Acoustic Treatment Guidelines

Hi-Fi Rooms

Acoustic Treatment Guidelines White Paper // 2017V1.3

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// About Us // Vicoustic is dedicated to provide great acoustics, enhancing rooms for great sound. But what sets the company’s efforts apart from the competition is also the design. Because each and every environment, private as well as public places should be comfortable for the people with great acoustics and a pleasing design. This is why Vicoustic is unique in its commitment to the research and development of products and services in the acoustic field and at the same time providing acoustical solution with a unique and comforting look. Vicoustic is simply more than a manufacturer of acoustic treatment and insulation products. With its own Research Laboratory and specialized team of designers and

Music & Broadcast

engineers, Vicoustic also provides support and advice to maximize customer satisfaction in the use of its products. Vicoustic covers acoustic markets, ranging from the acoustic insulation of buildings and industrial machinery, to hi-fi, home cinema, music and broadcast studios. Vicoustic is constantly evolving and has worldwide presence, from Portugal to Sweden (Vicoustic Nordic Countries) and the United States, included in its more than 70 distributors worldwide. Customers include BBC, SIS, NATO, Ralph Lauren, Microsoft, Facebook, Sony, Macklemore, Capitol Records and Depeche Mode, among others.

Hi-Fi & Home Cinema

Building & Construction

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// R&D Centre - Research and Development // The Vicoustic Research Centre was designed for technological development that includes training and skill enhancement in specific areas, including Acoustic Product Engineering and Surveillance Technology. Vicoustic has dedicated considerable investigation in Building integration, on an international scale, and has been extremely successful in producing high performance acoustic products that comply with demanding fire ratings, safety and environmental regulations, while maintaining competitive cost levels. As a result, Vicoustic products are fully optimized. The R&D Centre is divided into two distinct areas: 1) A Multifunctional Room with magnetic walls that allows us to mount and dismount any combination of products, to study performance, quality, design and aesthetics, instantaneously. This concept is already creating a ripple effect and is being adapted in demo rooms and testing facilities around the globe. 2) Lab Test Facility is an innovative chamber with exclusive features that continues to be unique in the world. The objective was to build an adaptive

volume chamber, allowing us to perform acoustic tests in various sized rooms. Thanks to a 4-ton mechanical wall that travels on a set of rails, we can define the exact measurements of the chamber, and adjust the length of sound waves, produced inside. The wall has a custom-made insulation system that is remotely controlled by a hydraulic system, completely blocking sound transmission, inside and out. It includes a cutting-edge laboratory infrastructure that converts into three hybrid states: Low Frequency Resonation Chamber, Reverberation Chamber, and an Anechoic Chamber. Inside the hybrid test lab, we have installed four subwoofers and one B&K Omnidirectional loudspeaker that will generate specific sound waves named Plane Waves. By positioning the mechanical wall, it is possible to study any product sample at precise frequencies. The sound behavior is captured using B&K microphones, insuring reliable data to continue our analyses. The technology and rigorous in-house testing are the foundation of each and every product, making Vicoustic a distinguished brand and leader in its sector.

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Acoustic Treatment Guidelines

// Problem // The Audio market is launching new powerful sound reproduction and signal processing tools, some of them already including acoustic correction features. Nevertheless, even considering the most efficient audio system, if room’s acoustics is not properly addressed, it is likely that the listener will not be able to totally enjoy and take advantage of it’s full power. Ultimately, this will raise doubts regarding the investment made.

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Simply placing loudspeakers in any convenient location is not enough to get the full enjoyment of your audio system

White Paper

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Hi-Fi Rooms

// Solution // In order to achieve proper acoustic conditions within your Hi-Fi room and maximize the enjoyment of your audio system, three acoustic treatment solutions are proposed in this white paper: Economic, Efficient and Professional. These solutions are for standard Hi-Fi rooms (Rectangular Rooms between 10 m2 to 20 m2 and height between 2,4 and 3 m) and can be applied in different phases, i.e. you can start to implement the Economic solution, and then invest to achieve the Efficient and finally the Professional solution.

Economic

Efficient

Professional

Reverberation Time First Reflections Back Wall

-

Low Frequencies

-

Comparison of RT Predictions 2.00 1.60 1.20

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0.80 0.40

125

250 Recommended RT Upper Limit RT Economic Solution

500

1000 Recommended RT Lower Limit

2000

4000

RT Untreated RT Professional Solution

Copyright 2017 by Vicoustic. No parts of this document might be copied and/or published without the written consent of Vicoustic.

