Bass trap coverings

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therage!

therage!

Wicked Machine
So what did any of you guys who have built bass traps use to cover them?

I've looked at burlap but I just don't like the look of it very much. The local fabric shop does have a nice selection of it in multiple colors so it's very much an option.

I'm starting to build traps now and just haven't decided on what material to cover them with.
 
I covered my homemade traps with bright red burlap.... the look is not as important as the trap itself :-) but bright red matches my studio quite well. I didn;t even consider anything else due to the plans I was following, they mentioned burlap as being best.... Honestly I can;t remember why they said it, but it made sense to me when I read it
 
Amnesia Vivace said:
I covered my homemade traps with bright red burlap.... the look is not as important as the trap itself :-) but bright red matches my studio quite well. I didn;t even consider anything else due to the plans I was following, they mentioned burlap as being best.... Honestly I can;t remember why they said it, but it made sense to me when I read it
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Well burlap will allow air too pass through with no problem so that's probably a very good choice. And I can get a color that will work for me at the fabric shop.
 
I once saw a guy (I think maybe on EBay) who was selling these cool Suede leather bags, custom made for 2’ x 4’ bass traps. You just slide in your 703 or mineral wool panel, close the zipper, and you've got a snugly fitted decorative room panel. Straps and hanging hooks were included. Many colors too.

He apparently went out of business because I can't find him anymore.

Does anyone here know what or whom I am talking about?
 
RawDepth said:
I once saw a guy (I think maybe on EBay) who was selling these cool Suede leather bags, custom made for 2’ x 4’ bass traps. You just slide in your 703 or mineral wool panel, close the zipper, and you've got a snugly fitted decorative room panel. Straps and hanging hooks were included. Many colors too.

He apparently went out of business because I can't find him anymore.

Does anyone here know what or whom I am talking about?
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No, but these guys are kind of similar.

I prefer to have the 703/mineral wool in frames. That stuff is not as "rigid" as one might think. You could easily damage one outside of a frame.
 
I wouldn't worry about air flowing thru the cloth as you mentioned earlier. That probably has little or nothing to do with absorbing vibrations. I have some with thin cotton cloth (or something like that) on the front and I have some with felt on them. Both look, feel, and work good.
 
RawDepth said:
I wouldn't worry about air flowing thru the cloth as you mentioned earlier. That probably has little or nothing to do with absorbing vibrations. I have some with thin cotton cloth (or something like that) on the front and I have some with felt on them. Both look, feel, and work good.
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Interesting, I was looking at felt and like it better than burlap.

The air flowing through is what I picked up from Ethan Winer's acoustic article. Me, I don't know too much about it. :o
 
"Natural" Muslin. $0.99/yd 36". I just covered one side.
 
Obi-Wan zenabI said:
"Natural" Muslin. $0.99/yd 36". I just covered one side.
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Yes, if you have a rigid frame around the panel, you only need to cover the front and maybe the sides. The backs on mine are exposed but no one ever sees that.
 
I've always used burlap. It's not the best looking fabric but it you get it into a color that complements the room, it can look quite nice. That and it has lots of surface for air to pass through. I'm sure many other fabrics will work just as well or atleast to the point you wouldn't notice, i just like it because it's cheap.
 
I bought some muslin drapery fabric first, and found it too "stretchy." Just cutting it was a chore. Burlap worked much better, as it was heavier and would actually lay flat for cutting/stapling.
 
Black felt. It looks sharp, IMO, and stretches just the perfect amount.
 
GOM, is an acoustically transpar ent fabric and would be appropriate for covering traps. It comes in tons of different colors.
 
How does GOM compare to Burlap (which I currently use)? Are there many reflections or is it as transparent and work as well as the burlap?

Thanks ~
 
It is especially designed for transparent acoustic applications such as this one. It is the material of choice.
 
I just go to the clearance rack at the fabric store and look for something cool. I've used solid black, brown cloud looking stuff, and this green pattern that almost looks like tiedye.

As pointed out, it really doesn't matter as long as its not too dense.
 
I think that specifically engineered accoustically transparent fabric is better used as speaker covering or theatrical stage scrim material. I really doubt that it is needed for bass or even broadband trapping in your average or even above average home studio setting. J

ust get any material that attaches well, looks good, lets some air thru when ya blow on it, and isn't too shiny/tightly woven (I would think that this would possibly reflect more high frequencies than you might want, but hey, that might even add a nice ambience to the room in the long run.)
 
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