Ethan---mini-traps vs. real traps (wood panel traps)

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 12:59 pm

Ethan,

I am just about to finsh construction on my mid-hi absorbers. Next, I was going to start on the low bass panel traps. But now I noticed that you have developed "mini-traps". Are these as effective as your wooden panel traps? The smaller size of the mini-traps would work great in my home theater, especially if I mounted them on the ceiling.

John

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 9:13 am

John,

> Are these as effective as your wooden panel traps? <

In some ways the MiniTraps are even better, but with two important distinctions:

When installed straddling a corner the MiniTraps are truly excellent down to 100 Hz., and still pretty effective at 80 Hz. The low-bass wood panel traps have peak absorption at about 90 Hz., so they are excellent down to 80 Hz. and still useful below that.

More important, for rooms that need serious treatment - while MiniTraps are fabulous at 100 Hz. when installed across a corner, they are a little less effective at those low frequencies when mounted on a wall. Even with the 4-inch spacer. So if the corners are fully trapped and the room still needs more low frequency absorption, putting panel traps on the remaining wall surfaces is better than putting MiniTraps on those walls.

> The smaller size of the mini-traps would work great in my home theater, especially if I mounted them on the ceiling. <

Yes, the MiniTraps are a lot easier to handle and install!

--Ethan

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