My room's acoustic makeover
- Thread starter ted_b
- Start date
Thanks Ted for the info.
I’ve been toiling over lately whether to add a room or to improve one of the existing rooms in the house.
My current music room is bigger than your room but has a lower ceiling at 8’. However the room I use to watch movies would be very similar to your dimensions.
Do you mind me asking what was your budget to get the project finished?
I’ve been toiling over lately whether to add a room or to improve one of the existing rooms in the house.
My current music room is bigger than your room but has a lower ceiling at 8’. However the room I use to watch movies would be very similar to your dimensions.
Do you mind me asking what was your budget to get the project finished?
Ki,
The latest makeover by Jeff Hedback (and built by Doug Carpenter, local custom woodwork expert and our go-to trade for all remodel work) was to a room that had already been designed and developed over the past 20 years. As i mentioned in my "intro yourself" post (hi from Rock-N-Roll capital) I have had 20+ Realtraps products making wonderful acoustic spaces in my room for many years, and am one of Ethan's testimonials in his ads. His room treatments are a major reason I could go this next step without a complete redo. However, the work that Jeff and Doug did was the final piece de resistance and was a complete custom designed solution whose raw components were very modest in cost. It helped my quality and my budget that Doug (who Jeff says "is in my very TOP TIER of contractors/craftsmen, ever") does his work for us at a very reasonable rate. The sum is greater than the parts. Costs are equivalent to moderately priced commercial diffusion options ~ $50/sq ft.
I probably spent less than $10k on this whole final project, and that includes data gathering, modeling, analysis, frequent project discussions, and then design/build and install of the various pieces. Those included the 400 lb MAT tuned resonator 'floating wall" for the front wall, side wall HAR slats and custom designed/built tetrahedral "sail" treatments, 6' x 12' ceiling diffusor and bass trapping (including custom acoustical hangers), front floor-to-ceiling corner traps, front wall finishing and screen relocation, painting (many lights, Realtraps and fixtures were moved and repurposed during this) and wood staining, and finally the before/after sound measurements.
I can't imagine the value I will receive long-term. Every listening session is as though my system has transformed from a struggling but musical "you are there" experience (took 10+ yrs of tweaking and system synergy changes to get to that level) to a very strong "they are here" palpability. Although I hate using percentages cuz they seem absurdly arbitrary I will here cuz I can't today express the magnitude of the "clean up" well enough. All recordings now sound almost 100% improved (and we audiophiles believe 25% increments are life-changing
).
The latest makeover by Jeff Hedback (and built by Doug Carpenter, local custom woodwork expert and our go-to trade for all remodel work) was to a room that had already been designed and developed over the past 20 years. As i mentioned in my "intro yourself" post (hi from Rock-N-Roll capital) I have had 20+ Realtraps products making wonderful acoustic spaces in my room for many years, and am one of Ethan's testimonials in his ads. His room treatments are a major reason I could go this next step without a complete redo. However, the work that Jeff and Doug did was the final piece de resistance and was a complete custom designed solution whose raw components were very modest in cost. It helped my quality and my budget that Doug (who Jeff says "is in my very TOP TIER of contractors/craftsmen, ever") does his work for us at a very reasonable rate. The sum is greater than the parts. Costs are equivalent to moderately priced commercial diffusion options ~ $50/sq ft.
I probably spent less than $10k on this whole final project, and that includes data gathering, modeling, analysis, frequent project discussions, and then design/build and install of the various pieces. Those included the 400 lb MAT tuned resonator 'floating wall" for the front wall, side wall HAR slats and custom designed/built tetrahedral "sail" treatments, 6' x 12' ceiling diffusor and bass trapping (including custom acoustical hangers), front floor-to-ceiling corner traps, front wall finishing and screen relocation, painting (many lights, Realtraps and fixtures were moved and repurposed during this) and wood staining, and finally the before/after sound measurements.
I can't imagine the value I will receive long-term. Every listening session is as though my system has transformed from a struggling but musical "you are there" experience (took 10+ yrs of tweaking and system synergy changes to get to that level) to a very strong "they are here" palpability. Although I hate using percentages cuz they seem absurdly arbitrary I will here cuz I can't today express the magnitude of the "clean up" well enough. All recordings now sound almost 100% improved (and we audiophiles believe 25% increments are life-changing
).Wow Ted, that is a nice listening room!
Questions about that beautiful ceiling:
How big is it and is it once piece. I am wondering how many people were required to install it?
Could most carpenters with a decent workshop build that or does something like that require something fancy like a CNC machine?
Is it reflective when watching movies (compared to say a white ceiling)? I suspect the slats into the foam are actually absorbing some of the projector light?
Questions about that beautiful ceiling:
How big is it and is it once piece. I am wondering how many people were required to install it?
Could most carpenters with a decent workshop build that or does something like that require something fancy like a CNC machine?
Is it reflective when watching movies (compared to say a white ceiling)? I suspect the slats into the foam are actually absorbing some of the projector light?
AudioNMe,
Thanks for the nice comments.
The ceiling cloud is approximately 6 ft wide and almost 13 ft long. Above the wood slats is a layer of black acoustic foam. It is not an issue with the PJ/movies/video and doesn't seem to reflect at all really (the ceiling above it and sloped to the sides are all black btw). The cloud was installed by three of us, with me running the crank-up drywall lift. We brought it into the house and room in three pieces, each one 6 ft x 4+ft, and each one had me lifting it with the drywall lift while Doug and his partner were on either side, on ladders, ready to hang the piece onto the prehung acoustic hangers, approximately 8.5-9 ft in the air (10 ft ceiling). Once two pieces were up they were bolted together, and so on. Finally, a beautiful trim mold was attached to the sides. It hangs now as one piece.
The custom CNC work was ordered to spec by Jeff Hedback, done by the lumber provider in Indiana, then shipped to Doug for staining, finishing and building (around a frame of special treated wood that won't warp...it has a name..I forget what it is...looks like wood clippings molded together). Doug is a perfectionist and his methods were quite clever. He brought said frame over weeks earlier to hang, which allowed us to understand where lights needed to be repurposed, etc. All in all, the cloud project went quite smoothly.
Thanks for the nice comments.
The ceiling cloud is approximately 6 ft wide and almost 13 ft long. Above the wood slats is a layer of black acoustic foam. It is not an issue with the PJ/movies/video and doesn't seem to reflect at all really (the ceiling above it and sloped to the sides are all black btw). The cloud was installed by three of us, with me running the crank-up drywall lift. We brought it into the house and room in three pieces, each one 6 ft x 4+ft, and each one had me lifting it with the drywall lift while Doug and his partner were on either side, on ladders, ready to hang the piece onto the prehung acoustic hangers, approximately 8.5-9 ft in the air (10 ft ceiling). Once two pieces were up they were bolted together, and so on. Finally, a beautiful trim mold was attached to the sides. It hangs now as one piece.
The custom CNC work was ordered to spec by Jeff Hedback, done by the lumber provider in Indiana, then shipped to Doug for staining, finishing and building (around a frame of special treated wood that won't warp...it has a name..I forget what it is...looks like wood clippings molded together). Doug is a perfectionist and his methods were quite clever. He brought said frame over weeks earlier to hang, which allowed us to understand where lights needed to be repurposed, etc. All in all, the cloud project went quite smoothly.
Your avatar (your pic) reminds me of growing up in Glasgow, near Linn. My friend worked there one summer, and he told me that they played Biko all the time.
Ted, I have upgraded to the new CF LSX2 pe amp from the older version since December - it does much more of the 3D imaging and palpability than the old one in spades. Thought I should mention it.
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