RFZ_Quest
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Hello Mike,
You make at least the third person now who's shown any real interest in creating a listening environment worthwhile for that intention.
(Wow, three people! Something's wrong with that picture) Got to be at least a couple more out there??? I guess the unheard lurkers have to be factored in as well.
Well anyway, just for those that care such as yourself, I will be glad to post some drawings, parts lists, instructions, details, etc... up concerning several different approaches in the art of diffusive elements and acoustic enhancement in general.
I.E....Actual detailed information on d.i.y. projects of known credibility to their worthiness. The best bang for your buck without spending a small fortune. Although the end result shall be unparalleled by any degree of cost when compared directly to similar products.
The majority of cost for these devices lies within the labor & shipping factors! D.I.Y. here allows for an entire room to be professionally modified with the best of techniques when acoustical treatment becomes paramount. If done correctly, a full treatment could be accomplished in a 'stealth'-like manner within the room while also maintaining a decor scheme, color coordinate approach.
I personally like the idea of integrating the units flush within the wall studs and the drywall surface itself. With simple detachable grills covered in sound transparent material of matching color, the treatment really becomes unaware of itself within the overall presentation of the room decor.
'Fully-functional' but non-obtrusive. I believe that should satisfy all parties concerned in an agreeable manner.
I do not tend to take the simplistic approach to things unless it serves the need without the addition of complexity for which to make it justifiably better. I do try to maintain a balance of elements that matter the most for the task at hand, without compromise to performance when considering the pettier of factors that are irrelevant to the end result of purpose.
I do try to factor in options for reasonable aesthetics as much as possible without creating any detrimental set backs to the units performance. Moderation here is really important. Sometimes, a bit more compromise in this area is important if the unit is to be displayed within a well decorated room. I believe that with good creative skill and a little imagination, many things are possible to bring all of these factors together into a workable solution.
As long as we use audio transparent materials to cover the critical areas that provide the function (the entire sequence grid), without hampering it's effectiveness, then all is well. (No pun intended...really)
I am going to provide a technique with the source links for which one can apply a special coating of felt like material in a spray-on manner.
This provides a wide range of colors to choose from that end up with a texture similar to that of fancy jewelry box lining. The cost is very affordable and most importantly, beautiful with a professional touch.
Another finish method without the complexity, is to pre-finish your parts in the 'whole' material stage BEFORE cutting the parts. This way, the post-assembly finishing requires only a minimal touch-up phase, which should be quick & easy to do with great results.
Whether it be a painted surface or that of exotic veneer finish, this concept of pre-fab preparation makes a lot of sense when it comes to near perfect finish qualities with very minimal work involved.
If you have ever tried to spray paint something that has nowhere for the applied air pressure to travel through without build-up, you know that this task is nearly impossible to do effectively. The end result would be far short from desirable trying to do it in this manner. You would be better off applying the paint by brush, but disappointed by the vast amount of time this would require to paint the individual well detail plus the mess it is likely to create.
The best options are either total covering with an acoustical material after assembly, or pre-finishing the material prior to parts cutting and assembly. Once the unit is together, it is already finished with just a few final touch-ups needed to cover certain edges exposed from the cutting of parts. When paint comes into play however, it is important to note where gluing boundaries intersect, as you want to insure the glue bonds correctly without being affected by the paint. (Chemical compatibility is always a major factor to consider)
Imagine how pretty the wells would be if an entire MDF sheet was pre-veneered as a whole prior to the parts cutting. The parts could be cut in a consecutive manner so that during the assembly stage, the wood grain will match in sections as it did whole. The divider panels should also be pre-painted in whole sheets of material (both sides) prior to cutting the individual parts. *This could present a problem when gluing if the glue and paint are non-compatible. Just one of those factors to keep in mind.
Let creativity have no boundary and use your imagination. There are many different ways to come up with an effective solution for which to create a low cost, highly functional, highly attractive product. A winner in all aspects of consideration.
So, I heard your calling for which I shall respond with something that I hope will suit your needs. Just remember that there are always alternative methods for which to bring into play. My techniques usually incorporate a complimentary blend of absorption built into the diffusion designs. That is not always the case, but generally it is a good practice not only from a cost savings perspective, but also a space saving, practical perspective without losing anything in the process regarding performance potential.
This is a time permitted process on my part. Please allow a reasonable amount of time to put this information together. I shall start with the plans for building my full-scale prime-23 unit as shown in the photo's posted at the other link.
In the mean time, you should consider the finishing aspect ahead of time, as something that I described above may be the solution that is best for your situation. Know what you want here in advance so that expensive changes are not made mid-stream in the assembly process.
With a unit consisting of narrow .5" wells such as this, the most practical method for finish would be a covering with acoustically transparent material. Large sheets of speaker grill cloth can be ordered from Parts Express at a reasonable cost with many colors to choose from. I would either paint or veneer the outer cabinet sections where visible.
A platform will be required not only as a sturdy foundation for the diffuser units to perch securely, but to also bring them to the appropriate height within the room boundaries. I built mine from 3/4 MDF in a partitioned set of sealed cavities, which could easily be transformed into individually tuned Helmholtz resonators for troublesome low frequency correction.
Again, there are always alternative approaches available for consideration. Many of these techniques can effectively be integrated within very smart hybrid designs. I will merely offer a few ideas of my own which I believe will provide dramatic improvement within an intelligent approach for the d.i.y. constructor.
More to come soon. Please have patience and don't hesitate to ask questions concerning this. I will try to cover all aspects with minimal confusion. If there is a problem, bring it into focus for correction.
This should be a walk in the park for all of you experienced woodworkers, and not too bad for the first time novice.
I am in a minor state of chaos right now following my move back west. This means that I need to find all of my data and material before I can get any information put together and posted. I'm working on it. You should begin to see details as a work in progress very soon.
Hope this gets you on the right track to where you want to be.
Paul.
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