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Thread: ASC PicturePanels

  1. #1
    MartinT Guest

    Default ASC PicturePanels

    I took delivery of three PicturePanels yesterday, each 36" x 24" and about 2" thick. Installation was easy using the provided z-rail and plasterboard fixings. Finish is good with a photo of your choice reproduced on the absorbent face.

    Their stated purpose is absorption in the vocal frequency area, providing extra clarity to reproduction. I mounted mine one slightly above and behind each speaker and the third one slightly above and behind my head when seated in my listening position.

    I expected their effect to be a somewhat reduced version of what the TubeTraps gave me: an increase in overall system/room clarity. What I actually hear is somewhat unexpected: extreme focus in the music with pinpoint imaging and startling clarity. There is an impression of blackness to the sides and from behind, a result I think of the quietness of the room itself thus emphasising direct radiation from the speakers over reflected radiation from the walls.

    Playing choral music, always an extreme test for a hi-fi system, I was struck by how easy it is to differentiate sections of the choir and even individual voices. Crescendos soar without becoming ragged and a sense of the recording space is palpable during quiet passages.

    I would say that my room treatment is complete and has been a great success. For the price of one of my system components I have an upgrade impossible to achieve in any other way.



    http://www.asc-hifi.com/picture-panel.htm

    ASC treatments: 4 x 16" round TubeTraps, SubTrap (but without the sub), 3 x 36/24" PicturePanels.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    Nice one, Martin. I love your 'dedication to the cause'! And the panels look good, too.

    Btw, you have some new info regarding your KAB 1210 query. I might move this to the 'Strokes of Genius' section if that's ok.

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


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  3. #3
    MartinT Guest

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    This is the first time I've been able to find a house with an appropriate room and dedicate it to music. I'm very pleased with the results. I just need a small bookcase now and to unpack all my music books. System-wise, my next project is to upgrade the turntable.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2008

    Location: Suffolk, UK

    Posts: 1,473
    I'm Paul.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MartinT View Post
    This is the first time I've been able to find a house with an appropriate room and dedicate it to music. I'm very pleased with the results. I just need a small bookcase now and to unpack all my music books. System-wise, my next project is to upgrade the turntable.
    Funny you should say that, I've been told that one of the best panels available are bookshelves stuffed with paperbacks. Be careful what you use though, Erotica can make the music too hard while Mills & Boon tend to add a slightly rosy glow too the music.

    I made my panels which are approx 1.9m high & .4m wide and cost under £40 for the pair. The difference, sound for pound was a bargain.
    ~Paul~

  5. #5
    MartinT Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Primalsea View Post
    I made my panels which are approx 1.9m high & .4m wide and cost under £40 for the pair. The difference, sound for pound was a bargain.
    Do tell, how did you make them?

  6. #6
    Join Date: Aug 2008

    Location: Suffolk, UK

    Posts: 1,473
    I'm Paul.

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    I will describe the easy way which will be a little more expensive than the way I made them but not everyone has good craft skills. Anyone who does probably will have their own way of doing things.
    You need:
    10x35mm battons
    1 roll of loft insulation
    16 right angle plate brackets (these are flat metal plates in the shape of right angle triangles with holes in)
    12 right angle brackets (these are the ones which are a strip of metal that is bent at a right angle in the middle)
    2 cheap bedsheets
    staplegun
    glue
    screws (No4 x 15mm)

    What follows is not a very good description of how to make them.

    Make 2 rectangle frames to the size you want the panels. Mine were about 1.9mtr high, .4mtr wide and 35mm deep. Use the right angle plate brackets in all 8 corners to give the panel its strength. Glue and screw them & clamps might be useful here.

    You now need 4 cross braces along the short dimension of the frames spaced 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 of the length. use the right angle brackets to hold them in place, your panels should look a bit like ladders.

    Stretch 1/2 of a bed sheet over each frame using the staple gun.

    The loft insulation probably will be too thick so pull it apart into 2 thinner layers. Cut 8 rectangles the same size as the smaller rectangles in the panels and push them into place in the panels.

    Stretch the other 1/2 of the bedsheets over the back of the panel. The skill here is to make the corners and back very neat.

    There you go, I placed mine behind my speakers.

    I hope thats makes some sense. Of course the other alternative if you can get it passed the other half is 2 book shelves stuffed with cheap 2nd hand books from a shop.
    ~Paul~

  7. #7
    MartinT Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Primalsea View Post
    Of course the other alternative if you can get it passed the other half is 2 book shelves stuffed with cheap 2nd hand books from a shop.
    That will only provide diffraction, not absorption. Good room treatment requires both (a lot of my diffraction is provided by wooden-slatted window blinds). However, I have yet to set up a bookshelf for my music books so I'll have that too!

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Bristol, UK

    Posts: 441
    I'm Greg.

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    Actually, just hanging a couple of framed pictures can achieve exactly the same result in my experience. It has in my room.

    Martin's panels do look good though and very relevant in a dedicated listening room.

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