arfz28 Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 I finally got around to sealing the bass bin of my k-horns to the walls today. I used some of that foam insulation that goes around pipes.I bought 4 pieces in 3foot lengths, they sliped right over the tail piece real nice and tight, makes a good seal to the wall.Is there a difference in the bass of my k-horns now, you bet there is, I could tell right away. The walls that the k-horns go to are panaling in the basement, sure wish it was sheetrock.This is something that takes little time to do and I found it very worth the efort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Way to go ... it definitely is worth the time. I used the same approach to mine and it worked just swell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Hey, that IS a good idea. My horns came with a thin foam strip to slip over the tail board edges, but my walls are so out of square that I am pretty sure I'm not getting a real good top-to-bottom/both-sides seal. I wonder if using the pipe insulation would help. Shoot, it wouldn't cost much to find out, would it. Well, gotta run to WallyWorld... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Doug, Try the weather strip insulation that comes in rolls about 1" wide and 1/2" deep; one side is tacky. It should give you enough depth to find a seal even if the walls are not plumb ... or do a double-layer if needed. $4 or so at Home Depot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 I found a double layer of sheet rock works best in my past Klipschorn experience... even if it is on false walls. For a new project, I am experimenting with differenct materials for their acoustic effect in creating an ideal 7.1 sound environment inside and stopping as much sound leakage into the environment outside the room. One of the approaches is building a low bass trap panel and fronting it with a medium bass trap and then finising it with a layer of fabric to trap the high end stuff. Obviously, I could get the same effect by using stacked foam like an anechoic chamber. It is my intent to build a free standing HT in a garden setting. I want the garden tranquil even if "Saving Private Ryan" is doing its beach landing thing in the theater. Thanks to the recent m00n landing, I will make a point of reading the instructiosn on the ladder first! =HornEd PS: Anybody that has some intersting approaches to creating the kind of acoustic environment described above, please add your comments. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Ed...I've posted a whole S**load of stuff regarding acoustics & room construction in the architectural thread (just in case you haven't looked yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Thanks, artto, I haven't looked there in awhile so I'll get right to it! =HornED PS: Since I am building a prototype free standing theater that folds up on a trailer bed... some of the acoustic approaches are too heavy for easy portability. Once the working prototype shows me the way, I will be building three mobile Klipsch theaters for a new business venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfz28 Posted January 10, 2003 Author Share Posted January 10, 2003 James I have the same problem, the panaling is a little warped, I took the side panels off the k-horns, the ones with the grill gloth on them, and when I pushed the k-hornes back to the walls I had quater inch gaps and some up to close to a half an inch. So after putting the pipe insulation on the tail boards and pushing the k-horns back it made a perfect tight seal. What I like about this pipe stuff is you need no glue no nails or nothing. If you ever want to replace it it would be so easy. James I used the three eights inch pipe insulation, try it out and let us know if you can tell a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 Hey gang, what does this pipe insulation look like? It's at Home Depot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 Although any seal of the K-horns to the corner at the tailpiece, and along the walls out from the corner along the upper panel atop the bass bin will improve the performance, my recommendation is to use a better sealing material at these points than the lightweight highly porous split pipe insulation mentioned in this thread. Sure it is easy to use, but a much better-performing seal can be made with a more dense compound. My recommendation for this is still that automotive window/door/trunk weatherstripping that is hollow on one end and looks in its cross-section like an elongated "comma". Simply attach the "tail" of the "comma" to the edges of the k-horn surfaces mentioned above, with the hollow "head" of the comma providing the between-wall-and-panel seal. The extra density of this material will give an even more improved sound from the aquired seal. And, of course, having the k-horn bass bin sealed to the floor will provide an even BETTER performance factor(but this is NOT possible if the k-horn is sitting in a carpeted-floor corner). But if your k-horns are sitting in a false corner with a built-in wooden floor panel, or are sitting on concrete or wooden floored corners, OR you have installed a floor panel ATOP the carpet in the corner...this IS possible. Simply remove the metal gliders from the bottom of the bass bin(pry them out), and replace them with 1" to 1-1/2" diameter "Grippers"...ensuring to also add one of these "Grippers" to the center of the bottom of the bass bin...this will provide an adequate seal to the floor, but this seal can be even further inproved if a dense foam weather-stripping is INSTEAD applied COMPLETELY around the perimeter of the bottom of the bass bin...about 1/4" to 1/2" in towards the center from the outside edge...remembering to also include more of this material at the CENTER of the bass bin's bottom. Once this bottom seal has been achieved, the performance of the bass bin's now "completed" horn lens mouth will be vastly superior to what you have been hearing previously! Trust me on this!! It really works and is EXACTLY what we used to do when we did in-home installations of K-horns while I worked there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfz28 Posted January 11, 2003 Author Share Posted January 11, 2003 Builder,this automotive weather stripping you are talking about will it actually be able to be installed without glue?Can you buy it at a napa dealer are an auto zone? I might check this out and see if it will be an improvment over the pipe insulation.This pipe insulation really works well for me and it only cost a total of 3 bucks for all 4 3 foot pieces.it is some perty tuff stuff if you buy a good brand of it, but again I have to agrea with you that a rubber seal may be better. Andy the pipe insulation is round and actually fits over a three eights inch pipe,it will have a slit cut in it from one end to the other, this will slip right over the tail piece and it fits tight.When ever I get to an auto parts store I will look for that weather stripping you are talking about and if it is cheep enough I will give it a try and report back if I like it better. I really cant believe I have had these k-horns this long and havent sealed them to the walls before, This has got to be one of the best cheep tweeks you can do to you k-horns, I am relly impressed with the more bass I am getting out of them.Thanks builder for giving the tip on doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 You can either glue it on, or you can staple it on...but it doesn't come with self-adhesive. You can also buy it by the yard or foot through J.C. Whitney catalogs...that is how we always got it. When applying it to the tailpiece, you attach the tail of the "comma" to the back side of the tailpiece edges with the head of the "comma" lapping over the edges...when applying it to the top panel edges of the bass bin along the sides...attach it to the underside of that panel with the head of the "comma" pointing upwards along the edge. In this way its attachments are not noticeable. It is a tightly foamed rubber kind of stuff...and it squishes between the surfaces quite well...as the hollow head of the "comma" fills the voids there. That pipe insulation works OK, but the more dense weatherstripping I am talking about makes a more "solid" seal...and gives a bit more performance in the deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djn Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 I am building my bass horns this week and I have often read and heard about the sealing problems so why can't I attach a 3/4" piece of plywood to the backpost and side as though they are the walls permentley attached? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Dennis, You could do that. Just be sure they extend out even with the front of the speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 And that the one side be removeable so you can get to the woofer door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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