Material to Cover Bass Traps???

Gorty

Gorty

New member
I know alot of people use Burlap to cover the OC703 on their traps/absorbers etc. However I have just made a bass trap for my rear wall/ceiling corner and I have used a material that you can breathe through but not that easily.
Don't get me wrong, you can breathe through it but it takes a little effort. The material is called "Drill", it's a cotton material used for dress making etc.
Bass frequencies penetrate through walls I believe so......

The Question: Bass frequencies will still be able to pass through this material with ease without too much resistance thus enabling my trap to do it's job...correct?

I just want the trap to be as efficient as possible. :)

Gorty!
 
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To the extent that it is difficult to breathe through some of the sound energy that strikes it will bounce off That goes for all frequencies.
 
If it's difficult to breathe through, it will probably react a bit like a membrane and provide a hump in absorbtion at some unknown frequency based on how tight you stretch it, if it's damped by the absorbtion behind, just exactly how non-porous it is, the density of what's behind it, the size of the trap, etc.

It'll work - we just don't know exactly how much where.

Bryan
 
bpape said:
If it's difficult to breathe through, it will probably react a bit like a membrane and provide a hump in absorbtion at some unknown frequency based on how tight you stretch it, if it's damped by the absorbtion behind, just exactly how non-porous it is, the density of what's behind it, the size of the trap, etc.

It'll work - we just don't know exactly how much where.

Bryan
Click to expand...

Thanx Innovations and Bryan for your replies.

I have posted a pic of the trap. It measures Length=1800mm x Width=400mm x Depth=100mm (Metric) or 6' x 1' 4" x 4" (Imperial), thats the exposed cloth face.
This is going up above the rear wall treatment in the wall/ceiling corner.
There is 4" of OC703 inside the panel.

I have the cloth pulled nice and taught.

I have just tried the ol breathing test on some different arcticles of clothing and this stuff I used is roughly equivalent to two layers of a new cotton t-shirt.
I hope I haven't wasted my time.

BassTrap.jpg
 
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There is NO type of clothing type fabric that will reflect low frequencies.
Highs yes , mids... perhaps, but as a bass absorber the fabric has no impact.

Heck the frequencies walk through walls like butter... fabric of less than a 32nd of an inch isn't going to stop it.
 
tmix said:
There is NO type of clothing type fabric that will reflect low frequencies.
Highs yes , mids... perhaps, but as a bass absorber the fabric has no impact.

Heck the frequencies walk through walls like butter... fabric of less than a 32nd of an inch isn't going to stop it.
Click to expand...

Hey tmix,

Thanx for your reply, I have plenty of high - mid absorption in my room so hopefully this trap will be great for my room in not taking anymore of my highs out of the room whilst taming some of the bass.

Thanx tmix. :)
 
Yeah Baby!

I fitted my Bass Trap in the rear wall/ceiling corner tonite. I am very pleased with the result. I am most definitely hearing more bass in my mix position. I have been using a reference CD to listen to while working in my studio and tonite the bass is definitely more evident.
I think I may just make another one for the front wall/ceiling corner! :)

Here's a pic! :)

CopyofBassTrap012.jpg
 
tmix said:
There is NO type of clothing type fabric that will reflect low frequencies.
Click to expand...

it might not reflect the bass, but as Bryan points out, if the covering is too dense it starts acting as a membrane absorber for bass which results in an unexpected frequency being affected. bass traps need low gas flow resistivity in the covering to be fully efficient (like slat resonators need the cloth and insulation about 1/2-1" off the back side of the slats) - air needs to move freely so it can work through the insulation and cavity.
 
tc4b said:
That's a very nice looking finish on the wood. Did you do that, or was it from some other furniture?
Click to expand...

Thanx tc4b, I made the whole thing from scratch. The wood is pine and I applied 2 coats of a satin jarrah stain/varnish, with a light sanding in between coats using 600 grit wet and dry.
 
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