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Back To Basics

This week we go back to old-school TubeTrap basics. You will learn the ideal sequence of operations for treating your HiFi listening room with TubeTraps and other supporting acoustic products. If you already own a bundle, then you will see the pinnacle of room optimization. If you only have a few, then you will see the plethora of layout options in front of you, with the benefits offered by each. Not everyone knows about acoustics. You will.

Sit back, turn on some music, and imagine how good your room would sound with these improvements. Enjoy!

Step 1

Add Full-Round TubeTraps to all four corners, start at the speaker end of room.

Stacking two Full-Rounds on top of one another in a corner is better than a single Full-Round in a corner.

The TubeTrap’s chrome dots should point to the listening chair. Rotate Tubes to increase treble absorption.

This improves dynamics, unmasks midrange/treble detail, and reduces “room boom”. Launching a clean wavefront at the front of the room, and cleaning up the excess energy at the rear of the room make the most dramatic improvement.

Step 2

Add Wall Panels, Diffuser Panels, or a combination of both to the side wall.

Diffusers turn hard reflections into ambiance. Panels absorb hard reflections.

This removes ghost images in the horizontal plane, making images more focused.

Larger speakers will benefit from using Half- Rounds instead. Their additional bass absorbing capability will enhance bass dynamics.

Step 3

Add Half-Rounds to the front wall..

A pair of stacked Half-Rounds are better than a single Half-Round.

This deepens the sound stage, by reducing ghost images from the front wall. Treble reflectors maintain room ambiance.

Step 4

Add Half-Rounds to the back wall.

Again, stacked Half-Rounds are better than single Half-Rounds.

The TubeTrap’s chrome dots should point to the listening chair. Rotate Tubes to increase treble absorption.

Capturing bass energy at the rear of the room allows the direct bass sounds to have more impact, free from masking, cancellations, and room modes.