What happens to sound waves?

[DrXparaMental]

2 weeks ago I bought a pair of ADS L690 speakers at a flea market. The old ones with the metal grills. They basically looked like they had been through world war 3 but they sounded excellent. I took 'em home and 4 .OOOO steal wooled them and oiled them. Now they look and sound good. I stacked some Bose 401s on top of them and am using an old Onkyo 50watt amp to drive them.
I put some foam bass traps in the corners behind the speakers a little better than half way up the wall.

There is no question that the roam sounds better now. The bass is not so boomy, is better defined and as you turn up the amp there is more of a punch to the bass.

My question is: what happens to the sound waves when they reflect back at these traps? Do the sound waves basically defuse and disappear, or?

What have you found to be the most advantageous placement of wall foam dampening in your space? Do you "want" any of that foam to be any place other than behind or above the monitors?

[Tone Deft]

sound is a pressure wave in the air. the air presses against the foam, the foam absorbs the energy and it's dissipated as heat.

I don't use bass traps because I don't play really loud and my room has thick carpet and a large futon in it to absorb reflections.

looks like some good info here (not sarcastic, it's just a well discussed topic.)
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bass+trap+placement

[DrXparaMental]

sound is a pressure wave in the air. the air presses against the foam, the foam absorbs the energy and it's dissipated as heat.

I don't use bass traps because I don't play really loud and my room has thick carpet and a large futon in it to absorb reflections.

looks like some good info here (not sarcastic, it's just a well discussed topic.)
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bass+trap+placement

Like I didn't do that already...oh brother.

What's wrong with hoping to discuss this here TD?

[Tone Deft]

riiiiight... you read all those links? then why do you have any questions?

I didn't say it shouldn't be discussed, I pointed you to links. why do you insist people talk about it? you'd rather host a discussion than actually bother to find the answer.

go on and discuss what you read in all those links FFS and stop the habitual arguing.

[Johnisfaster]

My question is: what happens to the sound waves when they reflect back at these traps? Do the sound waves basically defuse and disappear, or?

Actually they continue to go on and on forever, kinda like a laser being pointed into space. Thats why music is so important because it never dies it just goes on and on.

[DrXparaMental]

riiiiight... you read all those links? then why do you have any questions?

I didn't say it shouldn't be discussed, I pointed you to links. why do you insist people talk about it? you'd rather host a discussion than actually bother to find the answer.

go on and discuss what you read in all those links FFS and stop the habitual arguing.

Listen, you gave me a bullshit bot link showing how to type in "best placement of bass traps" into Google. Who the fuck wouldn't know to do that, a 3 year old? Do you honestly believe that hadn't already?

Is it really too much to get you to stop pretending that this is the Tone Deft forums? I read you going on about OT posts and then see you posting in them constantly. Why the holier than thou crap?

I appreciate your information about sound waves converting to heat, but certainly didn't appreciate being shuffled off to Googleville. Do you HONESTLY know of many topics NOT discussed at length via a little Google research?

[Johnisfaster]

dude you're really over reacting. I've seen TD be an asshole and that wasn't it. Looks to me like you asked "what happens to sound waves" and he both gave you an answer AND some links for education purposes. What more do you want?

[Mr. Obvious]

DrX has google too, but choses antagonism instead. Ask a simple question, you will get a simple response, though It appears DrX is frustrated with his own density. It's obvious.

[Tone Deft]

Listen, you gave me a bullshit bot link showing how to type in "best placement of bass traps" into Google. Who the fuck wouldn't know to do that, a 3 year old? Do you honestly believe that hadn't already?

a bullshit link? it's a link to answers to your question.

there's no reason for anyone to think you read up on the topic or googled an answer.

Is it really too much to get you to stop pretending that this is the Tone Deft forums? I read you going on about OT posts and then see you posting in them constantly. Why the holier than thou crap?

you got it all wrong, read closer. what I don't appreciate is people who never help out, never post about Live or music or audio but use this place as some half assed chat room or stupid threads with youtube links and no descriptions. it lowers the SNR. I do post as many posts helping people and being on topic as I do in OT. if you notice, I very very rarely start OT threads, I don't do the things I rant against (I hope.) some OT threads are interesting, so I post in them, but I also try to temper that with helping people out.

I appreciate your information about sound waves converting to heat, but certainly didn't appreciate being shuffled off to Googleville. Do you HONESTLY know of many topics NOT discussed at length via a little Google research?

so do some external reading. there's nothing wrong with Googleville, it's an amazing resource.


try to give people the benefit of the doubt from time to time. it's helped me (see below.)

I've seen TD be an asshole and that wasn't it.

hopefully it was over audio.


from what I've seen...
ideally bass traps are on all your walls and ceiling and your floor is well carpeted. after that, behind the monitors is good so you don't get the reflection adding to the signal from the monitors. corners can wreak havoc on audio waves so that's another good spot. use them anywhere you think the sound waves are being reflected. perfectly square or rectangular rooms are perfectly non-ideal studio shapes, use foam to disrupt the shape of the room. cats do not need acoustic foam, they're naturally acoustically treated.

take a look at the 'post your setup' thread to see how people use it. need a google link to that?? (joking!!)

[Johnisfaster]

I've seen TD be an asshole and that wasn't it.

hopefully it was over audio.

yes sir, it was

[DrXparaMental]

dude you're really over reacting. I've seen TD be an asshole and that wasn't it. Looks to me like you asked "what happens to sound waves" and he both gave you an answer AND some links for education purposes. What more do you want?

This is what I wanted and was hoping for, not directions to the nearest public library.

What have you found to be the most advantageous placement of wall foam dampening in your space? Do you "want" any of that foam to be any place other than behind or above the monitors?

Doesn't read like I was asking where I could do some research on the matter does it? I was asking for other member's input right here.

Why the fuck are you defending anyone in a thread that asks for such a simple forum based level of participation?

Ever think about the fact that there might just be a couple members here who have acoustic nightmare spaces like the one I have at home that might offer a much more tailored response in understanding?

Why not Google that too, right? Thanks for your unbiased consideration of the matter.

[Mr. Obvious]

DrX is a douche

[Tone Deft]

he is who he is but personal attacks won't help anyone get along.

[Johnisfaster]

dude you're really over reacting. I've seen TD be an asshole and that wasn't it. Looks to me like you asked "what happens to sound waves" and he both gave you an answer AND some links for education purposes. What more do you want?

This is what I wanted and was hoping for, not directions to the nearest public library.

What have you found to be the most advantageous placement of wall foam dampening in your space? Do you "want" any of that foam to be any place other than behind or above the monitors?

Doesn't read like I was asking where I could do some research on the matter does it? I was asking for other member's input right here.

Why the fuck are you defending anyone in a thread that asks for such a simple forum based level of participation?

Ever think about the fact that there might just be a couple members here who have acoustic nightmare spaces like the one I have at home that might offer a much more tailored response in understanding?

Why not Google that too, right? Thanks for your unbiased consideration of the matter.

would it have made you feel better if he copy and pasted all the info you needed from that page?

calm damn.

[H20nly]

What I do is print out all the bullshit responses from the forum and soak em in a solution of glue and water.
Then I put em all over the wall and all the places where sound treatment is needed.
Afterwards, I put them on everything else.
Next *and this is important... wait for them to dry.
Finally, I light the house on fire and call the insurance company.
It gives the room an open air feeling, lets the sound BE.