Confessions of a diffusion junkie

[Wes_in_VA]

I'm goin back in...



These will be the three center modules for a seven module fractal stepped diffuser array for the front wall. The QRD's outboard of the existing three module array will be relocated to the back of the room.


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Damn. That's way cool.

 

[tomlinmgt]

Thanks Wes. They're really quite easy to build once you get past ripping the plywood. I'll likely start a thread detailing their construction once I get this endeavor wrapped up.

 

[tomlinmgt]

Alright...here it is mocked up and ready for Danish oil. Hopefully I can get em up tomorrow. That will be a big progression for the listening space as it allows me to move the QRD diffusers back to either side of me. I'm anticipating the audible effects of that change.

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[crwilli]

Michael,

I am curious and waiting patiently for you to fire ip your Betas and then play with treatments. Specifically, where you find your diffusers add to the staging. In general, i have been lead to believe that dipoles like the Betas should have nothing behind them. You can test that!


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[tomlinmgt]

I have tested it with other dipoles, namely Acoustat Spectra 22's. I've had those for longer than I've had diffusion on the front wall and recently got them out again and listened to them with diffusion behind them for the first time. Initial impressions are greater sound stage depth and better resolution deeper in the sound stage. Transparency seems to have improved as well as less content seems to be coming directly from the speakers (they put on a very nice disappearing act now). Just to eliminate expectation bias I'm going to build some flat panels from cardboard that can be hung over the diffusers to simulate a flat wall and have my friend (a fellow audio geek) come over and listen and see what he thinks.

 

[crwilli]

I have tested it with other dipoles, namely Acoustat Spectra 22's. I've had those for longer than I've had diffusion on the front wall and recently got them out again and listened to them with diffusion behind them for the first time. Initial impressions are greater sound stage depth and better resolution deeper in the sound stage. Transparency seems to have improved as well as less content seems to be coming directly from the speakers (they put on a very nice disappearing act now). Just to eliminate expectation bias I'm going to build some flat panels from cardboard that can be hung over the diffusers to simulate a flat wall and have my friend (a fellow audio geek) come over and listen and see what he thinks.

Excellent Michael! Thank you for the insights and the seemingly tireless practical testing of acoustics.

 

[tomlinmgt]

I revisited this thread and realized I never posted a pic of the 7-module stepped diffuser array post installation. All my big speakers kind of hide a good percentage of it, but the tiny LS50's reveal it in all its naked glory. Beneath the array and flanking the gear rack are a pair of poly (as in polycylindrical) diffusers and each of those has 4" of OC703 behind them.

 

[onwardjames]

Glad you did, I missed it first go around. Great work, and again, I am reminded of how badly I need to address my own specific acoustic issues.

 

[marqueemoon]

That's awesome. I wonder if that would fly in my living room.

 

[jelly_bean]

I'm looking at building those Leanfusers this weekend! doing an array of 3 panels with 5 "steps" on each side of the front wall with my Maggies.


just two questions (that I hope I've written to make sense):

1) Did you use 1/2 plywood and use the same calculations for 10mm ply (on the website) or did you alter your measurements to work with the 1/2 ply?
(I.E. steps of 1/2" vs 10mm/1cm.)

2) Can you do 3, 5 step panels per side that have the same steps? or do they need to be different heights on the middle panel like your center array was?
From what I see on the website, It looks like it would be fine to build 6 panels that are all the same, but I'm just trying to confirm.

Thanks!

I envy your wall.

 

[tomlinmgt]

Thanks for the kind words!

Keep in mind each module is actually 7 steps or "wells" where the base acts as two steps. You can see in my first implementation of the design where I just use three modules in the middle (flanked by QRD's to the outside) each module is 7 steps. Later, when I went to an actual modulated fractal 7-module array (pictured behind the tiny Kef's) all the modules share the base step...which is a lot easier to see in the picture that shows the mock-up on the floor.

I used 1/2" ply and used each piece as a single height unit.

Good luck with the build!

 

[dosmalo]

Michael always makes it sound so easy - with the "[....]implementation of the modulated fractual modual array [....]." and such.:sigh:

Don't nobody get me wrong, I'm really impressed as hell with this and I've been reading (and bugging Michael) as much about it as possible because I think its a "final frontier" in good sound.

I foresee a compound miter saw in my future AND I'm married to an understanding wife (!)
What's not to love about all that?

 

[jelly_bean]

ahh, thank you guys! I should have said 7 steps, yes.

using steps of 1/2" makes this much simpler on my brain. So instead of the 0-4-5-3-5-4-0 in cm its now roughly 0,1.5, 2, 1, 2, 1.5, 0 in inches? Do I have that correct? Or do you use 4, 1/2" pieces for the first step (totalling 2"), followed by 5, 1/2" (2.5") pieces and so on. I'm probably thinking way too hard by now, just want to make sure I do this correctly.

one more thing, how much higher is your center panel on the 3 panel array?

I'm really looking forward to this. I have my Maggies about 4 ft out from a bare wall. hope this really starts to bring the "magic" out more.

**Tip for married folk who require spousal approval: tell em you're building some wooden wall art and not "stepped sound diffusers for the stereo system" that she tolerates, it made her cringe a bit less.