Audio Asylum Thread Printer

Get a view of an entire thread on one page

FAQ / News / Events

Tweakers' Asylum

DIY Bass Traps

184.177.140.92

If you are in a situation with a partner who doesn't want you to put permanent bass traps in the ceiling corners of your listening room, here's something that worked well for me:

I bought tiny beige hooks (Scotch) that adhere to the ceiling and hold up to 8 ounces. After their install (easy) about 5 inches from the corners, I created DIY bass traps out of 1 inch foam and thin packing-blanket material wrapped around it, all enclosed in the type of mesh bag you might see oranges sold in at the grocery store. (I bought mine as sets of three actually sold at the grocery store.) When completed, each trap was about 9 X 12 inches, light, and easily hung on the tiny hooks (the mesh allows for easy hookage). Just used a stepladder to put up and take down. Hint: Cut your foam about 14 X 12 and bend it into the mesh bags, creating a slightly convex shape for your trap. Place the trap so the convex side faces out.

Works well, even with a powerful amp, Spendor SP1/2e speakers, AND REL subwoofer in a listening room that is only 11 X 12 feet!

Follow Ups:

Bass traps don't always work in the corners. - geoffkait 12:45:16 09/20/23 (2)
It all depends where the standing wave sets up. It might be a couple feet away from the corner.
- RE: Bass traps don't always work in the corners. - emailtim 17:48:14 09/21/23 (1)
  Could you show a example of that using the room mode calculator I linked to in my previous post ?
  
  .
  
  2022/03/30 Historical Records CENSORED
  - RE: Bass traps don't always work in the corners. - geoffkait 07:54:36 09/22/23 (0)
    The way I always did it was use a SPL meter and a test tone of say 100 Hz to 315 Hz for and map out the room for standing waves, echo, first and second reflections, etc. that way you know where to place tube traps, diffusers, resonators, crystals, panels, etc.
Room Mode Calculator - emailtim 18:57:54 09/19/23 (0)
This room mode calculator may be of some help. After entering your room dimensions, if you mouse over every room mode, the "Room Mode 3D" plot will update showing which modes are active where.

All room modes share 4 locations in common so those are a good place to start with, but as you see, a lot more wall, floor, ceiling area is involved. As JR pointed out it is a cumulative percentage coverage game.

Newer anechoic-chamber measurement studies show that spreading your available panels around yield better results than butted all panels together.

.

2022/03/30 Historical Records CENSORED
- Room Mode Calculator (Open in New Window)
Not big enough to do much in the bass. - Jon Risch 19:13:06 09/18/23 (0)
I understand that some folks have the Wife Acceptance Factor (or Spousal) to deal with, and this can be a problem.

Your solution is a fine one, as far as it goes, however, there is the simple math of the situation. One inch of foam, even wrapped in a blanket, is not enough sheer absorbing material to really absorb that much bass.

The general rule of thumb is that you need absorbing material that is 1/4 wavelength thick for any significant absorption.

The exceptions involve sealed resistive traps ala the ASC Tube Traps brand (or their DIY equivalent), otherwise, you are up against the basic laws of physics.

Even if the 1" of foam and blanket was sealed into the corner, from top to bottom, it would not absorb much bass. Being a mere 9" by 12", these are only going to be able to absorb some midrange and some highs, and would seem to be more along the lines of a DIY Corner Room Tunes ala Micheal Greene.
Absorption of a structure that is about 1.5" or so thick would be good down to about 2 kHz or so, hardly deep bass region. Even if it were as thick as it was long (12"), then the small overall size of the treatment would preclude absorbing very much bass energy.

In a small room, ANY treatment can make a big difference, and help the overall presentation of the system and allow the music to bloom.

Yes, I realize that my DIY Bass Traps can end up looking ugly, but alot of that depends on just how much effort is made to create a nice looking device instead of the easiest or quickest approach.
As a reminder, see:

The original Jon Risch DIY Acoustic Treatment Note:
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tweaks/messages/17/174817.html

If the DIY ASC bass trap clones are built on the specified frame and some of the nicer cloth is used as covering, such as
Guilford of Maine Fabric or Acoustone Speaker Grille Cloth, then they can look very nice.

For those who do not have the WAF to contend with, then something like my Super Quick and Dirty traps are an easy option, and even they can be made to look "OK" if nice cloth is used, and they ae taped up neatly.
See:
Super Quick & Dirty easy bass traps recipe:
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tweaks/messages/15737.html

and petew's version:
http://www.AudioAsylum.com/audio/general/messages/70817.html

The above recipes create true bass traps that can absorb down to fairly low frequencies, much lower than the rule-of-thumb formulae would indicate.

Jon Risch

Post a Followup:

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?

Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
	Remember my Moniker & Password (What's this?) Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:

Message:	(Posts are subject to Content Rules)

Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:	Automagically notify you when someone responds.

To view your new posting or follow-up, click on the RELOAD or REFRESH button on your browser.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: