# suggestions for inexpensive bass traps..



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...evidently, i desparately need bass traps in my home studio.

what are the best materials?

how can i do this inexpensively?

and, most important, they can't be an eyesore!


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Fill the corner with triangle shaped pieces of Roxul Cellulose insulation (fiberglass will work too, not quite as well), build a face frame to cover it, sheath with plastic or vapour barrier so that it is holding the insulation ( contacting it) and cover with a light weight material of your choice for looks (put the plastic on the inside of the face frame and the fabric on the outside). There are a couple of good resources available, http://www.johnlsayers.com/ is one, has a good forum and his manual that can be had from that page. Also, http://www.gearslutz.com/board/ has a large forum with many knowledgeable members and even has some "build" threads on it for exactly this type of thing.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Everything that sheaths the material mass (Roxul is a great product for creating the mass needed to tame the long wavelength, low frequncies) should be "breathable", ie. the sound waves need to travel through the barrier unimpeded so that the acoustic energy is difussed and changed to heat (another form of energy) by the mass. If you use regular plastic wrap the sound energy (except for than the very, very high frequencies) will simply bounce off.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Owens Corning OC703 or 705 panels seem to be the standard, but usually pricey and hard to get in Canada. I believe Ottawa Fibre OFI 48 is supposed to be equivalent and probably much cheaper. Buy some cheap fabric to cover them.

Try some insulation shops like http://www.glasscellisofab.com/en/glass.html#a3


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Seems to me that a well placed couch can act as a good bass trap. Great at nap time too!


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

nkjanssen said:


> If all but the highest frequency sound waves simply bounced off plastic wrap, it would make an excellent sound-proofing material.
> 
> ...which it definitely doesn't.


Granted, my overly simple explanation was not entirely technically correct, but the fact remains that the more sound energy that is absorbed by the mass the more effective it is. So, given the choice, why not use the most effective materials to treat the problem?


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

The plastic will bounce some high frequencies (very high), but the request was for BASS traps.

Also, remember that corner traps can be put in all corners, not just where a wall meets a wall, but also where a wall meets the ceiling/floors too. Now traps on the floor might be a bit awkward, but there is a lot of unused space along the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

David, I recommend that you read through the article linked here to get a good understanding how bass traps work and why you may need them. If you have a clear idea of what the problems are that you want to correct, it will be much easier to design a solution.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...thanks, ronmac. i do understand the neccessity, even though my hearing is not tuned to perceive it. 

i really appreciate all the suggestions. i'm hoping to find a supplier that sells bass traps in various sizes and configurations (and prices!).

i have a feeling if i try and make 'em myself they are not going to be very esthetically pleasing. my girlfriend is a highly skilled decorator, so the bar for that is set pretty high in my home.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...evidently, i desparately need bass traps in my home studio.
> 
> what are the best materials?
> 
> ...


You might want to try Ethan Winer's forum. He has loads of info on building bass traps and such.

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/24/1/Ethan_Winer_Acoustics_Forum


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