that cheap. Esthetically, if you didn't like the look of the foam, you could cover it with some speaker grill cloth like this (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=260-339).

The TDA1543 is an old DAC chip. It is strictly 16 bit. From what I hear it sounds good, but is used in NOS DACs because low cost, given fancy functionality isn't required. If you're more technical than me, you might get something from of the datasheet, here (http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/philips/TDA1543.pdf)

Thanks for the reply Bill. I was at Home Depot pricing some carpet underlay and carpet itself. Also foam and the like. John Micheal was just discussing acoustical paint.

About the chip, yes I was aware of it's age and sound. My buddy has Valab dac with this chip and is trying to convince me of its worth. I have found this on Ebay and will likely pull the trigger. As you said , its low price isn't a comment on quality. I have read the chip needs little else to help it function in terms of other circuitry. It's also NOS which after your help, I now am fully aware of the benefits. From what I can tell this chip may very well be one of the best for a NOS application. here's the link...http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330380816990&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Feanor]

...
About the chip, yes I was aware of it's age and sound. My buddy has Valab dac with this chip and is trying to convince me of its worth. I have found this on Ebay and will likely pull the trigger. As you said , its low price isn't a comment on quality. I have read the chip needs little else to help it function in terms of other circuitry. It's also NOS which after your help, I now am fully aware of the benefits. From what I can tell this chip may very well be one of the best for a NOS application. here's the link...http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330380816990&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I'd suppose that a couple of layers of carpet underlay would work pretty well; cover it with some open-weave fabric for a better look.

I've seen the Valab DAC and am tempted myself. And, BTW, the DIR9001 receiver chip is considered better than the more common CS8412 /4 /6 chips. For anybody not keen on an eBay purchase, the same thing is available in NA from Pacific Valve: here (http://www.pacificvalve.us/PVFathom.html). I've bought from PV&E and the service was excellent.

[poppachubby]

Well Mr.Feanor, I regard your digital opinions highly. I will be buying this unit today!!

[Feanor]

Well Mr.Feanor, I regard your digital opinions highly. I will be buying this unit today!!
Ah ha! Sounds good. When you've got it, bring it to my place to do some comparisons.

[audio amateur]

dude, you're supposed to get the Grant!

[audio amateur]

Damn, you get to hear some Maggies! you'll be able to decide if you want to try out those MMG's!

[poppachubby]

Damn, you get to hear some Maggies! you'll be able to decide if you want to try out those MMG's!

Yep, I already thought about that. I can take the GT to Bill's place. He lives on the other end of town.

I'll be getting the Grant AA!! A friend of mine was telling me about the Valab, but I found this scaled down version with the same chip. The cash I save from this I can put towards the GT. I want the best components put in the tube amp AA. This will end up costing big bucks!! I have looked at some Cap's that are 10 bucks each!! With labour and parts I'll probably be in the 4-500 CDN ballpark. The Grant can wait...

[audio amateur]

What's the GT?

[poppachubby]

What's the GT?


Golden Tube Audio SE-40

[frenchmon]

poppaC.

Here is the picture. I'm sure you can make it a little neater.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/295/pict0705q.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/pict0705q.jpg/)
By Rantzmar (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/Rantzmar)

Behind the fabric the two walls meet...the back wall and the side wall. Without the fabric bass would hangout in the corners of the room.stretching the fabric over the crack from the back to the side wall absorbed all the bass. This is a cheap tweak. it doesn't look as bad as the picture portray it...and it works. I have no more bass hanging out.

frenchmon

[frenchmon]

frenchmon.

[frenchmon]

Please do!! Pictures would be great because I'm not seeing what you're describing 100%.

I took some raw industrial boxboard that we get at my work. It's compressed from recycled board and really, really thick and heavy. I wrapped a sheet of it around a metal drum and tied it off. After a week I went back to it and it had taken on the shape of the drum. I stapled the seam together. I made it a top and using a heavy duty staple gun, stapled the top to it. I then used some offcut mellamine I had for the bottoms.

I was going to use the Mellamine for speaker stands but oh well...what do you think of carpet underlay for a covering? E-Stat said that back in the day he just used a roll of insulation as a trap.

