Helmholtz v. Winer!

[Oliver Sheen]

Now, I maybe thicker than a whale omelette but it seems to me that Ethans bass traps win hands down over slat resinators almost every time.

There appears to be much more maths, construction and general heartache with with the slots and for what? A much narrower absorption than the panel absorbers.

I can't see a situation where you would go for the Helmholtz over the Winer except, perhaps, if there was a particularly troublesome frequency that needed a lot of taming. Other than that - it's panels, panels, panels as far as I can see!

All opinions welcome...

[Sen]

Hi Oliver,
I am not an expert at all, but I like to discuss such things, as I'm learning as well ...I assume when you say "panels" you're talking about the bass traps with the (ply)wood panel facing. Thay are good low end absorbers, but if you had all hard surfaces around the studio nothing would absorb highs. (??)
With Helmholtz, the exposed insulation (through the slots) absorbs highs while the slats diffuse 'em.
That's why I think it's good to have a mixture of those two types of treatment.
With the panels, it also matters what thickness the panels are, as different thicknesses resonate at different frequencies. So if you want a very low frequency absorber you would have to use thicker panels (?) as they resonate at lower freequencies, and this type of panel absorber can't substitute the Helmholtz.
However, you can use the "lighter" thiner panels which would absorb mids, but they're still a hard surface and will reflect highs. They could diffuse the highs if they're angled but still most of them (not all of them, right?) needs to be absorbed.
John or someone please correct me if I'm wrong (which I think I might well be)

I hope this will help Oliver

[Oliver Sheen]

I read you, Sen. In that case can anyone recommend what the ratio of panel to slat absorbers should be? Also is there and optimum size for helmholtz resinators?

Cheers

Oliver

[Sen]

oliver,
I think that every room will require a different slat:panel ratio. As John allways suggests (and other experienced AEs and acousticians), you allways have to listen to your room and decide what treatment it needs. Of course some mathematical calculations can help as well (which I don't know a great deal about).
I'm planning my studio at the moment, and have some thoughts about where to place slat and where panel absorbers, but I will still have to decide the "finer" moves.
Panel absorbers you would usually place in four corners of, let's say, your CR. (these would be low freq. absorbers). Probably a couple on L and R walls (depending on how long the room is) and probably a few on your ceiling (again depending on the size).
The slat absorbers...I'm not sure if there's an optimum size, but it rather doesn't matter...two small ones will do the same job as one bigger one...
have you had a look at John's design at "Left Bank" studio?
Some interesting slats there...

hope it helps

[Ethan Winer]

Oliver and Sen,

I agree with Oliver, of course. Sen, the best way to absorb both bass and mids/highs is to alternate panel traps with fiberglass absorbers around the room, as I show in the plans for my panel traps. This gives a nicely balanced sound, with no one area too live or too dead sounding.

--Ethan