Recommend room treatments for the mini room I call "my dedicated listening room"

[DonH50]

In his defense, I have never used a 3/4" Snap-On wrench, but based upon experience with a similar Snap-On 1/2" wrench and gobs of Sears Craftsman tools (can't afford Snap-On), I would still recommend the Snap-On 3/4" to somebody who needed a top-notch wrench.

I think many (most? maybe just me) of us suggest stuff now and then based upon our knowledge of the field, similar experiences/products, and a read of the company and what they offer. I always state when I have no personal experience with the product, but feel it's worth passing on. There's a danger a clunker will slip through, but from my friends I prefer the tip and can go research it myself.

IMO - Don

 

[Nyal Mellor]

I have no problem passing along a friend's recommendation.

The difference here is, Nyal is recommending and selling a product he hasn't used.

I have not used any of Primacoustic's products. I am carrying them because they are a lower cost option or interesting alternative to other products available in the market place.

Acoustics is not rocket science and based upon the samples I have received from the company, the data sheets that the company has published and my conversations with their staff I feel confident recommending their products.

There are very few commercially available options for use at sidewall locations to control the amount of sound returned into the room from this location. From experience I can say that small changes to treatment used on sidewalls can make very audibly significant impacts to the balance between soundstaging and focus. And the FlexiFusor is unique in offering the ability to adjust this to personal tastes. It is not a complex product, just an absorber with some adjustable slats in front of it. It is however the only commercial product I know of that offers this.

The choice of acoustic treatment that one of my customers chooses is dependent on their balance between functional needs, budget and aesthetics. That is why I carry products from multiple suppliers.

Do you think all business owners / retailers have used every product that they sell?

 

[Nyal Mellor]

Of course as a customer you have every right to choose a company based on your own preferences and values. I have no hard feelings about your viewpoints, and neither should you have any towards me and the choices I have made in the way I run my company. In a perfect world I would have gone through a subjective sound quality evaluation and objective acoustical performance evaluation of each and every product available from my suppliers. Unfortunately I do not have the resources to do that and, as most companies have to if they want to stay in business, I have chosen the compromises that I need to make between customer wants and needs, product pricing and profitability.

 

[steve williams]

Nicely stated Nyal

 

[DaveyF]

Nyal, I took a look at the 'primacoustic' web page. I wander if these products will work in as small a room as I am using? You say that the price is less than competing products, maybe you could pm me and give me a price list. ( I didn't see pricing on the web page).
Although I kind of agree with devert's points about not recommending a product without having first heard it; I do feel that in the case of room treatments, the results are most likely highly dependent on the room that the treatments will be used in. Which is a very large variable IMHO.
One of the issues that I am trying to avoid with these products, is having to do much experimentation prior to getting a satisfactory result. As I have said before, I would like to be able to minimize the potential for essentially going 'backwards' if you will from the very good sound I now enjoy. OTOH, I do believe that a well treated room is most likely superior to a non-treated room. Therefore, all recommendations are gladly considered.

 

[Orb]

Nyal just so you know your clarification is how i took your suggestion for this product, so thank you for posting it earlier as to me it is a useful product to know about.
I will still be trying the RPG product, but I am glad to know of this other company and their approach to the issue.

Thanks
Orb

 

[DaveyF]

Well, today one of my 'phile friends suggested I try the Shakti Hallographs... Since I haven't heard these, I am wandering what the general opinion is on these treatments... The real thing or snake oil?

 

[Ethan Winer]

The real thing or snake oil?

Understand that room acoustics effects are directly related to the size of absorbing or reflecting surfaces, so there's your answer.

--Ethan

 

[DaveyF]

Well, after some experimentation, I finally went with a couple of Ethan's Mondo Traps. I cannot stress highly enough how BIG an improvement these have made in my room.....
IF anyone is thinking of room acoustics, I HIGHLY recommend these products.
Before treatment, the imaging of my system was fairly good with the instruments being located
reasonably well on the stage.. AFTER the Mondo Traps went into the room, I now have much more
lateral spread of instruments, more pinpoint location of instruments and a much lower noise floor!
The bass has firmed up and now minute details of percussion are more noticeable.
A BIG Thank You to Ethan,Jim and all the guys at Real Traps

 

[Orb]

Davey thats great news.
So do you mind sharing how many you purchased and where they were placed (including if it was trial and error for exact placement), this is not to be critical but always great to have someones experience to read

Thanks
Orb

 

[Ethan Winer]

Excellent Davey, thanks for the report.

--Ethan

 

[DaveyF]

Orb, I purchased two Mondo Traps. After some discussion with Jim at Real Traps, who IMHO is a veritable wealth of knowledge on this subject, we decided that within my budget, that two Mondo's would be a good fit for the size of my room. I was looking to firm up the imaging and maybe see if I could get a little more bottom end clarity. The Mondo's have done that and more.
I am very limited as to where I could position the Traps, mainly due to the fact that I store over 3000 LP's in this small room. So, I ended up with the two Traps behind the speakers and equipment.
I had seen this set up in use in many demo's at shows and stores before and it did indeed seem to give me the best response of the few areas i tried, including on the wall of my listening chair.
One of the very nice attributes of the Mondo's is their easy ability to be hung on the wall so as to allow for easy placement.

 

[Orb]

Thanks Davey,
similar to my experience and glad it has helped
Cheers
Orb

 

[DonH50]

It is hard for someone who has not heard the difference to believe the difference proper room treatment can make. Much easier to just buy another amp... - Don