CORSINI Acoustic Solutions Posted January 18 Posted January 18 (edited) This stunning project, titled "Project Cobra," transforms a dedicated space into the ultimate hybrid Hi-Fi listening room and home cinema. Designed for uncompromising audio performance and visual elegance, the room features state-of-the-art acoustic treatments tailored to optimize sound quality and deliver an immersive listening and viewing experience. The installation includes Artnovion’s Cinema Series Bass Trap cores, Absorber cores, and Helen shells in snow white for precise low-frequency management, complemented by Sparta RCT and SQR absorbers in matching snow white for enhanced clarity and control. Lagos diffusers in gloss white with a white interior ensure refined sound dispersion, while Sahara absorbers, installed with the Fixart Tube fixing system, add aesthetic cohesion and acoustic precision. Every element is meticulously placed to balance form and function, creating a space where sound and design harmoniously converge. Watch Video on YouTube https://youtu.be/gJiBOvYxArE Innovative 3D Acoustic Design for Superior Sound The design of Project 2470 Cobra showcases a meticulous approach to creating a space optimized for Hi-Fi listening and home cinema experiences. Integrating cutting-edge acoustic treatment solutions from Artnovion, this design harmonizes aesthetics with performance. The setup includes Cinema Series Bass Trap Cores, Absorber Cores, and Helen Shells in snow white, paired with Sparta RCT and SQR Absorbers for superior sound absorption. Lagos Diffusers in gloss white add a touch of elegance while enhancing diffusion, and Sahara Absorbers ensure acoustic balance using the Fixart Tube fixing system. Every detail, from the ceiling panels to the wall-mounted solutions, was planned to deliver an unparalleled sound experience tailored to the room's unique dimensions and acoustic challenges. 3D Blueprint Design The blueprints for Project 2470 Cobra lay the foundation for a precise and performance-driven acoustic environment. Carefully designed to balance functionality and aesthetics, these plans illustrate the strategic placement of Artnovion’s acoustic treatments, including Bass Trap Cores, Absorber Cores, Lagos Diffusers, and Sahara Absorbers. The detailed renderings highlight an optimized layout for seamless integration into the room, ensuring every element contributes to the acoustic and visual harmony of the space. From the carefully calculated ceiling configurations to the symmetrical wall designs, the blueprints reflect the meticulous planning necessary to transform this Hi-Fi and home cinema room into an immersive sonic experience. Predicted Data Analysis Room Data and Reverberation Analysis Post-treatment acoustic analysis reveals a 41% reduction in reverberation time, achieving an optimal balance across all frequencies for the space. Spectral Analysis and Room Modes Seamless Precision: Installation Snapshots of Project 2470 Cobra The installation phase of Project 2470 Cobra brings the design to life with precision and attention to detail. These snapshots capture the integration of Artnovion’s premium acoustic solutions, including Cinema Series Bass Trap cores, Helen shells, Lagos diffusers, and Sahara absorbers. From meticulously mounting wall panels to ensuring the Artnovion new bracket system is perfectly aligned, every step reflects our commitment to achieving the best sound optimization for this dual-purpose Hi-Fi and Home Cinema room. The collaboration between our team and cutting-edge products ensures a flawless setup, blending aesthetics with unmatched acoustic performance. Enhancing Bass Precision with AVAA C214 To elevate the acoustic performance of this Hi-Fi and Home Cinema setup, we integrated two PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps. These advanced units are strategically placed to address low-frequency room modes, ensuring tighter bass response and improved overall balance. As demonstrated in the frequency response comparison, the addition of the AVAA C214 achieves a more controlled and smoother low-end, enhancing both musical and cinematic experiences. This combination of innovative technology and precise placement complements the room’s tailored acoustic treatment, delivering uncompromised sound quality. Project Cobra: Final Results of Precision Acoustic Design The transformation of this space into a dedicated home cinema and Hi-Fi listening room exemplifies the synergy of innovative acoustic design and premium audio solutions. By combining Artnovion's meticulously crafted panels and the powerful AVAA C214 bass traps, we achieved a space where aesthetics and performance coexist seamlessly. Every