What is this Wacky-Looking Room Tuning Device?

Ron Resnick

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I saw this photo of a Japanese audiophile's system on Mono and Stereo.

Look on the sides at this collection of broomsticks of varying lengths mounted vertically on a wood base.

Does anyone know what this product is? How does it supposedly work?


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Ron Resnick

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Could we be overthinking this? Might they simply be hat holders for an audiophile who expects a lot of guests?
 
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bazelio

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Planning ahead for various guest accoutrement scenarios, certainly a possibility. Though I'd random a guess they're a different take on whatever these are:

 

Mike Lavigne

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it appears to be a diffuser made out of wood dowel......really the same idea as an RPG Skyline diffuser. breaks up reflections. it's not going to absorb low frequencies effectively (so not a Helmholtz), but depending on the wood finish and mass might absorb some mids and highs and alter tonality. those dowels might also resonate (musical instruments are made of wood and resonate), depending on how that thing was built. which would be unpredictable.

if the room is too busy and confused it would dampen things some and the music might be calmer (images would be more separated and definite).

with all that unused driver surface sitting there acting as passive dampers (unless they are all powered up with an amp load), that room might be lacking energy to begin with.

a lot of things going on in that picture. lots of potential for effects.

the room might be perfect.......pictures don't/can't tell the whole story.
 
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ddk

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It's a diffuser. I'm not sure if are made by the same company I visited several years ago in Japan for a project we had or not. The concept behind it the sound of a forest, ie how open and relaxes sound travel through a tree forest. I don't know about the little ones in your image but there's definitely merit to their products. I never saw the finished project I was only consulting with the owners and it was in Mexico but apparently they were very pleased with the results. I still have a few images from the visit the company's listening room of course this was a full room treatment, I'm sure one can get away with less.

david

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spiritofmusic

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That should give our fearless leader Ron some interior design ideas.
 
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Ron Resnick

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bonzo75

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Barbican has a similar look

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bazelio

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I'm thinking there's going to be a fairly significant difference between the hat hangers in free space / open air and the bamboo POW camp lined walls in terms of end result, though. The POW internment look is also more similar to Tang's new front wall diffuser panels. Why did he switch from the quadratic (?) block panel out of curiosity?
 

tima

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Planning ahead for various guest accoutrement scenarios, certainly a possibility. Though I'd random a guess they're a different take on whatever these are:


That's a Shakti Hallograph Soundfield Optimizer or similar. From the people that brought you the Shakti Stone. They've been around for a while.

http://www.shakti-innovations.com/hallograph.htm


"The Hallograph breakthrough technology is the result of over 10 years of research that studied the effects of the speaker/room interface. We learned how to reduce the audibility of the chaotic reflections from the walls of the listening room so they wont overpower and interfere with the direct sound from the speakers. The Hallograph contours the frequency, amplitude and time coefficients of the first reflections you hear, which produces a stunning increase in realism.

The Hallograph Soundfield Optimizer consists of two arrays that are easily placed behind each speaker near the corners of the back wall. Each array is engineered with proprietary technology (patent pending) and made with exotic hardwoods, consisting of staggered activated panels that are mounted on an elegant base that beautifully blends into any style room environment.

More realistic presentation of stage depth, width and height, along with a warmer musical tonality that doesn’t compromise clarity and detail. "

There's always an audiophile version of something you can make for yourself. Iirc Valin has a bundh of 'em.
 

marty

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"The Hallograph breakthrough technology is the result of over 10 years of research that studied the effects.......

They may work. They may not. But deep down, don't you really think that "10 years of research that studied the effects.." really means they got stoned every night and carved a bunch a wood slats and glued some stuff together on a stand and then one day cried out. "Eureka", which was immediately followed by somebody asking "I wonder if we can actually sell this thing if we have a great story and give it a mystical name"?

OK, I guess I should be more respectful but I couldn't resist.
 

pjwd

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Barbican has a similar look

View attachment 68086
Wow bonzo .. that brings back memories !
In 1975 I was drawing that stuff up in a little office in south Kensington.. have you noticed that the floor is 50 x 50 timber blocks that melds with the wall paneling via a coved skirting ...painstaking detailing
I know now there should be more adjustability in that wall .. not sure who the acoustic engineer was
Phil
 

spiritofmusic

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My friend, I lived in Sth Ken 1975-1984. I should have waved at you.
 
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bonzo75

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Wow bonzo .. that brings back memories !
In 1975 I was drawing that stuff up in a little office in south Kensington.. have you noticed that the floor is 50 x 50 timber blocks that melds with the wall paneling via a coved skirting ...painstaking detailing
I know now there should be more adjustability in that wall .. not sure who the acoustic engineer was
Phil


Do you mean floor of the stage? Can you please explain how that detail affects acoustics?
 

bonzo75

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My friend, I lived in Sth Ken 1975-1984. I should have waved at you.

The prices there shot up since you left, and the prices in Hackney Downs have really gone crazy since you left! Check on rightmove
 

pjwd

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Do you mean floor of the stage? Can you please explain how that detail affects acoustics?
No the auditorium floor and wall linings were supposed to look like they were carved out of a joint butcher block ... clearly did not work:rolleyes:

No effect on acoustics... only the various wall patterns behind stage and on side wall
I think this kind of non shoebox hall needs to have everybody close to stage like the Berlin Philharmonic so you get good direct sound
 

bonzo75

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No the auditorium floor and wall linings were supposed to look like they were carved out of a joint butcher block ... clearly did not work:rolleyes:

No effect on acoustics... only the various wall patterns behind stage and on side wall
I think this kind of non shoebox hall needs to have everybody close to stage like the Berlin Philharmonic so you get good direct sound

It's pretty poor on the sides but it is excellent in the centre part of the stalls. Also it has steps, so the seats go slightly above level of the stage which I prefer, compared to being below the stage like in the lower section of Birmingham or concertgebouw.

Non box is fine, Sheldonian is the by far the best for acoustics. I haven't been to Berlin or Vienna though I have been to the Unter den Linden opera house in Berlin
 

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