Diffuser panel design - overrated?


Often wondered about all the variations you see on diffuser panels. The interlaced cut squares.  Some companies offer mathematically and scientifically designed panels that are supposed to perform extremely well. By Specifically dealing with all those individual frequencies with carefully measured elevations within the cut squares. How the heck do they do this given all the harmonics that are involved.

I mean it's just pressure amplitudes going across the room and instead of being reflected off of a flat surface they get scattered when they hit an irregular surface.  And this provides improved clarity because it reduces the intensity of reverberations.  Very similar to water being scattered when it hits underwater irregularities versus a flat wall.

So just by rearranging your bookshelf to create an uneven surface area, isn’t this achieving the same thing.  It's not rocket science.

 

jumia

@erik_squires Wrote:

I stand by my answer based on years of reading and experience. I suggest before you knock what you don’t understand that you do some reading and listening. 

I agree!

Mike

@jumia Wrote:

So just by rearranging your bookshelf to create an uneven surface area, isn’t this achieving the same thing.  It's not rocket science.

See below:

Mike

 

Just a few db differences can allow for separation in timing and level for the given individual ear. Each ear being different.

So diffusors can work for one speaker, and room, and not the next. then we introduce different ears and we've got 3 variables that dictate the seeming quality of a diffusor. As all three have to be aligned for it to all calculate out, but none of the three variables can be accounted for.

Then the electronics, wiring ac quality, and so on. Actually, 4 uncontrollable permanently variable, er, variables.

My predictions, if I have any... on the efficacy of diffusors... is in no way a slam dunk for the next person.

A general pattern emerges, yes, under the umbrella of the four variables. But no hard number will ever emerge.

To argue this, well one better come armed. :P

 

People have diffuser panels on their wall, they're not very big sometimes.

 

How much surface area do you need in a 14 x 16 room for it to make a difference?

Isn't the diffuser panel competing with all the other irregular things scattered about?