> This link didn't work <

Yeah, the forum software parsed the period in the sentence wrong. I fixed it immediately. Man you're fast!

> In an "average" type room with concrete pad under carpet, how many different traps would the average audiphile need to treat the room to your satisfaction? <

Two different types - some optimized for bass trapping, and others optimized for maximum absorption at mid and high frequencies. Here's the short version of "What every room needs" in the way of acoustic treatment:

* Broadband (not tuned) bass traps straddling as many corners as you can manage, including the wall-ceiling corners.

* Mid/high frequency absorption at the first reflection points on the side walls and ceiling.

* Some additional amount of mid/high absorption and/or diffusion on any large areas of bare parallel surfaces, such as opposing walls or the ceiling if the floor is reflective.

There's quite a lot of additional detail on the RealTraps site.

> I'm an "all or none" kind of guy, and I'd like to really have at my room, but I have no idea about the likely cost. <

You'll get a big benefit from as few as four traps, and you can go up from there. That too is explained on our site in the How To section. We also have a cool (I think!) video called How to Set up a Room on our Videos page.

--Ethan

Buddha,

> My big bigaboo is the budget thing you mention. <

High quality audio gear is more expensive to make than cheap crap. If you want cheap, grab a few bales of fluffy fiberglass at Home Depot and stack 'em up in the corners of your room. It's not as good as what RealTraps makes, but it's cheap and it certainly helps. On the other hand, if you want very high performance acoustic products, you have to expect to pay a little more.

I'm always surprised when people who have $20k or whatever invested in their systems balk at spending a grand or two on acoustic treatment which affects what they hear more than anything else. Even more than which speakers they use in many cases.

There's also a lot more to room treatment than buying a new electronic device and plugging it in. Most RealTraps customers have a lot of questions - not only about the products and where to put them, but also related questions such as how to find the best speaker and listener locations. Helping customers personally with all such questions is a big part of what I do every day.

> Ethan, if I sent pics of a room, would you be willing to give an "estimate" for a full on treatment? <

Of course. There's a link to email me from the Contact page of our web site.

--Ethan

Quote:
I just didn't know if it was in the range of 2K vs. 20K.

ROFL. Well, sheesh, it's all on our web site!

The normal price is more like $2k, but it could be $20k if you'd like.

--Ethan

Clay,

> I suspect you'll have better luck with this honest straightforward approach. <

Not sure of your point, but I guess you don't know of me. Not that I consider myself famous or anything, but I've been a public figure in pro audio for pushing 30 years now. I've written technical articles for pretty much all of the pro audio and computer magazines, and I'm well known as an avid skeptic and consumerist. Google will show you much of that if you care. However, I keep that very separate from my business activities. I came out of retirement to start RealTraps four years ago. Not to make a buck, because I did well when I sold my software company in the early 90s. Rather, I manufacture acoustic treatment because I truly believe in it. As opposed to the other way around.

As for my "comb filter" article, that also is unrelated to my business. It's an honest attempt to identify why some people report hearing things that essentially defy the laws of physics. Were it intended as a vehicle for selling my acoustic products it would be on the RealTraps site, and maybe in Mix or EQ magazine. That my conclusion is acoustic in nature is only because that seems the most likely explanation. And that's also what I spend a lot of time thinking about these days. As I said in that other thread, if anyone has a better explanation I'd love to hear it. My only "agenda" is learning the truth. Real truth, not opinion truth.

--Ethan