element, from the diffusers and absorbers to the precise room tuning, has been thoughtfully implemented to deliver an unparalleled listening experience. Project Cobra stands as a testament to how tailored acoustic solutions can redefine the way we experience sound in our homes. Conclusion and Products Used The success of Project 2470 Cobra reflects our dedication to creating spaces that deliver both exceptional sound quality and visual elegance. By combining precision acoustic treatments and advanced technology, we transformed this Hi-Fi and Home Cinema room into an unparalleled audio environment. Below is the list of products used for this project, with links to explore more details: Artnovion Cinema Series Bass Trap Cores https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/bass-trap-core Artnovion Cinema Series Absorber Cores https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/absorber-core Artnovion Helen Shells in Snow White https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/helen-cs Artnovion Sparta RCT Absorbers https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/sparta-absorber Artnovion Sparta SQR Absorbers https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/sparta-absorber Artnovion Lagos Diffusers in Gloss White https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/lagos-wood-diffuser Artnovion Sahara Absorbers https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/sahara-wood-absorber-range Fixart Tube System https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/fixart-tube-fixing-system PSI Audio AVAA C214 Active Bass Traps https://www.corsini.com.au/product-page/psi-audio-avaa-c214-digital-active-bass-trap For more information about our acoustic solutions and to discover how we can help you transform your space, visit https://www.corsini.com.au/ #CorsiniAcousticSolutions #Artnovion #Cogworks #PSIAudio #AVAAC214 #HiFiListeningRoom #HomeCinema #AcousticDesign #SoundOptimization #RoomAcoustics #HighEndAudio #Audiophile Edited January 18 by CORSINI Acoustic Solutions 6 1
sakabatou Posted January 18 Posted January 18 6 minutes ago, CORSINI Acoustic Solutions said: Watch Video on YouTube https://youtu.be/gJiBOvYxArE Currently, that video comes up as private
CORSINI Acoustic Solutions Posted January 18 Author Posted January 18 Hi, yes sorry it was scheduled for Monday but I'll go and make it publicly now 2
Keith_W Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Hello @CORSINI Acoustic Solutions this is a very impressive project. I am particularly impressed by the amount of detail you put into your acoustic modelling, down to a realistic drawing of the speakers and the furniture. How did you do that? Amazing! I hope you don't mind, but I have some questions. 1. Do you have before and after measurements of the RT60, waterfall, and spectrogram? 2. Also, the AVAA C214 is an active bass trap. Why does the picture above show it working up to 2kHz? The red line (with no AVAA) does not seem to show much of a problem. Is the AVAA even needed? 3. I get that the client's domestic needs are important, but what would you say about placing sofas in front of speakers and having that coffee table in the middle of the room? If you were able to persuade the client (or his wife) would you prefer to have them out of the way? 1
rand129678 Posted January 18 Posted January 18 Hi @CORSINI Acoustic Solutions @BugPowderDust can you share 1/12 smoothing measurements? No DSP : before vs after measurement?
BugPowderDust Posted January 18 Posted January 18 I didn't get a proper before and after but I did have a look at some old measurements before treatment (Left channel only) and extracted it and put it alongside the room after treatment (left and right combined). After I've run Dirac Live ART, you get a very linear low frequency plot after adding in support from the centre and surrounds.* * note that this is with a flat Dirac target for full range response, but this is not what I'm running in room (I run a Harman +4dB target curve). 1
rand129678 Posted January 19 Posted January 19 12 hours ago, BugPowderDust said: I didn't get a proper before and after but I did have a look at some old measurements before treatment (Left channel only) and extracted it and put it alongside the room after treatment (left and right combined). After I've run Dirac Live ART, you get a very linear low frequency plot after adding in support from the centre and surrounds.* * note that this is with a flat Dirac target for full range response, but this is not what I'm running in room (I run a Harman +4dB target curve). Thanks but can you share the same with 1/12 smoothing? Did @CORSINI Acoustic Solutions take his own measurements?
