Bass traps and the like

[picky]

colterphoto1: Michael, a suspended ceiling may be used without problems only if the proper type tiles are used.

Mine has melamine foam tiles that are 2-1/4" thick. They tend to absorb about 90% of the sound that hits them. The result is that you hear no perceivable reflections from the ceiling and there is absolutely NO buzzing or noise from the ceiling. It's probably the most important acoustic aspect our particular room. The sound now projects straight at you. It's unlike any sound I have ever witnessed in a home setting before now. It's more like a theater. -Just my 2 cents-worth.

[Olorin]

artto, thanks for the information.

[Champagne taste beer budget]

Last summer I noticed a visual of this phenomenon at home and intended to take a picture of it, but camera location, timing, and what not caused it no never happen. It shows very clearly just what is happening with canceling sound waves, though in a different medium.

With the wind coming directly out of the north, the waves on the lake run squarely into the side of our pontoon tied up to the dock. You could see the waves coming across the lake, smaller ones, guessing 4-5 inches, and once they got to within maybe 4-6 feet from the side of the boat they'd drop to just an inch, actually not even a wave anymore, just random motion on the surface as the previous waves reflected off the boat, hitting the incoming waves as they approached and broke them up. You could see the water rise and fall against the side of the pontoons, but the waves were essentially gone.

I wondered a few times what would happen if I'd hang some sort of thick, open cell foam over the side of the boat to try and absorb the reflections coming off the side of the boat, if it would increase the wave height as they approached the boat.

Like I said, different medium, water instead of air, but I would guess the fluid dynamics would remain the same.

[Olorin]

That reminds me of a similar thing I did last summer. My wife and I took care of her aunt's house while she was out of town, I took advantage of the pool. In a fit of geeking out I sat at one end of the pool and pushed my palm into the water about once per second. The waves leaving my hand were maybe two inches tall. After about a minute of doing this, water was leaping the six inches out of the far corner of the pool.

When my wife asked what I was doing, I said I was demonstrating why the Balrog shook our walls. The really cool thing is that she got it.

[artto]

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On 1/26/2005 12:56:20 PM Olorin wrote:

When my wife asked what I was doing, I said I was demonstrating why the Balrog shook our walls. The really cool thing is that she got it.

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You have good woman Olorin!

[colterphoto1]

colterphoto1: Michael, a suspended ceiling may be used without problems only if the proper type tiles are used.

Picky: Mine has melamine foam tiles that are 2-1/4" thick. They tend to absorb about 90% of the sound that hits them. The result is that you hear no perceivable reflections from the ceiling and there is absolutely NO buzzing or noise from the ceiling. It's probably the most important acoustic aspect our particular room. The sound now projects straight at you. It's unlike any sound I have ever witnessed in a home setting before now. It's more like a theater. -Just my 2 cents-worth.

AH, well that's different then, I was speaking of your standard variety hardware-store ceiling track and tiles. They buzz like there is no tomorrow at even moderate volumes.

Michael