Vicoustic Wavewood panels installed

[jdandy]

The Vicoustic Wavewood panels arrived earlier today. I ordered a case of ten cherry finished panels. They came from Seattle, Washington and were packed very well, arriving without any damage. I have been anxiously awaiting their arrival like a kid looking for Santa to come down the chimney.

My reason for deciding to change some of the fiberglass acoustic panels on the studio walls came from a feeling that the room was damped more than it should be for listening to a two channel stereo system. Those who have followed my shenanigans over the years may remember that when I originally drew up the drawings and built the two rooms downstairs they were for the purpose of the space being used as a professional home recording studio. I have the control room side where the recording gear, equipment racks, analog tape machines, digital recorder, 24 track mixer, and JBL powered monitors are installed. The other room was the recording studio with the two side walls and front wall all prewired with balanced microphone jacks and stereo headphone jacks for up to eight musicians. I have recorded often in the studio but as the years passed the studio side gradually grew into a two channel listening room and then I added a home theater system to the room. I can still use the room for recording but don't do it much anymore.

The original concept for acoustically treating the room was to make it dead with no reflections so that I could have open microphones in this room without picking up any echo or flutter. My acoustic panels were initially set up strictly for this purpose and performed the task admirably. As the room morphed into a stereo two channel listening space it has nagged at me that the room was too dead for two channel music listening. Don't get me wrong, the sound system sounds fabulous in this room but I felt the room could benefit from being a bit more alive, hence the layout of the Vicoustic Wavewood panels in place of some of the more absorbent fiberglass panels. The Wavewood panels are about 50% reflective in a diffused fashion and 50% absorption. By replacing the fiberglass panels on the studio's rear wall behind the couch and the two fiberglass panels on the front wall behind each rack I reduced the absorption and increased reflectivity of diffused sound. That was the plan and it has paid a nice dividend. I played several high-res recordings with the Vicoustic Wavewood panels installed and immediately heard an improvement in upper midrange energy and a deeper soundstage depth. Listening to Lee Ritenour - Rhythm Sessions, "L.A. By Bike" I notice some drum and percussion sounds I had not noticed before and the cymbal splashes shimmered in a brighter light. Nothing is overpowering, nothing has become edgy, grating or shrill, just more revealing without the high frequency energy being sucked out before its time.

I am very pleased with the performance differences I am experiencing. There is new air in the room without any loss of standing wave control or increase in slap echo or unwanted reflections. I thought of making this acoustic change for almost a year. I am satisfied that I finally got off my duff and made it happen. This change is worth the effort and expense. The Vicoustic Wavewood panels are a well made, good looking product that delivers acoustic benefits and aesthetic value in the same package. Highly recommended.


Before Wavewood Panels








After Wavewood Panels

[Bluemcintosh]

OMG.... You must be in heaven..Thank you for share

[Bluemcintosh]

Dan... Where are three of them ? Was it easy to install ? They really look nice in your room ! Beautiful ~! Also what is your room size ?

[jdandy]

Paul.......Three of the ten Wavewood panels were not installed in the studio. I may install them in the Control room. The installation was relatively easy. The panels are 23.5" x 23.5" x 2" thick. They are light, approximately a pound each. Once you do the layout and mark your first top corner the Wavewood panels are installed using Auralex TubeTac Pro foam adhesive. You apply the adhesive to the back of the panel about 1.5" in from the edge and in an X across the middle, then place the panel on the wall in the position you want. I used a 2 foot level to insure the panel would be level. The panel needs to be held in place against the wall and pressed firmly over its entire surface. The adhesive grips immediately but allows minor panel movement during the first 3 or 4 minutes so you must support it during that time. Once the panel is firmly adhered and level you repeat the process, lining the edge of the next panel with the one just installed. It took me about 2 hours to install the seven panels in the studio. A single tube of Auralex TubeTac is good for about 2.5 panels so figure accordingly when you buy panels. The Auralex TubeTac is available at Home Depot and online.

The studio dimensions are 11.5' x 14.5'. It size is just right for intimate listening. Since it is only Marlene and I, it is also perfect for home theater. The two channel system and the home theater system do not share any components or speakers. The studio has two completely separate systems installed in it.

[Masterlu]

Dan... These came out looking great; how is the acoustic differences?

[jdandy]

Ivan.......I am still riveted in my sweet spot in the studio playing one recording after another. Just finished listening to the hi-res download of Joni Mitchell - Blue. Her voice was perfect in the sound stage. The entire room is much more alive and airy, no where near as dead as it was before replacing the fiberglass panels. I had this room fairly dead and now I am hearing more shimmer in cymbals, horns are sounding more metallic, voices are presented in a deeper sound stage and there is a quickness to dynamics in the upper midrange that had been muffled. The sound is open and fleshed out in a very positive way now. I should have installed the Vicoustic Wavewood panels a long time ago. This is a nice improvement to the studio's acoustic signature. I like it. The panels are great looking and please my eyes, too.

[Audiofan1]

Good to hear ! I plan on some behind me and some behind my mains and perhaps at the second reflection point to balance out the room as I have absorption already.

Thanks for the post.

[thxthx]

I didn't think your room could get any better Dan... Obviously I was wrong! Nice

[Ritmo]

Thanks for sharing Dan. The panels look terrific.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by thxthx

I didn't think your room could get any better Dan... Obviously I was wrong! Nice

Trevor.......Thank you. The studio has always been a very good acoustic environment, it was just a bit too dead. The Vicoustic Wavewood panels have improved the sparkle and air to the upper midrange. I didn't leave the studio last night until after 2:00 AM. I was finding it difficult to turn the sound system off and go to bed. I couldn't be happier with the results.