BugPowderDust Posted January 19 Posted January 19 1: Pre room treatment 2: Post room treatment 3: Dirac ART applied, +4dB Harman flat target curve, no curtaining Note: 1 and 2 were many years apart so mic location won't be precise from measurement to measurement. Cristian took his own measurements but they were before furniture was moved back into location. 15 hours ago, Keith_W said: 3. I get that the client's domestic needs are important, but what would you say about placing sofas in front of speakers and having that coffee table in the middle of the room? If you were able to persuade the client (or his wife) would you prefer to have them out of the way? Good luck. I want the family to live in the room and not have me be a "neddy no mates" sitting on a solitary chair with nothing obscuring the room. I took a challenged space and made it work. 2
Keith_W Posted January 19 Posted January 19 Thank you. Would you be able to show the RT60 and waterfall of those curves? For the waterfall, please extend the time window to 1000ms and the SPL range from 30dB to 100dB. 1
playdough Posted January 19 Posted January 19 (edited) Fantastic work @BugPowderDust and @CORSINI Acoustic Solutions. I'm with @Keith_W I'm interested to see waterfall plots, before and after all the work. Show the noise floor, pls 10Hz to 20Khz, SPL plots show speaker response ,,,,waterfall plot shows reverberation, I've attached a poor sample of a bass/sub combination, in room,,, Regards playdough. Edited January 19 by playdough
CORSINI Acoustic Solutions Posted January 20 Author Posted January 20 On 18/01/2025 at 8:42 PM, Keith_W said: Hello @CORSINI Acoustic Solutions this is a very impressive project. I am particularly impressed by the amount of detail you put into your acoustic modelling, down to a realistic drawing of the speakers and the furniture. How did you do that? Amazing! I hope you don't mind, but I have some questions. 1. Do you have before and after measurements of the RT60, waterfall, and spectrogram? 2. Also, the AVAA C214 is an active bass trap. Why does the picture above show it working up to 2kHz? The red line (with no AVAA) does not seem to show much of a problem. Is the AVAA even needed? 3. I get that the client's domestic needs are important, but what would you say about placing sofas in front of speakers and having that coffee table in the middle of the room? If you were able to persuade the client (or his wife) would you prefer to have them out of the way? Hi Keith, Thank you for your questions. I'm happy to address each of your points individually. 1. Before and After Measurements The before and after measurements for RT60, waterfall, and spectrogram are attached for your review. Although different tests were conducted with the AVAA units placed in multiple positions, including the left corner and behind the speakers. Each position yielded slightly different results, demonstrating the flexibility of the AVAA in adapting to room-specific challenges. 2. AVAA C214 Performance You are correct that the AVAA is an active bass trap primarily targeting low frequencies 15-160Hz, yet in this setup, we observed benefits extending beyond the expected range. When placed between the speakers, the AVAA appeared to function as an "unmasking" tool, reducing low-frequency pressure and improving clarity in the midrange. This effect would be particularly noticeable in vocal performances and speech for example, where the articulation becomes significantly clearer. While the red line on the graph may not indicate a significant problem above the intended operating range of the AVAA, the subjective listening experience suggests that its presence contributes positively to overall fidelity. Ultimately, the decision to include such devices rests with the client, depending on their goals for the room’s acoustics. 3. Placement of Sofas and Coffee Table In this project, the sofas and coffee table are integral parts of the living room, as this is a multi-purpose space and not a dedicated home cinema or HiFi room. That said, you’re absolutely right that the coffee table could contribute to some comb filtering, and removing it during critical listening sessions could enhance the sound. Similarly, while the couch positioning could be adjusted to further optimize the listening experience, the client’s domestic needs and room functionality take precedence. Where feasible, I work with clients to strike a balance between optimal acoustics and practical living arrangements, ensuring they can enjoy the best sound possible without disrupting their everyday environment. Kind regards 3 1
Keith_W Posted January 20 Posted January 20 Thank you. @BugPowderDust did send me a PM with some REW curves and I saw that the RT60 seemed a little high. Since the RT60 target varies depending on room volume, I hunted for the room dimensions and saw "13.38 x 5.5 x 3m" in one of your images. Wow, huge room!! So I plugged it into my RT60 calculator with the DIN 18041 target. I used MS Paint to draw the target over the RT60 you supplied: From his .MDAT I also looked at the Energy-Time Curve. I drew in the -15dB target. This was a combined L+R rather than one speaker alone, which probably explains why there are two initial peaks (1, 2). I am guessing that the peaks I marked 3, 4 are L and R speakers bouncing off the coffee table. It looks great to me otherwise. Anyway it was a pleasure to see a professional at work. (BTW don't worry, I am not going to go into competition with you. I am only an interested hobbyist!). 2
STROP Posted January 20 Posted January 20 Tom Cruise in Maverick flying a jet ...where is the centre speaker?
