Jump to content

Changing Room Acoustics


Erukian

Recommended Posts

Hi, I live in a room that's 10x12, which is a large dorm room by most standards. Anyhow, When my window is closed and my door is closed, my room likes to ECHO. Like the sound of walking through a new house or room with nothing in it. I have no posters in here or anything, just a plain white wall.

What can i do to get rid of this? What are some options bsides putting up curtians on my walls? :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Room sized throw pillows. Tapestrry wall hangings. Changing speaker placemnt.

Sound absorbtion panels. Thick Carpet. Heavy blankets on bed.

Fabric wall paper. Add fabric covered chairs.

Heavy curtains and drapes on windows. Use of treble control. Towel racks and thick towels. Egg crates. Foam Padding or bats (round).

This is just a start. But the thing to remember is what you do to stop echo when windows are closed wil affect sound when they are open.

You can make some wooden frames and glue foam or fabric to insert in your windows. Experiments with closed windows sytem in use will determine how much fabric or foam.

You can always add some velvet paintings of Elvis.3.gif

dodger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You might also consider different sized pictures on the wall. Pictures without the glass.

Overstuffed furniture in the right place can help.

The problem is solved by a combination of absorption and/or scattering of the sound waves which are bouncing back and forth all over the place.

You can experiment a little bit with the hand clap test. Walk around the room and clap your hands over your head and listen to what happens. Do this each time you add or subtract or move something within the room.

Good luck!

You can go too far, so do things one at a time. Your room could sound too dead (clap your hands in a closet to experience dead sounding room).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can always add some velvet paintings of Elvis.3.gif

dodger

Good one Dodger.

Do you have somethin' against Elvis on velvet ?

He's the king !!!! ...no matter what he is fabricated on !

9.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How man! You have just opened a bag worms! And so many "creative", but actually inappropriate responses.

Your're best bet in a small room like that is to just let the furniture do the work. However I suspect you're in no position to be buying a lot of overstuffed furniture.

Try this: http://www.americanmusical.com/sort--m-h--s-auralex.html

Prices vary from as little as $3 to $600. Something like this should be a great start, if not adequate for your situation: http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-AUR-2WD24CG.html ($70)

DO NOT USE: egg crates/cartons, closed cell foam (like used for packing), cardboard, paper.

Things that are too "thin" such as many curtains/towels will not absorb enough, and when they do, its usually in a very narrow frequency range (bad). Things like "velvet" artwork are far to thin to have much absorption quality although they may provide some diffusive qualities, as do book cases/shelves.

The room is small to begin with so you can pretty forget about anything even close to "perfection", which is probably not your objective anyway. Use the KISS method

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeez, I dont want to wrap up my room in sound absorbing material like a movie theatre. If i'm going to hand up stuff behind me, would the best spot be where the drivers are facing? should i worry about reflections on the left and right walls?

Also if i invested and bought all those corner/wall sound blocking stuffs my girlfriend will think I flipped out of my mind. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 1/23/2005 3:35:46 PM artto wrote:

How man! You have just opened a bag worms! And so many "creative", but actually inappropriate responses.

Your're best bet in a small room like that is to just let the furniture do the work. However I suspect you're in no position to be buying a lot of overstuffed furniture.

Try this:

Prices vary from as little as $3 to $600. Something like this should be a great start, if not adequate for your situation:
($70)

DO NOT USE: egg crates/cartons, closed cell foam (like used for packing), cardboard, paper.

Things that are too "thin" such as many curtains/towels will not absorb enough, and when they do, its usually in a very narrow frequency range (bad). Things like "velvet" artwork are far to thin to have much absorption quality although they may provide some diffusive qualities, as do book cases/shelves.

The room is small to begin with so you can pretty forget about anything even close to "perfection", which is probably not your objective anyway. Use the KISS method

----------------

Elvis is King.

Suggestion of velvet painting was tongue in cheek.

I noted heavy curtains and drapes.

But if the source area is the side that the window side, sound absobing panels such as those used in an office should be effective and can be found in used office furniture outlets.

dodger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 1/23/2005 7:44:33 PM Erukian wrote:

Jeez, I dont want to wrap up my room in sound absorbing material like a movie theatre. If i'm going to hand up stuff behind me, would the best spot be where the drivers are facing? should i worry about reflections on the left and right walls?

Also if i invested and bought all those corner/wall sound blocking stuffs my girlfriend will think I flipped out of my mind.
:)

----------------

First of all, movie theaters are not usually "wrapped in sound absorbing material". Second, you probably don't need much sound absorbing material as a start to accomplish what you want. A few 2'x2' panels strategically placed should do the job for what you want to do. So would a book case filled with books, or a heavy pleated curtain, etc.

You first need to locate the primary "first points of reflection" relative to where you usually do your listening. While you sit, have someone (maybe your girlfriend?) take a small mirror (6" will do) and have them place it flat on the walls and ceiling, moving it around, until you can see the reflection of the speaker (primarily the midrange/treble) in the mirror. Mark these locations lightly with a pencil or something. These are the first locations where sound absorption or diffusion should be placed. The 2'x2'x2" acoustical foam panels mentioned above should be enough to take out much of the "echo" in the room, as well as reduce short duration reflections that interfere with the direct sound from the speakers. $70 worth should be plenty in that room. Better now than later that your girlfriend find out you're already addicted to this sport. And I can assure you, all your campus pals will think its really cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 1/24/2005 6:40:35 PM D-MAN wrote:

Do the sound-absorbing panels up with picture wire and hang them on the walls like paintings. Adhesives will generally damage the walls. That way you won't incur any damage charges when you leave, and you take them with you.

DM

----------------

This is even easier and less damaging: use 1-1/2" or 2" straight steel "T-pins" available at some office supply stores or fabric stores. It literally leaves a "pin hole" 2.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...