Diffusers local source

Hi,

Know anyone(s) or shops selling quality Diffusers (prefer wooden) locally ?

Looking to upgrade my room treatment at the first reflection points & also take care of second reflection points.

Happy New Year everyone ! The journey continues...

Regards,
Joe Ling

Hi Joeling,

just a bit of experience.. i have 2 of these in my room sitting behind my speakers. and i had some bass boom issue that i could not pin point. JediSavant dropped by and located the boom... most of it was coming from these diffusers that were vibrating along with the music, causing a resonance.

Perhaps the moulded hard plastic material ones will resonate less... or at least you need to dampen the back of the diffusers, when eventually you find them. I got mine from a forumer who had them custom made. Apparently the carpenter involved refuses to make anymore as it is too tedious for the money he makes on them!

Bal

Hi Bal,

Thanks for the update. My problem is much absorption sucking out all the lower bass. So tore down 60% of room treatment. Also want to improve the first & second points of reflection to improve imaging.

Regards,
Joe Ling

Joeling,

From the write-ups from various websites, most seem to suggest absorbers at the 1st reflection points. Some do suggest diffusers, but mostly absorbers are recommended instead.

Of course there are no fixed rules about diffuser and absorber placements. Every room differs. Diffusers may work in place of absorbers or vice versa.

Perhaps you have too many absorbers covering your room and no diffusers. I think you'll need a mix of both.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Zp9D0R4uD8A/app/learn/article/default.aspx?pp=T&page=All&aid=613&articlegroupid=47#ReadMore1

http://www.recordandplay.org/diyacoustics.html

http://arqen.com/acoustics/acoustic-diffusers/

I am no expert on acoustic treatments. Just my 2-cent view ...

Happy New Year!

[quote="joeling"]Hi Bal,

So tore down 60% of room treatment.

I'm looking for bass absorption material. So if you have stuff you want to get rid off, do let me know . We can work something out. Perhaps sms me at 012-3058090, you can see and try my diffusers to see if they help you sort out your problem.

Think about it, let me know should you like to do this.

sph wrote:.....
From the write-ups from various websites, most seem to suggest absorbers at the 1st reflection points. Some do suggest diffusers, but mostly absorbers are recommended instead.

According to Harmon Kardon's research 1st side reflection points are important for playback. The trouble is the first reflection points are also the biggest culprit for bass coloration or boom.

My side 1st reflection points are built in absorbers but layered with aluminium foils. The absorbers absorbs the low frequencies and yet diffuse the HF.

I think Orion loudspeaker manufacturer gave a right definition about the right amount of damping in the room. Generally, if your voice sound ideal then the room should be ideal for playback with bass traps placed at the strategic location(s).

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

ST

Hi to all u sifus (and sorry joe ling for tumpang this thread for advice),

I bought one of the round diffuser from CMY @ 1U to try out after the guy demonstrated it at his shop. I could swear I heard a difference before and after the diffuser is attached to the wall. The vocal seemed to emit out from direction of the diffuser.

After installing it in my home, i don't seem to get the effect. I do not know whether I am doing it right in my setup. Could it be one of the following :

A) need to have few more diffusers to have the effect? (Notice the shop had a few installed)

B) is my system which is in my living hall (and not in a room) the cause being too open?

C) my own system not 'high end' enough to realize the benefit?

or

D) what I originally heard at the shop was my own delusional mind (ha ha )?

Could one of u sifus enlightened me ? Thanks

Have tried with the sponge type material and failed miserably. The acoustics got worse. The bass was dampen and the whole soundstage was dead. Has removed and running bare now. Better then before, but clarity not there. Heard the wooden diffusors are better, but have not try yet. Room acoustics seems to be the most challenging and I guess a lot of trial and error before suceeding.

chin66 -
Round diffuser? Or is it a bass trap? Or is it a curved acoustic panel?
Perhaps a photo of it may help.

