New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Bass Traps & Sprung Ceiling
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Welcome to the Graham Slee Audio Products Owners Forum

 

Open to all owners plus those contemplating the purchase of a Graham Slee HiFi System Components audio product and wishing to use this forum's loaner program: join here (Rules on posting can be found here)

This website along with trade marks Graham Slee and HiFi System Components are owned by Cadman Enterprises Ltd


Bass Traps & Sprung Ceiling

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Graham Slee View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Retired

Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Location: South Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 16298
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Bass Traps & Sprung Ceiling
    Posted: 22 Feb 2017 at 11:29pm
Finally achieved "studio sound" from my new office/workshop/listening room.

Found the best bass traps ever, and only £38 each complete with plastic covers LOL

Bass Traps

Also finally found the remaining boomy bass culprit - the "sprung ceiling".

Modern building methods are rubbish! Once upon a time the plaster board for ceilings was screwed or nailed directly to the underside of the joists - which are very stiff so the ceiling doesn't "bounce". But about 30 years ago some bright spark thought it a good idea to fix 4 x 1 timbers under the joists then screw or nail the plaster boards to them. Result is a springy ceiling.

In a room like this which has a too-low width-height ratio, 1.14:1, standing waves are a problem, so the sprung ceiling easily resonates.

By wedging a brace across the room as pictured, most of the spring was taken out at the point where ceiling reflections take place.

The difference was night and day. Imagery greatly improved, and all boom was gone at the listening position.

The permanent solution looks like being timber beams like old fashioned oak beams. This being needed to take out the spring. If I'd wanted beams I'd have specified them! Oh well, you live and you learn (but not so builders).

That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
Back to Top
Fatmangolf View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 23 Dec 2009
Location: Middlesbrough
Status: Offline
Points: 8958
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2017 at 12:02am
Thanks for this shared expertise and well done on fixing a frustrating situation.
Jon

Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC.
Back to Top
Richardl60 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 04 Nov 2014
Location: Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1468
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Richardl60 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2017 at 6:52am
Great!!!
Back to Top
Graham Slee View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Retired

Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Location: South Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 16298
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2017 at 9:48am
Next stage is the construction of six BBC A11 absorbers to take the place of the rockwool packs. six absorbers require one full pack of rockwool anyway, so absorbtion should still be good.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1992-11.pdf shows the research, absorption plots, and construction.

BBC studio A11 absorbers - bass traps

As for the celing, at present it is effectively one large panel constructed of plaster board and wooden strips, which constitutes a flimsy ribbed 3.7 x 2.7 m panel. It is attached to the rigid joists on a matrix where the wooden strips make contact with the joists, and so it can be seen to be largely unsupported.

Perhaps one runner or beam screwed through midway between joists to each strip (under the ceiling) would provide continuous support - continuous contact with the ceiling - and as such damp its resonance at the problem frequency.

The temporary brace isn't that substantial having its own springiness, and only applies upward pressure at the midpoint, indicating that maybe not much more than a basic stiffener is required.

The effect of not having the brace is that the stereo image becomes confused. Also, the problem frequencies of 125 and 250 Hz are much more evident. In reading the A11 absorber PDF, it can be seen that 250Hz "is most undesirable".

That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
Back to Top
Richardl60 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 04 Nov 2014
Location: Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1468
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Richardl60 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2017 at 12:18pm
I suspect a lot of us do suffer from room accoustic issues. This remains advanced work in progress and wonder when you reach your end solution whether this could be summarised? Perhaps the biggest issue is having a family friendly solution for those without man caves.   As outlined before I have found that the bass peaks have diminished significantly with improved cable solutions and for the most part mine have gone but sure accoustics could be improved on the question is would it get formal 'approval'
Back to Top
Graham Slee View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Retired

Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Location: South Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 16298
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2017 at 3:02am
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
Back to Top
SiE View Drop Down
New Member
New Member
Avatar

Joined: 30 Nov 2017
Location: Bristol, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 15
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SiE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2017 at 12:20pm
Originally posted by Richardl60 Richardl60 wrote:

I suspect a lot of us do suffer from room acoustic issues... 
A useful check list to work out if you have room acoustic issues:
Do you live in a building? Do you have a hi-fi system?  Is it plugged in and are you listening to it? If the answer to all the questions is 'Yes', then you have "room acoustic issues"!
I've noticed that, for any given room, the bass is always at its strongest and most audible exactly where it is most difficult to keep your head. For example in my previous listening room, I was decorating and popping up and down the ladder to install coving. Guess where the bass sounded best?  That's right... six inches from the ceiling, that's where!
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.