Hz

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0.00

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// Basic Acoustic Treatment Steps // Basic Steps to achieve proper conditions within your Hi-Fi room will include Optimizing its Reverberation Time (RT), Controlling Early Reflections and Controlling Sound Field Anomalies. Reverberation Time Optimization (RT) • A Hi-Fi Room should not be very live neither too dead. • Optimum RT for Hi-Fi rooms within 0,3 s to 0,6 s • RT steady and continuous in the frequency range from 250 Hz to 4 kHz. • RT Optimization can use both Viccoustic sound absorption and diffusing panels. First Reflections Control • One should be able to feel the ambiance and reverb contained in the recordings. • First reflections should be controlled in order to avoid masking those features. • Comb-filtering effects are likely to be avoided and sound quality and clarity improved. • May be controlled by both Vicoustic sound absorption and diffusing panels. Room Modes Control • In small rooms such as Hi-Fi rooms, room modes are one of the major sound field anomalies that are likely to occur. • These modes are likely to cause audible effects within the Hi-Fi room, and therefore affecting the listener’s correct perception of sound at low frequencies. • Room modes may be controlled by Vicoustic Bass Traps solutions, located in the corners of the room.

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// Reverberation Time Predictions // For each acoustic solution presented in the next pages, a RT study with predictions for both untreated room and treated room is shown. For the RT calculations, we considered a room with 4 m (W) x 5 m (L) x 3 m (H) dimensions. Regarding room finishes, we considered, walls and ceiling made of plasterboard and floor made of parquet. It should be noted that if small rooms are considered, the RT is likely to have lower values than the ones presented in the images for smaller rooms. If different finishes are considered the RT may increase or decrease depending on the finishes. These predicted values are meant to be used as a guidance to understand the benefit of the acoustic treatment that is being proposed. White Paper

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Well-designed room acoustics allow a listener to better enjoy the full potential of the audio system.

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// Economic Solution // (for prices consult your local distributor) 1 Box of Wavewood

1 Box of Cinema Round Premium

TIP Choose one of the wood finishes of these products for a natural look.

Wavewood

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This Economic Solution will focus on First Reflections treatment. This will improve sound definition in the listening area. By treating first reflections comb filter effects are likely to be controlled and at the same time control the Reverberation Time within the room.

White Paper

Cinema Round

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Hi-Fi Rooms Min. RT Reduction

RT Predictions

Low. Freq.

13%

Med. Freq. High. Freq.

50%

46%

2.00 1.60 1.20 0.80 0.40 0.00 125

250

500

1000

Recommend RT Upper Limit

Recommend RT Lower Limit

RT Untreated Room

RT Economic Room

Material Needed

2000

4000

Hz

TIP For a less premium solution, you may replace Cinema Round Premium for Cinema Round simpler version, without fabric.

• 10 Wavewood (1 Box)

• 8 Cinema Round Premium (1 Box) 2017V1.3 www.vicoustic.com


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// Efficient Solution // 1 Boxes of Wavewood

1 Box of Cinema Round Premium

(for prices consult your local distributor) 1 Box of Multifuser DC2

TIP An alternative design can be achieved rotating the panels 45 degrees, without sacrificing the acoustic performance.

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This Efficient Solution besides treating First Reflections it is also addressing Low Frequencies issues by using our Wavewood panel as a Bass Trap in the corners and treating. The Back Wall is also being treated with our diffuser panel Multifuser DC2. This will control specular reflections from the back wall and at the same time improve the sense of spaciousness within the room. By including an extra Wavewood box, first reflections are also being better controlled and RT is approaching recommended values.

Wavewood Multifuser DC2

White Paper

Cinema Round

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RT Predictions

Low. Freq.

29%


59%

55%

2.00 1.60 1.20 0.80 0.40 0.00 125

250

500

1000

Recommend RT Upper Limit

Recommend RT Lower Limit

RT Untreated Room

RT Efficient Room

Material Needed

2000

4000H

Hz

TIP It is possible to custom order specific colors, fabrics and finishings, for more information please contact your dealer.

• 20 Wavewood (2 Boxes)

• 8 Cinema Round Premium (1 Box)

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• 6 Multifuser DC2 (1 Box)

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// Professional Solution // (for prices consult your local distributor) 3 Boxes of Wavewood

2 Boxes of Cinema Round Premium

1 Box of Multifuser DC2

3 Boxes of Super Bass Extreme

TIP If you prefer to cover the pattern from Super Bass Extreme, we also have a premium option with covering fabrics.

