Diffusers in front of superchunk bass traps

[RecordingMaster]

As you may have seen on here (sorry if I am getting annoying popping up here and there), I am rebuilding a new studio. I am contemplating doing superchunks or just keeping the 4" thick basstrap coner panels I have made. However, for the price, buying some pink fluffy to make super chunks out of won't be too expensive so I think I'm going for it very soon. It looks more sleek and has a slightly better performance, and saves a bit of space.

Question, would it be ok to face these superchunks with these auralex q-fusors I already have (just stacked one ontop of the other to face the front of trap)? Q'Fusor Sound Diffusor - Acoustic sound diffusion products from Auralex Acoustics.

I would have covered in fabric instead, but I have a bunch of these diffusers and not much places to put them, so i figured it could only help? Or would I then be turning it into a "membrane" sort of absorber which only focuses on more narrow band frequencies? To me, a membrane would be implemented by someone who has done precise room measurements and has a specific problem in certain frequencies, so they create these mathematically calculated membranes to SPECIFICALLY solve that specific room's issue(s).

For me, I want to implement more just standard practice acoustics to make it neutral. Nothing insanely mathematical. So would it be wrong to do this? I'd likely only have the diffusors covering the superchunks in the back of the room, not at mix position.

 

[sheggs]

As you may have seen on here (sorry if I am getting annoying popping up here and there), I am rebuilding a new studio. I am contemplating doing superchunks or just keeping the 4" thick basstrap coner panels I have made. However, for the price, buying some pink fluffy to make super chunks out of won't be too expensive so I think I'm going for it very soon. It looks more sleek and has a slightly better performance, and saves a bit of space.

Question, would it be ok to face these superchunks with these auralex q-fusors I already have (just stacked one ontop of the other to face the front of trap)? Q'Fusor Sound Diffusor - Acoustic sound diffusion products from Auralex Acoustics.

I would have covered in fabric instead, but I have a bunch of these diffusers and not much places to put them, so i figured it could only help? Or would I then be turning it into a "membrane" sort of absorber which only focuses on more narrow band frequencies? To me, a membrane would be implemented by someone who has done precise room measurements and has a specific problem in certain frequencies, so they create these mathematically calculated membranes to SPECIFICALLY solve that specific room's issue(s).

For me, I want to implement more just standard practice acoustics to make it neutral. Nothing insanely mathematical. So would it be wrong to do this? I'd likely only have the diffusors covering the superchunks in the back of the room, not at mix position.

If you already have the diffusors then you could use them. As diffusors go they are not very deep so will not do much. Basically if you place them in front of a bass trap they will diffuse the highs and mids whereas the lows will go straight through it. It would not be like a membrane as you quite rightly say that is where they have been tested and in some cases tuned to change the centre frequency

The other way of looking at this is that the diffusors will do what the diffusors do regardless of what is behind them. The bass traps are normally broadband, you are going to narrow that range by putting something reflective in front of them. So it depends what you are aiming for

 

[RecordingMaster]

Basically if you place them in front of a bass trap they will diffuse the highs and mids whereas the lows will go straight through it.

The other way of looking at this is that the diffusors will do what the diffusors do regardless of what is behind them. The bass traps are normally broadband, you are going to narrow that range by putting something reflective in front of them. So it depends what you are aiming for

That was exactly my intention. Since controls rooms a lot of times have rear wall diffusion, and since drums also can benefit from some diffusion, this serves dual purpose - Because it will be a one-room studio, drums on far wall behind mix position. THAT's where I am thinking of doing this.

But the thing I am worrying about is unintentionally creating some sort of membrane/resonator effect without even knowing it and causing more harm than good.

Any acoustics guys on here know if that should be ok to do for my purposes? I will also have some broadband abosrption and diffusion behind the drums as well as on either side of them and some clouds above.

 

[sheggs]

I would recommend trying and testing in this case. Yes, it could cause more harm than good nut it may also work for that room. Sometime the only way is to try it and test the results

 

[RecordingMaster]

Thanks Sheggs.

Anyone else care to chime in? I'd have though anyone else with some good acoustics background would have said something by now?