Buyer Beware: Dennis Foley and Acoustic Fields

[MarkusBarkus]

Did you get to download the plans and were the plans any good?

...yes, I did buy the bundled plans 5+ years ago. Some kind of sale. Maybe 25 bucks! No idea what it is now.

Personally, I don't like the guy's "style" but it's a big world. That is not to say he doesn't have knowledge that works in particular scenarios, but when I have spoken to him, he reads as sketchy to me. And I surely would not buy that carbon from him.

I built the 165 lb. bass trap, and two quad diffusors. I have had them in place almost five years, and I like them.

A whole lotta cuttin' if you do the quads! Pic angles look odd, but quads are approximately 24" x 48" x 10"

Trap is about 59" x 28" x 17"

 

[TooCool4]

Thank you SeagoatLeo & MarkusBarkus, I am looking at the All-In-One Acoustic Treatment DIY Build Plans. It’s at $49.00 down from $299.95.

I am interested in the Quadratic diffusers; I have a friend who is a carpenter that can help me build them.

I was thinking of buying the foam sheets from Acoustic Fields, so I can build the absorbers myself, but since it looks like he may not send out the goods I’ll give them a miss. If I can get the plans, my friend can help me build the Quadratic diffusers. At $49.00, are the DIY plans worth it assuming I can download the plans once paid for?

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I think it is worth it. Now that I think about it, I did buy a pack of his foam. I do not recall what it cost then. Upon examination, perhaps some foam from Primacoustic or GIK would work as well. His foam doesn't *look* special, though I recognize it could have some spec he requested from the manufacturer.

 

[TooCool4]

MarkusBarkus, thanks for your reply. At $49, while on sale I will not lose too much should it not work out.

 

[TooCool4]

Thanks MarkusBarkus, just bought and downloaded the plans.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

@TooCool4 I don't recall the spec from memory, but I built with Baltic birch plywood, and it worked very well. Good Luck and how about a pic when you finally get them done? Best...

 

[SeagoatLeo]

Thank you SeagoatLeo & MarkusBarkus, I am looking at the All-In-One Acoustic Treatment DIY Build Plans. It’s at $49.00 down from $299.95.

I am interested in the Quadratic diffusers; I have a friend who is a carpenter that can help me build them.

I was thinking of buying the foam sheets from Acoustic Fields, so I can build the absorbers myself, but since it looks like he may not send out the goods I’ll give them a miss. If I can get the plans, my friend can help me build the Quadratic diffusers. At $49.00, are the DIY plans worth it assuming I can download the plans once paid for?

Foley said I could be credited for the money he owed me by purchasing $15K or $30K of quadradic diffusers for my front and rear walls at a depth of 14"!!! The room already lost 16" to his wall design construction so my room is slightly less than 20X15X10, with the suspended foam absorption on the ceiling, a foot less and side walls 4" or 6" less per side. The bass traps apparently worked as I have great bass everywhere in the room with my Von Schweikert VR9 SE Mk2 (upgraded) speakers which include 15" Rel subs to the rear with 1000 w Foundation amps.

Those are very fine looking diffusers you built. The GIK unit I purchased had only a few widely spaced reflector spaces (8), solidly built but the back panel was glued&stapled on. The backing fell off out of the box. Funny that the rear looked like a mirror image of the front diffuser. Either side could have worked.

 

[TooCool4]

@MarkusBarkus not sure when I will get round to getting them built, I have only just moved house, and I still have loads more to do to the house. I just wanted to buy the plans now, as they are on sale.

@SeagoatLeo It’s a shame he did not give you your money back, but trying to make you buy more stuff from him. I hate it when a company owes you money, then instead of giving you what they owe you, they give you a voucher which you must spend with them again.

 

[Chrisl]

Wonder why those diffusers are so deep?

 

[SeagoatLeo]

Wonder why those diffusers are so deep?

I stopped communications after the last email he sent. Just B.S. and an accounting in which there were mathematical errors. 14"? Because those diffusers are more expensive/profitable? Who knows?

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...depth and variation of depths (over simplified) determines the frequency and diffusion effects. e.g. takes more time for the waves to bounce from 14" compared to 3" chambers. How deep is deep enough for the deepest chamber in a given room? I would need to rely on someone else's math there.