BugPowderDust Posted January 20 Posted January 20 13 hours ago, STROP said: Tom Cruise in Maverick flying a jet ...where is the centre speaker? It's not in the renders, but there's a Paradigm Signature C5 centre channel in the cabinet.
STROP Posted January 21 Posted January 21 2 hours ago, BugPowderDust said: It's not in the renders, but there's a Paradigm Signature C5 centre channel in the cabinet. "Roger that...message received"
CORSINI Acoustic Solutions Posted January 22 Author Posted January 22 On 20/01/2025 at 2:36 PM, Keith_W said: Thank you. @BugPowderDust did send me a PM with some REW curves and I saw that the RT60 seemed a little high. Since the RT60 target varies depending on room volume, I hunted for the room dimensions and saw "13.38 x 5.5 x 3m" in one of your images. Wow, huge room!! So I plugged it into my RT60 calculator with the DIN 18041 target. I used MS Paint to draw the target over the RT60 you supplied: From his .MDAT I also looked at the Energy-Time Curve. I drew in the -15dB target. This was a combined L+R rather than one speaker alone, which probably explains why there are two initial peaks (1, 2). I am guessing that the peaks I marked 3, 4 are L and R speakers bouncing off the coffee table. It looks great to me otherwise. Anyway it was a pleasure to see a professional at work. (BTW don't worry, I am not going to go into competition with you. I am only an interested hobbyist!). Thank you for your kind words and detailed observations regarding the RT60 and energy-time curve for our project. I truly appreciate your interest in acoustics and the effort you put into analyzing the data. Regarding the slight variations in RT60, your observation is accurate—DSP processing can indeed influence RT60 measurements, particularly in terms of frequency-dependent decay times (our RT60 graph is attached). Additionally, the room’s asymmetrical and open layout, coupled with untreated areas and reflective surfaces like windows and corridors, plays a significant role in the RT60 readings. Given these complexities, achieving a balanced RT60 across all frequency bands is challenging, but I’m confident we achieved excellent results within the constraints provided. The DIN 18041 target is an important guideline for designing spaces where speech intelligibility or musical clarity is paramount. However, its direct applicability depends on the intended use of the room. For a large asymmetrical space with multiple adjacent rooms, like this one, DIN 18041 serves as a useful reference but is not always the definitive benchmark, especially when the client’s goals involve balancing aesthetic considerations with acoustic performance. In this case, with a room volume of approximately 150 cubic meters and only 15% treated surface area, our results align well with realistic expectations for the space. While more treatment could further lower the RT60, the current configuration already demonstrates a substantial improvement, particularly in the low and low-mid frequencies, as indicated by the attached data. The bass ratio is especially noteworthy, as it reflects well-controlled low-frequency decay, which is often the most challenging aspect of room treatment. Your analysis of the energy-time curve (ETC) is insightful. The dual peaks you observed are indeed consistent with reflections from adjacent surfaces, possibly the coffee table, as you noted. The subsequent decay is smooth and indicates excellent control of early reflections and late reverberation, aligning with the goals of maintaining clarity while preserving natural room dynamics. In summary, while DIN 18041 can serve as a helpful guideline, the unique characteristics and constraints of this project required a tailored approach. We’re proud of the balance achieved between functionality and aesthetics, particularly given the open-plan layout and limited treatment areas. Should additional treatment be implemented in the future, we’re confident the RT60 would fall even closer to ideal targets. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts—it’s always a pleasure to connect with individuals who are passionate about acoustics! 3
sthpaul Posted January 22 Posted January 22 Thanks for sharing Christian and bugpowderdust, great result. The treatment certainly blends well into the room. Out of interest do you also use C50 and C80 clarity data to 1. Set benchmarks and 2. To analyse the quality of the outcome?
