Dealing with glass reflections

[Levitator]

Hi guys

I am blessed, and cursed, with large glass sliding doors (side wall) and glass louvres (side wall and behind speakers) in our main listening room. While I have some treatments throughout the room it’s now time I dealt with the glass reflections.

I have been using some sheer (thin) blinds on the glass sliding door (about 4.3m wide and 2.5m high) which I will now replace along with covering the glass louvres.

From what I’ve read my options to help reduce unwanted reflections are:

- thick drapes / curtains
- ‘acoustic’ designed curtains (expensive)
- Roman blinds with a thicker fabric
- honeycombe blinds (also known as cellular shades)

Keeping in mind we also want to maintain the ascetics of the room while dealing with the glass, I’d be interested in what others have found works in a similar situation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks guys

[CGabriel]

You can solve this problem.
But you have to throw out everything you think you know about acoustics.

Do some research on Franc Chang and his resonators. Reviews on many sites including 6Moons.

I have used them for more 15 years. They work, especially in environments like yours where traditional room treatments are impractical and aesthetically destructive.

[mchydro]

Originally Posted by CGabriel

You can solve this problem.
But you have to throw out everything you think you know about acoustics.

Do some research on Franc Chang and his resonators. Reviews on many sites including 6Moons.

I have used them for more 15 years. They work, especially in environments like yours where traditional room treatments are impractical and aesthetically destructive.

This piqued my interest just to learn more so I googled him with no results. For those interested, his name seems to be spelled like this: Franck Tchang.

[Levitator]

Originally Posted by CGabriel

You can solve this problem.
But you have to throw out everything you think you know about acoustics.

Do some research on Franc Chang and his resonators. Reviews on many sites including 6Moons.

I have used them for more 15 years. They work, especially in environments like yours where traditional room treatments are impractical and aesthetically destructive.

Thanks Caelin - I had a quick look online and while I don’t really understand how it all works, it seems very interesting.

I’ll see what dealers they have in Australia to see if I can trial.

Out of interest, how many and which ones do you use in your own set up to get the results you’re getting?

Thanks,
Jamie.

[CGabriel]

Sorry for the spelling. Not my strength.

I have known him for many years before he could speak english very well. He is a true iconoclast. I consider him a cross between a mad scientist and an alchemist. There are other products “similar” on the market but he is the one that invented this concept.

And they work if you follow the general rules. You don’t need many to prove it to yourself. Just get a silver and a copper gold to start. That is enough do some dramatic tweaking.

He has these little square blocks about a quarter inch cube with holes in them. you put them on glass windows approximately in the lower corner about a few inches from the side and bottom. It transforms what is a vibrating reflecting surface dramatically.

I have no financial or interest. He and his products are truly unique and he deserves to be recognized.

[PHC1]

Sounds logical in that they would change the resonant frequency of the glass.

[crwilli]

Isn’t glass the double whammy? Not only highly reflected to mid and mostly higher frequencies but also a black hole for low frequencies? So it kills two ways.

By changing the resonance of the glass panel (say, slider?) anybody have a guess how these devices reduce either of the mechanisms that cause that effect? I wouldn’t think it impacts the reflectivity at all. But the low frequencies???

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by crwilli

Isn’t glass the double whammy? Not only highly reflected to mid and mostly higher frequencies but also a black hole for low frequencies? So it kills two ways.

By changing the resonance of the glass panel (say, slider?) anybody have a guess how these devices reduce either of the mechanisms that cause that effect? I wouldn’t think it impacts the reflectivity at all. But the low frequencies???

Glass resonant frequency depending on thickness, etc of course just happens to be in the audible range. Hence the “singing” wine glass when rubbed just right with a moistened finger. Put water in the cup it becomes the cup... never mind that’s Bruce Lee... Ahem, damping the glass with any object that is able to shift the resonant frequency into less offending range and it’s a big plus. The rest is not so easy

[crwilli]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Glass resonant frequency depending on thickness, etc of course just happens to be in the audible range. Hence the “singing” wine glass when rubbed just right with a moistened finger. Put water in the cup it becomes the cup... never mind that’s Bruce Lee... Ahem, damping the glass with any object that is able to shift the resonant frequency into less offending range and it’s a big plus. The rest is not so easy

Thanks! That makes sense.

How do we deal with it ‘sucking out’ bass?

[bart]

Originally Posted by crwilli

Thanks! That makes sense.

How do we deal with it ‘sucking out’ bass?

Speaker placement did it in our room.
+ 4 dB of bass!