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"First reflection"...what it means, why it's important, how to find it

Great thread.

Looking for some advise on my panel placement and additional panels.
I did the RT60 calculator with the following results.
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I have GIK panels as shown in the pics below.

C53-B40-F4-0204-4243-804-F-BAF789-BA7-EB4.jpg


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I've played around with the placement and with what I have this sounds good.
According to the calculator I need 133 sqft. I currently have 44 sqft.
All the panels I have are bass traps. The two square panels have diffusers that I've taken off for now.
I'm thinking I need to get the 242 panels for the side reflections allowing me to put the square panels on the back wall and the skinny panels in the corners of the same wall.
Any ideas?
 
slippers-on said:
Ollie...I saw your posting at Hoffman. Great room! So what does the panels do for you now that you've added the panels?
Click to expand...
I mounted the corner base traps and tweaked the first reflection panels and I'm very happy with it.
Listening to Pink Floyd WYWH SACD and it's as good as I've ever heard it. Massive sound stage, crystal clear and great crisp bass.
Here's a pic of the mounted bass traps
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I need to clean out my corners and add some panels as well. I have the tapestry also on the left wall. The room sounds pretty good as is but still can us some bass traps being the sitting position as well
 
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slippers-on said:
Did you buy a kit or separate pieces?
Click to expand...

I called GIK and they guided me through what I needed.
I have to say I'm a little disappointed with them. After coming on here and the SH site and reading the knowledge on here I think I could have done better.
Still having said that the room sounds far better than before.
 
I like what I see going on there, Ollie. Great looking room and rig. I’ll study your pics a bit more closely and respond with my thoughts when I have a little more time to do so. But first, have you tried draping a folded-up towel or blanket over the backrest of your chair? That high back puts it behind your head and the leather is acoustically reflective. Might be worth giving it a shot if you haven’t.

Michael
 
tomlinmgt said:
I like what I see going on there, Ollie. Great looking room and rig. I’ll study your pics a bit more closely and respond with my thoughts when I have a little more time to do so. But first, have you tried draping a folded-up towel or blanket over the backrest of your chair? That high back puts it behind your head and the leather is acoustically reflective. Might be worth giving it a shot if you haven’t.

Michael
Click to expand...
Thanks for the kind words.
Very interesting about the chair if I will try that right now.
I tweaked the rear panels and have them facing directly in front of the speakers.
 
OllieMeyer said:
I called GIK and they guided me through what I needed.
I have to say I'm a little disappointed with them. After coming on here and the SH site and reading the knowledge on here I think I could have done better.
Still having said that the room sounds far better than before.
Click to expand...
Lots of good stuff here...tomlinmgt is a very good source...he also has some nice posting regarding the subject.
 
OllieMeyer said:
I'll be honest the threads I've found by yourself on AK have been the most informative.
Click to expand...

Wow...that’s really very nice to hear, Ollie. I’ve been perhaps a bit overzealous at times, but I’ve learned to govern my convictions to a degree. Having said that, I find a great deal of fulfillment in helping others understand the fascinating science of acoustics and how it influences our hifi hobby. So when I hear positive feedback from someone I’ve offered some suggestions, it just makes me enjoy the hobby that much more. Always feels good to give a little!
 
tomlinmgt said:
Wow...that’s really very nice to hear, Ollie. I’ve been perhaps a bit overzealous at times, but I’ve learned to govern my convictions to a degree. Having said that, I find a great deal of fulfillment in helping others understand the fascinating science of acoustics and how it influences our hifi hobby. So when I hear positive feedback from someone I’ve offered some suggestions, it just makes me enjoy the hobby that much more. Always feels good to give a little!
Click to expand...

I felt like it was a touchy subject and only a few members seemed interested in the subject and helping.
I found the process to be interesting and with out doubt it has had the biggest impact on my system.
Now it's a case of how far do I go.
 
My dilemma now is do I buy two GIK 242 square panels for the first reflection points.
I can then move the square Alpha panels (the current 1st reflection panels) to the back wall and put the long skinny Alphas in the rear corners?
Would this be over kill?
 
My dilemma now is do I buy two GIK 242 square panels for the first reflection points.
I can then move the square Alpha panels (the current 1st reflection panels) to the back wall and put the long skinny Alphas in the rear corners?
 
OllieMeyer said:
I felt like it was a touchy subject and only a few members seemed interested in the subject and helping.
I found the process to be interesting and with out doubt it has had the biggest impact on my system.
Now it's a case of how far do I go.
Click to expand...

There's A LOT of misunderstanding out there regarding room acoustics and hifi...which is unfortunate and unnecessary because the fundamental concepts are not at all hard to grasp and treatment strategies not hard to implement. And then there's a contingent in the hobby who look at those who embrace the concepts and implement strategies to address room acoustics issues as snake oil consumers. There are several reasons for the deliberate denial of the science, but I don't think it's constructive to elaborate on it. Suffice it to say, I think the biggest problem is that most simply never get an opportunity to hear the improvements in system performance that are possible when a proper room treatment scenario is implemented. For those that do get that opportunity, their reaction is virtually always just like yours...not subtle and game changing.
 
I know what I'm hearing and applying that to the knowledge I've learned about acoustics I know it's right.
All these little tweaks we make to our systems, power cords, cables and such all help but you will never get such a huge leap in sound quality as you will with acoustic treatments.
Treat the space then the system!

I experimented again last night with the panels at 1st reflection. I put the plate back on with the cut outs vertical but didn't like it. It's hard to put a finger in what it was but it didn't sound right.
It later occurred to me that as they are square I can rotate it and they would be horizontal.
Bingo!
Much much better than without and vertical.

The one thing that stands out the most after a few days playing around with placement is how much bigger the sound stage is and most of all the black space.
Those quiet spaces in music are so important and have a huge impact.
 
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