ASC Tube Traps Are The Real Deal

[jimtranr]

Having had to give up a semi-dedicated, well-trapped room to other pursuits (a photo of it was once posted for a while on the ASC website--with Maggie 1.6QR's and a host of Studio as well as Tube Traps), I now have to contend with a somewhat nightmarish change of acoustic scenery. Translated, that means dealing with real-world living-dining-room-furniture placement, a tile-faced fireplace, an audio equipment and flat screen cabinet in a corner where I can't shoehorn in any trap, a jog that shrinks the width of the 29'6" long room from 14'6" to 12' at about midlength, and other assorted horrors diagrammed in the attachment. (If the thumbnail's too small, the diagram is also available at http://jimtranr.com/Room_diagram_3.png.)

Fortunately, as you can see, my spouse is tolerant enough to allow the placement of Tube Traps wherever I can find a niche for them. The 16" Super Traps at room rear run floor-to-ceiling, while the 11- and 9-inchers comprise an assortment of 3', 3'6", and 4' grey mix cylinders, none of them stacked (tolerance has its limits when it comes to obstructing wall-hung prints).

An obvious problem is the component-flat-panel-populated reflection-rich cabinet (effective height 45") behind the right Paradigm SE-3 floorstander. (The diagram shows the speakers facing straight out; they're actually toed in.) Not much I can do there, though I might be able to slip a three-, possibly four-foot 9" trap off to its side against the wall. To the left of the cabinet is the fireplace (yes, the turntable sits on the hearth), and to the left of that 27-inch-high DVD/CD storage.

While I'm pretty well locked in as far as where I can place traps, I'm open to any suggestion within those limits. As it stands now, I've managed to eke out a fairly decent soundstage with what I've done. But maybe someone sees something workable that I've missed, and if so, I'm willing to give it a try.

Thanks in advance.

[Michael TubeTrap]

I like the line "...tolerance has its limits...", so we'll do our best stay within the lines. We probably have some un-conventional ways to make improvements. The goal is to reduce the noise/allow a stronger signal. The easiest way is to work the corners, etc. But noise erupts in many places, and if we can quiet as many of those spots for you as possible your enjoyment ratio improves.

Could you take a couple panoramic style photos? If you stand in each corner and shoot into the room, it will give us what we need. Either e-mail to me directly (e-mail at bottom) or post here.

Speaking of erupting, I thought I saw a familiar mountain peak in your icon. With a home base of Corvallis, that must be North Sister? I spend as much time as I can hiking around there - wrenched my 15 year old away from his guitar last fall long enough to hike to 4 In One Cones. All good.

Michael Adams
michael.a@acousticsciences.com

[jimtranr]

Originally Posted by Michael TubeTrap

Could you take a couple panoramic style photos? If you stand in each corner and shoot into the room, it will give us what we need. Either e-mail to me directly (e-mail at bottom) or post here.

Thanks, Michael. I'll e-mail you the photos.

Speaking of erupting, I thought I saw a familiar mountain peak in your icon. With a home base of Corvallis, that must be North Sister? I spend as much time as I can hiking around there - wrenched my 15 year old away from his guitar last fall long enough to hike to 4 In One Cones. All good.

Yep, that's the North Sister with its Middle sibling. Taken from the road in front of the observation site at McKenzie Pass. There's more familar country pictured at Favorite Haunts.

[jimtranr]

Originally Posted by Michael TubeTrap

Could you take a couple panoramic style photos? If you stand in each corner and shoot into the room, it will give us what we need. Either e-mail to me directly (e-mail at bottom) or post here.

E-mailed to you this afternoon. I hope they don't make you cry.

[chessman]

Today I added a pair of 37" x 16" full rounds and three 60" x 9" half rounds. The 16's became the bottoms of the columns behind the mains. The three 9's became the treatment for the first reflection point on the left wall. That freed up 2 11"s, plus another 11 that had been "sorta" acting as reflection control. I put one 11 behind the right main and the other two 11"s on the right wall.

Yet another layer of haze has been removed (one whih I would have sworn was not there). I attribute the change to the two new 16's on cleaning up the mid-bass even more, followed by the elimination of the left first reflection point smear.

I really need to break down and do a MATT test. Two things hold me back. First, I hate to admit it, but I do not know how to do it. I understand how to download and playback test tones, but how the heck do I record it? Second, I am up to my ears in traps and it sounds good - surely I have blundered into a good set up?

I know, I know, assume nothing, run the test.

[chessman]

Pictures with new additions in place

[chessman]

Michael (Michael TubeTrap) reviewed pics of my room and made some very interesting suggestions. I am implementing them in stages so I can see if I can hear what a couple of inches movement will do to the sound. I also went renegade and put one tube trap immediately adjacent to my right main (a one trap attack wall next to a speaker that is in an open space). Immediately, the audio center pulled ever so slightly to the right, but since it had been annoying slightly to the left, this was happy news!

By the way, the ASC Tube Trap customer assistance is outstanding. Michael drew diagrams, included some education papers, and marked up my photos. Too cool!

[jimtranr]

Originally Posted by chessman

Michael (Michael TubeTrap) reviewed pics of my room and made some very interesting suggestions. I am implementing them in stages so I can see if I can hear what a couple of inches movement will do to the sound. I also went renegade and put one tube trap immediately adjacent to my right main (a one trap attack wall next to a speaker that is in an open space). Immediately, the audio center pulled ever so slightly to the right, but since it had been annoying slightly to the left, this was happy news!

By the way, the ASC Tube Trap customer assistance is outstanding. Michael drew diagrams, included some education papers, and marked up my photos. Too cool!

Agree on the customer service. Michael's advice transformed my listening experience here.

Renegade is good.

[Masterlu]

Superior products & service makes the difference.

[chessman]

More renegade experimentation - added a second trap to the "mini attack wall" on the right main. Left main is "naked."