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In this Professional solution the acoustics of the back part of the room and Low Frequencies issues are being better addressed. • Room’s Back Part: By including extra acoustic treatment in the back part of the room (extra cinema round on back side walls and extra Wavewood on the back ceiling) sound definition in the back part of the room is being maximized. • Low Frequencies: By including Super Bass Extreme and extra Wavewood panels in room’s coners, Low Frequencies are being better controlled; making RT in the low frequency region achieving recommended values. In this Professional solution RT is being optimized and the recommended values for Hi-Fi Rooms are being achieved in all frequency regions of interest.

Wavewood Multifuser DC2 White Paper

Cinema Round Super Bass Extreme

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RT Predictions

Low. Freq.

42%


71%

67%

2.00 1.60 1.20 0.80 0.40 0.00 125

250

500

1000

Recommended RT Upper Limit

Recommended RT Lower Limit

RT Untreated

RT Professional Solution

Material Needed • 30 Wavewood (3 Boxes)

2000

4000

Hz

TIP If you don’t want to glue Cinema Round Premium to your walls, you can always choose it’s mechanical fixation system with VicFix Frames or VicFix Magnetic.

• 16 Cinema Round Premium (2 Boxes)

• 6 Multifuser DC2 (1 Box)

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• 6 Super Bass Extreme (3 Box)

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// Glossary // dB (decibel) – The scale on which sound pressure level is expressed. It is defined as 20 times the logarithm of the root-mean-square pressure of the sound field and reference pressure (2x10-5 Pa) Reverberation – An acoustical phenomenon that occurs in enclosed spaces, when sound persists in that space as a result of repeated reflection or scattering from surfaces enclosing the space or objects within it. Reverberation Time (s) – A measure of the degree of reverberation in a space. It is equal to the time required for the level of a steady sound to decay by 60 dB after it has been turned off. Direct Sound – Sound that arrives the listener position directly from the sound source, i.e. without being reflected from any object or surface. Sound reflection – It is the portion of the sound energy that is returned in a preferable defined direction when the sound wave hits a surface.

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Sound absorption – It is the portion of the sound energy that is not returned when a sound wave hits a surface. Sound diffusion – Sound diffusion occurs when a sound wave hits a complex surface such as a diffuser and its energy is distributed in many directions and not in a preferable defined direction. First Reflections – Normally defined as the sound reflections that reach the listener position up to around 20ms after the direct sound. White Paper

Standing Waves – A standing wave is originated from the interaction of two sound waves with equal frequency and amplitude but travelling in opposite directions. Unlike the travelling waves, the standing waves do not cause a net transport of energy, since the two waves that form it are carrying equal energy in opposite directions. The resulting wave (standing wave) alternates between maximum and zero amplitude. Room Modes – At specific frequencies, called room resonance frequencies, standing waves are created within rooms. These frequencies depend on the dimension and shape of the room. The group of these resonance frequencies are normally referred as room modes. When a sound source generates sound with frequencies equal or close to the room resonance frequencies, the room response will be enhanced and patterns of maximum pressure levels and minimum pressure levels will be originated. The shape of these patterns differs with room resonance frequency. Flutter Echoes – Repeated sound reflections caused by sound waves travelling between parallel reflective surfaces such as walls.

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Hi-Fi Rooms

// Vicoustic Project Support // Our team of engineers and designers is ready to assist you Our Team is able to answer your technical queries and provide the necessary product documentation and implementation details. The Team includes Senior Acoustic Engineers and Designers, with a decade-long experience. In addition, our Research Department is also available to develop customized products to satisfy your needs. Vicoustic works with the most advanced hardware and software tools available, this allows us to accurately simulate the finalized acoustic performance of your room. Together, we can provide reliable and effective recommendations, products and support services throughout the whole project process from conception through to completion. In collaboration with our worldwide partners, you will find examples of completed installations for Sony, BBC, Microsoft, ITV, Clarion, SIS, Unilever, Ralph Lauren, and many, many more.

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All prices in this document are examples and may vary over time and in any specific market. Please contact your local Vicoustic dealer for exact pricing.

Office Rua Quinta do Bom Retiro Nº16, Armazém 9 . 2820 690 Charneca da Caparica . Portugal Tel +351 212 964 100 Fax +351 212 964 101 Logistics Avenida do Polo 3, Nº159 . 4590-137 Carvalhosa, Paços de Ferreira . Portugal Tel +351 917 851 019 Info and Sales: [email protected] | Project Department: [email protected] | Marketing Department: [email protected]

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