Hydrology Posted January 22 Posted January 22 On 18/01/2025 at 5:42 PM, Keith_W said: I am particularly impressed by the amount of detail you put into your acoustic modelling, down to a realistic drawing of the speakers and the furniture. How did you do that? Amazing! This high resolution 3D modelling as featured in this thread is usually done and supplied by artnovion in collaboration with the acoustician or company undertaking the work. It is very very good and the client gets this brief to give them, not just a good understanding of how the finished product will look, but the improvements in sound. It's usually about 10+ pages or so. 1
Keith_W Posted January 22 Posted January 22 6 hours ago, CORSINI Acoustic Solutions said: I truly appreciate your interest in acoustics and the effort you put into analyzing the data. I keep saying to anybody who will listen that Rooms > Speakers > DSP > Everything else ... in that order. Unfortunately, the cost of manipulating each variable is also in the same order. Given the importance of acoustics in our hobby, I think that EVERYBODY should be reading about it. 3
CORSINI Acoustic Solutions Posted February 12 Author Posted February 12 On 22/01/2025 at 9:06 PM, sthpaul said: Thanks for sharing Christian and bugpowderdust, great result. The treatment certainly blends well into the room. Out of interest do you also use C50 and C80 clarity data to 1. Set benchmarks and 2. To analyse the quality of the outcome? Hi sthpaul, Apologies for the late reply I only now saw this post... Regarding C50 and C80 clarity metrics: Setting Benchmarks – While C50 and C80 are valuable for assessing clarity in mid and high frequencies, they are less relevant for low-frequency acoustic treatment, especially when dealing with room modes and bass management. For benchmarking, I prioritize RT60 decay times, waterfall plots, and time-domain impulse responses, which better capture the impact of bass traps and active solutions like the AVAA C214. Analyzing the Outcome – The improvements in low-frequency clarity are more accurately reflected in spectrograms and modal decay reductions rather than C50/C80, which are more effective for mid/high-frequency reflections. That said, if the room is intended for critical listening or mixing, I do evaluate C50/C80 in the speech and music-relevant bands to ensure a well-balanced response. In this case, the primary goal was to improve low-frequency uniformity and decay, which can be seen in the before/after measurements. The AVAA units, in particular, made a significant difference in controlling modal energy while keeping the room’s aesthetic intact.
sthpaul Posted February 15 Posted February 15 Thanks Christian, this makes sense, even though I do look and spectrograms and waterfalls more so than frequency plots for lower bass quality I do find that C50 does, to my ears correlate fairly well with quality improvements.
Satanica Posted February 16 Posted February 16 50Hz ground loop with No AVAA C214? It doesn't seem to appear With AVAA C214. Perhaps some components were move around on power outlets comparing before and after. 1
BugPowderDust Posted February 17 Posted February 17 On 16/2/2025 at 12:32 PM, Satanica said: 50Hz ground loop with No AVAA C214? It doesn't seem to appear With AVAA C214. Perhaps some components were move around on power outlets comparing before and after. Probably. I can't see it on any other spectrogram taken once the system was fully operational again.
Satanica Posted February 17 Posted February 17 4 minutes ago, BugPowderDust said: Probably. I can't see it on any other spectrogram taken once the system was fully operational again. I've had the same thing but even worse. It made my bass sound really bad, presumably because it was adding to the signal. Part of any improvement to your bass could be attributed to just getting rid of it. All is well that ends well. 1
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