I suspect the problem is the living hall is too open.
If you have a dedicated audio room it will be easier to solve your room acoustic problems.

In CMY's room the diffuser or absorber works fine because it is in an enclosed room and the spot where it was place is perhaps a problem spot in the room. Hence it was placed there. It probably took them a while to locate that problem spot.

It merely means that you can't expect to place an absorber or a diffusor anywhere and expect instant results. Acoustic experts take measurements with sound level meters and other sound measuring equipment to find problem areas.

if you want to do it the DIY way, it will take time and patience to find a solution and maybe, just maybe, you will get it right. But you will need to have some basic knowledge on the subject.
First google the topics on room acoustics to find out more on the subject. It's a very interesting subject.
Also google ethan winer. You can also watch him on youtube

sph,

Thanks for responding. Here are some photos of the round 1" diffuser i am refering to. It is attached to the wall with blue tack.





Had a look at Ethan's video. Phew! Never knew treatment of sound can be so so complicated. I don't think i have the patience to acquire his kind of knowledge (but sure makes an interesting watch) and alas! don't have the $$$ to engage an expert to correct my settings. Probably as you said, may try the DIY or 'trial and error' method.

Well did try a few repositioning of the thingy thing. Originally had it stick to the wall just behind my LED TV (with intention to hide it from view) but seemed no changes in SQ. After trying at a few spots, found that at about 5 feet from the ground level (just above the TV) and at about centre of both front speakers, the vocals played from my CDP seemed more focus (previously vocals sounded wider). However vocals do not seem to emit from the diffuser and also found overall sound staging seemed to be narrower. Hmm...looks like may need more time to experiment sticking it at different location. Will having more of these things help to widen the staging???

One thing is for sure.....my other half is complaining why i have the weird looking 'cork' sticking out from our nice clean wall (Previously she had not notice it when it was behind the TV). Goes to show she does not share the same passion as i ..... should have gotten a wife like one of our forumer (Fizi i think).

Maybe when i have a bigger house with more rooms, then i can convert one of the rooms into a dedicated audio room and solve both problems ie. sound and sounding from wife



Anyway just wondering has anyone use this kind of diffuser? Can you share your experience how u installed it (or them) and how is the SQ?

Cheers:D

The gadget that you've got is more like a resonance gadget. Some are made from ebony wood. I've heard of people using 1-cent coins placed all round the room. Your spouse won't like that.

Now that you've seen what real diffusers and absorbers are like after viewing Ethan's video and googling the web, you may be put off by the complexity of room acoustics. Don't be discouraged. Read up more on the subject.
There are other subtle ways to treat your room.
Your room furniture can affect room acoustics. Curtains, bookshelves and other furniture can alter room acoustics.

Wow....sph, you just gave me an idea

I think I'll look for old antique coins ...those Chinese dynasty coins and stick it all over my walls. Good for dual function, as resonance gadget and as part of CNY decorations,,,ha ha

Seriously though, looks like I have a long way to go to read up on what is diffuser, absorber, resonance and all the other gadgets to make my listening area more listenable (can't think of a better word).....

Btw, anyone have experience to share on using those 1" thingy?

Maybe those replica old chinese coins may help. Make a few strands of them with three or four of them stringed up and put them around the living hall.
Who knows .. it could have some effect, either on the room acoustics or your wife. Experiment .... but don't go overboard.

Here's the Shun Mook website to read about the mpingo discs.
These discs cost quite a fair bit.
http://www.shunmook.com/text1.htm

In the for sale section, a set of Harmonix discs are for sale. 18 disks to put around the room. You had only one.
They do what the disc you bought do - resonance control. For some people it works, for others it's snake oil. You decide ...

Maybe you can try the DIY way. From a broom stick, cut out pieces of similar thickness and stick them (or hang them) all over the room. It's cheap to try and you can make plenty of these disks for a few $$. Try it out and let us know if it works (mmmm... I think it may work!).