Bass Traps

[Nigel451964]

My room is far too small to have loads of bass traps so how many would be enough to be effective? The room I have also doubles as a living space.

Also would bass traps be effective if the source being tracked isn't good? Wouldn't you end up trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear as the old expression goes?

[ssdolbey]

Howdy Nigel

Originally Posted by Nigel451964

My room is far too small to have loads of bass traps

I can relate to this. I have a 10 x 10 x 8 control room. I have 12 - 2 x 4 traps and 2 movers blankets. I'm thinking about adding 1 more trap.

Originally Posted by Nigel451964

so how many would be enough to be effective?

I'm not sure here every situation is different. but the general rule of thumb for small spaces is "The more the better".

Originally Posted by Nigel451964

Also would bass traps be effective if the source being tracked isn't good? Wouldn't you end up trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear as the old expression goes?

What do you mean? All a properly treated room will help you do is hear what the truth is very quickly. The idea is to kill the ambiance of the room so you're hearing only the sound that comes out of your monitors. If your mixing on a pair of computer speakers then I would suggest upgrading your studio monitors at the same time you treat your room.

You did say money wasn't an issue right

Hope this helps.

[jono not bono]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

There are several types of bass traps. The best ones are made of rigid fiberglass, and are large.

No small room will ever be perfectly flat, so the more bass traps you have, the closer to flat you'll get. It's not possible to have too many bass traps in a typical domestic size room.

Diffusors are made from reflective material, and operate mainly at mid and high frequencies.

Not to turn this into spam, but there's a ton of advice and non-sales explanations on my company's web site:

RealTraps Articles
RealTraps Videos

--Ethan

oh yeah man... I've been swamped with reading your website... I wish you lived in my neighbour hood haha

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

There are several types of bass traps. The best ones are made of rigid fiberglass, and are large.

No small room will ever be perfectly flat, so the more bass traps you have, the closer to flat you'll get. It's not possible to have too many bass traps in a typical domestic size room.

Diffusors are made from reflective material, and operate mainly at mid and high frequencies.

Not to turn this into spam, but there's a ton of advice and non-sales explanations on my company's web site:

RealTraps Articles
RealTraps Videos

--Ethan

Nope. This is great info and your expertise is greatly appreciated.

[jono not bono]

Ethan, you're a legend haha, I'm watching your videos....

I have a question (I want to take some photos but need to borrow a camera).

My speakers are about 6 inches away from the wall, and wanted to know if that is too close. I have them position exactly centre of the room, by this i mean there is an equal distance from left speaker to the left wall and right speaker to the right wall...

The right hand side of the room does have a chimney breast and I been pondering over what to do...

Should I make some bass traps that are triangle shaped and put on in each corner or should i make a massive bass trap work top to the ceiling filling the entire "space between the back wall and chimney breast

Thanks for your help

Jono_not_Bono

[String7th]

Originally Posted by jono not bono

My speakers are about 6 inches away from the wall, and wanted to know if that is too close.

Yep, if you have room, back them up a little. Being centered between the 2 walls are good. Just don;t back them up too much if you don;t have the room, because being dead-center of all 4 walls causes issues. half a meter is good length.

Originally Posted by jono not bono

Should I make some bass traps that are triangle shaped and put on in each corner or should i make a massive bass trap work top to the ceiling filling the entire "space between the back wall and chimney breast

Instead of just wall to celing corners, you can make ceiling length bass traps down the entire 2-wall corner, from ceiling to floor. This is called a broadband absorber and is very easy for not much effort.

Look at this
In that far corner i placed 2 fabric covered Fiberglass boards (2 foot by 4 foot, 2 inches thick) on top of eachother. My ceiling is 8 feet tall, So it fits snugly in the corner and collects some of the low frequencies. Not as low as a true bass trap can capture but everything helps.

[jono not bono]

Originally Posted by String7th

Yep, if you have room, back them up a little. Being centered between the 2 walls are good. Just don;t back them up too much if you don;t have the room, because being dead-center of all 4 walls causes issues. half a meter is good length.



Instead of just wall to celing corners, you can make ceiling length bass traps down the entire 2-wall corner, from ceiling to floor. This is called a broadband absorber and is very easy for not much effort.

Look at this
In that far corner i placed 2 fabric covered Fiberglass boards (2 foot by 4 foot, 2 inches thick) on top of eachother. My ceiling is 8 feet tall, So it fits snugly in the corner and collects some of the low frequencies. Not as low as a true bass trap can capture but everything helps.

I could probably pull the speakers 1 foot from the wall and not really any more because my mixing desk is very large and in between the speakers. As far as making the bass trap, just incase we're not understanding each other i'll explain what I'm thinking...

I looked at the photo by the way, and yeah looks cool, but like you've made that triangular bass trap in the right hand side of the photo, in my room, on the right had side (where your bass trap is) is the alcove of where the left hand side of the room's chimney breast is so... haha....Do i put one same bass trap like yours where it is, and another mirroring it (Actually on the chimney breast side) OR just install one massive rectangular shaped bass trap filling the entire space to the left of the chimney breast?

I hope this isn't confusing you and basically I'm borrowing a camera just to take some photos haha...A lot easier

Thanks for your time

Jono_not_Bono

[String7th]

Yeah, pictures would be helpfull. And I guess I am not understanding triangular. With the flat board in the corner I guess it makes a triagle.

|
|
|\
| \
| \
|__\________

It's just a flat board in the corner

[jono not bono]

Originally Posted by String7th

Yeah, pictures would be helpfull. And I guess I am not understanding triangular. With the flat board in the corner I guess it makes a triagle.

|
|
|\
| \
| \
|__\________

It's just a flat board in the corner

hahaha yeah sorry didnt think about that haha...Its exactly what youve said haha, a flat bass trap covering the corner (to me a triangle, but now its not haha)

I'll get some photos taken soon

[jono not bono]

also another question...

In USA its known as rigid fibre glass and owens corning etc..

Whats it called in the UK?

And how thick should it be?

Thanks for your time

Jono_not_Bono