A lot of people don't realize just how important room treatments are. It does make a huge difference but you gota do it right and that takes some know how.
For those who want a bit more technical explanation: in the discipline of architectural acoustics, diffusers are used to help reverberation be more uniform throughout the space. In other words, diffusers keep the sound (pressure level) from focusing at particular spots around the room. Diffusers can also help lower the T60 value (though an absorptive medium is what is often used primarily for that purpose.)
And even more technical: The term _diffusion_ in the general sense is applied to many kinds of objects. One of the aspects of air, through which we humans "hear", is that it absorbs high frequency sound rather well. Sound is the movement of energy in a wave-like manner. In air (at Earth's surface pressure) high frequencies of sound do not travel far, being absorbed, and this is a general type of diffusion (the fundamental ideas come from statistical mechanics and thermodynamics.) So one thing sound diffusers accomplish in your room is making the path of a sound wave much longer to reach your ear, thus allowing more time for the energy in the wave to thermalize, i.e., simply become heat in air.
Acoustic Fields has a channel here that is very detailed. They sell diffusers, absorbers and some downloadable books on main your own diffusers and absorbers. The books were on sale recently.
Yep. One has to measure the frequency response of the room in order to know what frequencies the diffuser(s) has to be made to. It is not just some random made box.
Paul, are you sure that is not just a black HVAC? It is also interesting to look at the old JBL acoustic lenses that where used to spread the angle of high frequency horns. That's still what I think of when I hear diffusers in the context of Audio.
"old JBL acoustic lenses that where used to spread the angle" - are you referring to wave guides, which speaker builders sometimes use? "diffusers in the context of Audio" - in the context of audio, "diffusion" as a term applies to architectural acoustics. Though not describe that well by Paul, in this context diffusion affects the reverb time throughout the room. Diffusers are used so that the reflected energy (sound pressure) doesn't focus at spots around the room.
Very much so!! See, it's more than diffusing. Breaking up the reflection is nice, but it also adds a slight time delay as the sound wave bounces around in the wells then comes out to your ears. The more diffuse and slightly time delayed the sound is, the more our ears/brain can differentiate the direct sound from the reflected sound. Also, reflected waves interfere with the direct sound causing "nodes" or hotspots/deadspots in your room...most notably in the bass frequencies, but it also happens through all frequencies! When a positive wave hits a negative wave, they zero each other out! So imagine someone taking a parametric EQ and dragging a frequency down 10db. Or a positive wave from the speaker mixing with a positive wave bouncing off the wall, and it's like someone taking a P-EQ and pushing the slider up 10 db! Properly designed diffusers set in critical areas will break up those reflected waves, and give a little time delay to them, and damping them very slightly giving your ears/brain the best chance possible of discerning exactly what the artist intended spatially and sonically. This is why all the greatest recording studios typically have diffusers on the wall behind the mixing board...so they can dial everything in for the master recording without the room having a big influence on the final output.
I hope you're doing the right thing and not selling any of your equipment to Russia..! got to be mandate around the world. if you are then people need to boycott you're goods
Diffusers don't absorb any sound. They just reflect sound at different points (depths). By doing this they create interference in the higher spectrum of the frequencies.
A lot of people don't realize just how important room treatments are. It does make a huge difference but you gota do it right and that takes some know how.
For those who want a bit more technical explanation: in the discipline of architectural acoustics, diffusers are used to help reverberation be more uniform throughout the space. In other words, diffusers keep the sound (pressure level) from focusing at particular spots around the room. Diffusers can also help lower the T60 value (though an absorptive medium is what is often used primarily for that purpose.)
And even more technical: The term _diffusion_ in the general sense is applied to many kinds of objects. One of the aspects of air, through which we humans "hear", is that it absorbs high frequency sound rather well. Sound is the movement of energy in a wave-like manner. In air (at Earth's surface pressure) high frequencies of sound do not travel far, being absorbed, and this is a general type of diffusion (the fundamental ideas come from statistical mechanics and thermodynamics.)
So one thing sound diffusers accomplish in your room is making the path of a sound wave much longer to reach your ear, thus allowing more time for the energy in the wave to thermalize, i.e., simply become heat in air.
@@TheDanEdwards and even MORE technical:
Diffusion makes the sound less TINNY. 😜
Do I see some AudioQuest power cables there?
Where are diffusors available to buy? I need something that matches decor so that makes it tricky.
Paul where did you get the diffusers? what is the brand. Thanks.
ATS Acoustics primarily
Acoustic Fields has a channel here that is very detailed. They sell diffusers, absorbers and some downloadable books on main your own diffusers and absorbers. The books were on sale recently.
Yep. One has to measure the frequency response of the room in order to know what frequencies the diffuser(s) has to be made to. It is not just some random made box.
Paul, are you sure that is not just a black HVAC?
It is also interesting to look at the old JBL acoustic lenses that where used to spread the angle of high frequency horns. That's still what I think of when I hear diffusers in the context of Audio.
"old JBL acoustic lenses that where used to spread the angle" - are you referring to wave guides, which speaker builders sometimes use?
"diffusers in the context of Audio" - in the context of audio, "diffusion" as a term applies to architectural acoustics. Though not describe that well by Paul, in this context diffusion affects the reverb time throughout the room. Diffusers are used so that the reflected energy (sound pressure) doesn't focus at spots around the room.
Another great video Paul, but now I'm confused......What's the difference between a diffuser and a horn?
Are Diffusers still worth it if you don’t have dipoles?
yes
Very much so!! See, it's more than diffusing. Breaking up the reflection is nice, but it also adds a slight time delay as the sound wave bounces around in the wells then comes out to your ears. The more diffuse and slightly time delayed the sound is, the more our ears/brain can differentiate the direct sound from the reflected sound.
Also, reflected waves interfere with the direct sound causing "nodes" or hotspots/deadspots in your room...most notably in the bass frequencies, but it also happens through all frequencies! When a positive wave hits a negative wave, they zero each other out! So imagine someone taking a parametric EQ and dragging a frequency down 10db. Or a positive wave from the speaker mixing with a positive wave bouncing off the wall, and it's like someone taking a P-EQ and pushing the slider up 10 db! Properly designed diffusers set in critical areas will break up those reflected waves, and give a little time delay to them, and damping them very slightly giving your ears/brain the best chance possible of discerning exactly what the artist intended spatially and sonically.
This is why all the greatest recording studios typically have diffusers on the wall behind the mixing board...so they can dial everything in for the master recording without the room having a big influence on the final output.
@@LonelyRavenProductio Thankyou for the detailed response👍
So a diffuser is for reflections , or used to diffuse reflections?
Watched this video last week, didn't we?
Yup!
Misery is my least favorite state.
Your officially banned from that State.
I hope you're doing the right thing and not selling any of your equipment to Russia..! got to be mandate around the world. if you are then people need to boycott you're goods
Diffusers don't absorb any sound. They just reflect sound at different points (depths). By doing this they create interference in the higher spectrum of the frequencies.
but there is some cancellation going on so you could say it's an absorber as well