Budget Acoustic Diffusion Products

thebadmachine on 13/05/2019 - 19:03
Last edited 14/05/2019 - 16:04

I am lacking knowledge in proper room-treatment and acoustic properties.
Just would like to share my options for cheap sound diffusion in a small room.
I am looking for a cheap, quick & easy solution to experiment without the need for conventional professional treatment (acoustic foam and bass traps etc).

The first product I came across is the IKEA SKADIS Wood Pegboard ($25) which was the product used in a YouTube video I watched, 3x were placed (2x behind each speaker, 1x higher up in-between speaker’s), before and after frequency response measurements were promising (my guess is the some of the sound waves enter through the slits and get trapped between the pegboard and the wall).
(It’s worth mentioning I am easy going enough to skip taking measurements, I am just wanting to experiment with how diffusion will affect the sound in a small room.)

Here are a few other options I am considering (ascending in price):

  • Seagrass door mat ($2)
    63 x 35cm
    (seagrass is known to have natural sound diffusing & absorbing properties.)

  • Black Buxton Outdoor Mat ($20)
    45 x 70cm
    (from experience of having a solid rubber mat placed on the floor in-front of one speaker, rubber does reduce or diffuse high-frequency reflections. This product is also similar in design (pattern) to the IKEA Pegboard).

  • Easy Clean Outdoor Mat ($22)
    57 x 43cm
    (this one I am unsure about how it will perform. I suspect sound waves will pass right through and reflect the same as wall.)

  • Charcoal Hinterland Wall Art ($35) & Charcoal Monstera Wall Art ($35)
    1160 x 580mm
    (I was thinking 2x of these either identical or mixed, overlapping with mis-matched alignment. Diffusion achieved in a similar concept to the IKEA Pegboard.)

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • wellglued14 on 13/05/2019 - 20:06

    link to the YouTube vid?

    • thebadmachine on 13/05/2019 - 20:15

      Here is the video with seagrass cloud as well as measurements (towards the end I think).

      The measurements for just the Pegboard are in a separate video from the IKEA Pegboard video, I am trying to find it now.
      The guy is in the process of experimenting as well, so the results are reflecting changes.
      Every room is different, so please take it with a grain of salt.

      Edit: Here is just the Pegboard video.

  • Brouw3r on 13/05/2019 - 20:28

    Egg cartons

    • resisting the urge on 13/05/2019 - 21:38

      +1: Yes, egg cartons. Lots of egg cartons.

      Peg board or masonite, etc. would simply cost too much if buying new

      Oh, and of course, bikies. Lots of bikies. They would have to bring much peace and serenity; no-one ever tells them anything is too damn loud. But getting them at a low price is a challenge unless you are the type that breaks the law. Or enforces it?!?

    • diamondd on 14/05/2019 - 10:02

      egg cartons will do a little bit if you're worried about your drum kit annoying your neighbours, but they're not at all suitable for listening to music.

  • diamondd on 14/05/2019 - 09:58
    +1

    I don't believe that any of these solutions would offer enough acoustic performance to justify having a doormat hanging on your wall.

    THE biggest tip of all is to make sure you have your speakers placed correctly. If the left and right channels aren't the same distance away from the left and right walls respectively you can forget about treatment because you'll never have a good image anyway. You also need to have them at least a foot away from the back wall minimum. I imagine you've taken care of this, but it's amazing how many people have everything tucked in a corner.

    if that's all in order, in my opinion the only way to start adding treatment that's both affordable and worthwhile is to make them yourself. Basic absorption panels for first reflections and/or poly-cylindrical diffusers are pretty easy to knock up if you're handy on the tools. Even a skyline diffuser is very straightforward to make (mounting however could be another issue), but you're going to want a power saw.

    • thebadmachine on 14/05/2019 - 15:59

      Yes current placement and sound is fine, just wanted to experiment with the absolute minimum.
      Probably will try out the IKEA Pegboards, as they will go on easy with 3M command strips (also the most aesthetically pleasing).

      Edit: with the doormat / wall-art I planned to have it hanging 1-2cm away from the wall it is on (or in the case of the wall-art be placed leaning against the wall with slight angle up, with the bottom end 2-3cm from the skirting board), in order for the sound waves that pass-through to become trapped behind and diffuse as they bounce between the back of the doormat and the wall. Just my logical understanding of how the diffusion would work.

      • diamondd on 14/05/2019 - 17:29

        before you drop too much/any money you might get a bit out of this video https://youtu.be/1d9WmjTJniI

        if you're very confident your speakers are set up correctly you can skip ahead to 34 minutes.

        • thebadmachine on 14/05/2019 - 18:37

          I will give it a watch soon. Thanks tor the link.

  • HungryBen on 16/08/2020 - 22:39

    Really liked this video that Bobby Owsinki made.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d9WmjTJniI

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join