It seems if you get some thick enough material such as carpet it should do the trick. I have nice rugs hanging on my walls and it totally destroyed all of my reflection points. In the back of my speakers as well as the side wall reflection points. Dont see why not on your bass traps. On the second picture on the left hand side, you can see the black fabric stretcher over the corner for bass absorption. It totally works. Click pictures for a close up.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8053/pict0008ek.th.jpg (http://img8.imageshack.us/i/pict0008ek.jpg/)

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/593/pict0009kt.th.jpg (http://img21.imageshack.us/i/pict0009kt.jpg/)

[poppachubby]

Thanks alot Frenchy!! I'm going to make a purchase tommorrow at Home Depot. I'll post some pics. I think the fabric idea in the corners would be more realistic for me. I'll show you in better detail with some pictures. I put the traps next to my speakers and got some interesting results. Anyhow, I'll post everything tommorrow. I would love your input. I think I'll be considering the fabric for my corners, and use the traps somewhere else in the room.

[audio amateur]

Nice pics Frenchmon.

[poppachubby]

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=32363&page=2

[frenchmon]

Nice pics Frenchmon.

Thank you sir. Before, I had reflections from the side and back walls. The rugs took care of that. Settled the room down and improved the sound quality greatly. Sounds much better with no reflections or bass in the corners. I added fabric across the corner to combat the standing bass hanging out there.

frenchmon

[riotact]

Hey poppachubby, i read this thread because a bass trap sounded interesting..

What is the purpose of a bass trap though? are you trying to make your bass sound better in the room?

I am living in a cinderblock dorm right now(which i imagine is horrible acoustically), and the bass sounds different depending on if im near the wooden furniture or not.

[poppachubby]

Hey poppachubby, i read this thread because a bass trap sounded interesting..

What is the purpose of a bass trap though? are you trying to make your bass sound better in the room?

I am living in a cinderblock dorm right now(which i imagine is horrible acoustically), and the bass sounds different depending on if im near the wooden furniture or not.

Here's a link with some reading for you, http://www.ecoustics.com/Home/Accessories/Acoustic_Room_Treatments/Acoustic_Room_Treatment_Articles/

Your room could most definitely benefit from treatment. In a cinder block room, you would be suffering from too much diffusion, which is simply sound bouncing all over the place. The bass trap helps to tame the low frequencies in the room. These often can be heard as really boomy low notes from your sub, or in your case, probably your speakers too.

Since bass frequencies like to live in the corners of a room, I would suggest you start there. As a start, put your laundry hamper in one corner, and some other similar "absorbing" type items in the others. Towels will do. Now crank your system and see if there's a difference.

The bass traps pictured in this thread are unfinished. To be completed properly, they need some kind of absorbing material to be wrapped around them. They can be placed anywhere in the room but again, the corners are where most of the bass problems exist. Once there, they will help to cool out any boominess from the low end.

Anyhow, do some reading from the link I sent you, start with the articles that sound familiar to your situation. Then, mess around with the corners of your room to see if you can get some results. If you do, and want to do some more, let me know and we can dream up something (affordable) for your pad.

[poppachubby]

Check out this thread too riot. The panels I made would be perfect for you. Just find a funky material that looks good and could do the job, and something to use as the panel.
Anyhow, see what you think...

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=32363

[riotact]

Hey sorry for the late response, I am home for break now so I have to be away from my system for a couple of weeks.

I kicked my roommate out though so when I get back I will be ready to turn my room into the home theater cave. I like those panels that you made.

[poppachubby]

No sweat. I have 6 traps now, they are all covered with absorbent material and placed correctly in the corners. I'll take some pics if you want to check it out. Ya dude, let's get your room happenin!

[poppachubby]

Recovering my traps with some carpet underlay which has been recommended to me by an audio engineer. He did an entire booth with it and said the results were great. We'll see. Total bill was $28.00...

[poppachubby]

Well, I am finished re-covering these traps. There is certainly an improvement in absorption. With all of them placed side by side, the space around is literally dead. Anyhow, work well worth it. Need to find a nicer looking fabric.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4317228905_eb9f18cc62.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4317964236_20586573f7.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4317232327_e900eff588.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4317233771_78e4c60889.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4320052332_a54519609b.jpg