ProAudio Review - September 2008 - (Page 50)

CONTRACTING | PRIMACOUSTIC Continued From Page 49 REVIEW anchors and screws per Impaler panel. I mounted all 12 X 12-inch panels with only one Impaler, the 12 X 48-inch panels with two Impalers, and the 24 X 48-inch panels with four Impalers in the time of one full workday. Next, with the help of a handy friend, I constructed the four MaxTraps with ease thanks to explicit directions provided with each kit; this took us less than 30 minutes per MaxTrap. The Cumulus corner traps were easily arranged and hung by myself; the innovative spring-based mounting system made this easy, as only one screw anchor and screw was required per trap. Finally, hanging the three-piece, 6-foot long Stratus cloud over my room’s mix position was the biggest task. Although it was quite simple in concept, the cloud was screwed together on the floor, then raised to be hung via eight wires attached to holes in the cloud’s aluminum frame and eye-screws in screw anchors in the ceiling. While the suggested components were based solidly on the mathematics of THE PRIMACOUSTIC PROCESS According to Primacoustic Product Manager Jay Porter, the design process of each Broadway system is simple, yet custom and detailed in its conception. Here, Porter reveals the process in three straightforward steps between customer and company. “First, the customer provides a simple floor plan showing accurate dimensions, windows, doors, anything else that cannot be moved. Here, customers should also indicate wall, ceiling and flooring materials. Photos are also extremely helpful to create an accurate plan. Next, we input dimensions into our Room Calculator, designed inhouse to quickly determine the square footage of panels required (usually around 20 to 30 percent of wall surface areas). Our philosophy is to start on the light side of absorption, as more panels can always be added later if needed. Then room modes are calculated to estimate the type of bass trapping that is needed. Once we determine all suitable materials, we then use a graphics program to draw a mock-up of the room. Being studio engineers, we use our experience to place panels in suitable locations to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing space.” acoustics, the installation incorporated a good deal of creativity. After the install, I wanted to be able to personalize the room with artwork and other personal items; the Broadway components certainly left room for that and — as directly compared to competing, largely foam-based products — looked refreshingly “acoustician-designed and installed,” too. Each component category installed from the Broadway series did something acoustically significant and necessary for the room; I listened to familiar material as I went along and could hear the room gradually become focused and “tight.” The flat panels did a great job of controlling the room’s out-ofcontrol reverberation, which was especially harsh considering its nearly cube-like measurement with nothing but hard surfaces virtually everywhere (two sheetrock walls, two concrete on cement block walls, a sheetrock ceiling, and a tile floor). Behind mix position, the “checker-boarded” 1-inch squares absorbed and scattered higher frequencies (starting significantly at around 500Hz) coming directly from my monitors. Around the room, the various-sized 2-inch panels tamed the high-end liveness (starting significantly at around 400Hz) to a point where the room PRIMACOUSTIC continues on page 52 ® four MaxTraps (see the PDF layout of the room’s design). This selection of panels is based on the Primacoustic Broadway London 12A room kit, which follows the live-end/dead-end acoustic design concept. I also ordered a 24 X 24-inch beveled-edged panel for the ceiling of the room’s stairwell from the house’s main floor. At the time of the original consultation with Primacoustic, the room was still carpeted and included an exterior door. Upon the room’s change to porcelain tile floors and glass block in the place of the door, two other major components were added to the mix: a three-panel Stratus Cloud and four Cumulus traps. As the floor became a reflective surface (parallel to the eight-foot ceiling), the two additional Broadway component categories became worthwhile additions to the mix. Hanging each panel was a breeze. With detailed installation manuals provided for each category, I was able to place each panel rather easily by first drilling appropriate holes for sheetrock or masonry screw 50 | ProAudio Review | September 2008 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.thatcorp.com http://www.thatcorp.com http://www.proaudioreview.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - September 2008

ProAudio Review - September 2008 Contents Publisher’s Page: It's A Hard Drive World Broadcast News and New Products Lawo mc256 Digital Production Console Studio News and New Products Earthworks PM40 Piano Mic System Onkyo Professional PR-SC885 HDMI 1.3a Surround Sound Processor Developments and Trends: Instrument Microphones Benchmark Media DAC1 Pre Focal Twin6 Be Studio Reference Monitors Cascade FAT HEAD II Blumlein Package Studio Projects CS5 Microphone M-Audio Pulsar II Small-Diaphragm Condenser Live News and New Products JBL MRX512M Live Monitor QSC: Behind The Scenes Contracting News and New Products Primacoustic Broadway Professional Acoustic Solutions Buyer's Guide: Contracting Amplifiers/Mixers Buyer's Guide: Contracting Speakers Single Slice: pc muñoz "Chatter & Buzz"

ProAudio Review - September 2008

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