 

[Benevolent Overlord]

I have been thinking of approaching Acoustic Fields to help sort out my room, I have just read through all the above posts. Now I have second thoughts.

Not long ago I was looking to buy something else, not audio related. I read a lot of reviews about the product / the reseller. Over 97% of the reviews were negative, but I thought I’d give it a try anyway. Big mistake, the reviews were correct, and I did lose money on it. If everyone is saying the same thing, there must be some truth in it.

Just a couple of questions for those people that dealt with Acoustic Fields, buying the DIY plans. Did you get to download the plans and were the plans any good?

TIA

I just found and joined this Forum. I have watched a lot of his videos and had a good impression of hom from them. Planned to at least send pictures and ask his advice. I would be very interested to hear about his DIY plans for QRD's, etc.

I have been thinking of approaching Acoustic Fields to help sort out my room, I have just read through all the above posts. Now I have second thoughts.

Not long ago I was looking to buy something else, not audio related. I read a lot of reviews about the product / the reseller. Over 97% of the reviews were negative, but I thought I’d give it a try anyway. Big mistake, the reviews were correct, and I did lose money on it. If everyone is saying the same thing, there must be some truth in it.

Just a couple of questions for those people that dealt with Acoustic Fields, buying the DIY plans. Did you get to download the plans and were the plans any good?

TIA

 

[squasher]

I just found and joined this Forum. I have watched a lot of his videos and had a good impression of hom from them. Planned to at least send pictures and ask his advice. I would be very interested to hear about his DIY plans for QRD's, etc.

There’s a reason why this thread is subtitled “Buyer Beware”..

If you’ve read the many messages and still decide to buy from this guy, you’re on your own.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I agree, but the plans are fine. BTW: I consider the plans to be advanced DIY. Results are as good as you want/are able to make them.

 

[SeagoatLeo]

...I agree, but the plans are fine. BTW: I consider the plans to be advanced DIY. Results are as good as you want/are able to make them.

So why in my $140,000 custom listening room construction did he NOT supply ANY plans as promised after purchasing about $50,000 in product? Only the great contractor spoke to him, received rudimentary planning with AF triple mistakes and incorrect choice of finish cost me much more and maybe 6 to 8 extra weeks delay FOR NO REASON.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I was referring to the DIY plans for specific products that sells for about 25 bucks. I used them to build a big bass trap and a couple if quads.

Aside from that, I personally wouldn't buy anything from him. I spoke with him by phone, and in my opinion, he is a bit sketchy. My opinion. But good DIY plans for 4-5 products for 25 bucks, sure.

 

[Benevolent Overlord]

Thanks. Understood. I was surprised by all the bad experiences many have had over the last few years with him. Likely there are many more beyond this Forum.
I hoped to pick-his-brain a bit about my odd shaped basement AV space. Understood that he wanted to sell his products. The carbon stuff is way too expensive and impractical for me, though, Even if delivery was reliable.

 

[Benevolent Overlord]

...I was referring to the DIY plans for specific products that sells for about 25 bucks. I used them to build a big bass trap and a couple if quads.

Aside from that, I personally wouldn't buy anything from him. I spoke with him by phone, and in my opinion, he is a bit sketchy. My opinion. But good DIY plans for 4-5 products for 25 bucks, sure.

I still see his videos in FB, but when I've tried to go to his website all I get is some site hawking clothing and other crap. Are you on his Forum? Can you give me his PN#, perhaps a URL? I'm taking to heart what I've been reading here, so I'm not just running headlong into the abyss. Just hope to get some useful info, especially about QRD, maybe those DIY plans.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I'm not on his forum. No knowledge of that, actually. Some years back, I watched a bunch of his videos and had a call with him.

If I had listened to him, I would've needed to sell my house and build a room with him to get good sound. He said my room would never sound good.

Actually, with work and perseverance, my room sounds terrific.

Re: the carbon. Pretty sure that's just activated carbon pellets used for filtration in other fields. Not special, but weighs a ton, so costly to ship. Not really practical, IMO.

 

[TooCool4]

I just found and joined this Forum. I have watched a lot of his videos and had a good impression of hom from them. Planned to at least send pictures and ask his advice. I would be very interested to hear about his DIY plans for QRD's, etc.

I bought the DIY plans on sale and had made what I needed for the front and back of my room. The pans worked well for me. See attached images.