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  • What is a sonic distributor?
    A Sonic Distributor is a device that redirects, scatters and disperses sound waves ofall frequencies around a room thereby eliminating the possibility of standing waves or uneven sound throughout the room.
  • How do these Sonic Distributors work?
    The unique geometric shape, called a "TRICON", gently and smoothly rolls soundwaves into new directions as the waves run into the shapes. The shapes are different sizes to affect different frequencies (or wavelengths). As the lower frequency wavelengths exceed the height and length of the Sonic Distributor Panels you simply add more panels. They are mathematically configured to "communicate" with each other as a "system" or "array", so when they are ganged together they are able to manage very large wavelengths. This "systemic integration" between the room's boundaries and the Sonic Distributors is how you achieve a sonicthroughout the room and over the full bandwidth of the audio frequencies.
  • What is the difference between a Sonic Distributor and a diffuser?
    A Sonic Distributor is an advanced sound management technology. Because of their design and composition they are capable of affecting the entire audio frequency range from 20hz to 20khz. Diffusers are proximity-effect devices with very little capability of affecting frequencies below about 1khz. Sonic Distributors work systemically with the entire room to distribute and scatter the sonic energy throughout the room. Their design is scientifically derived so as to allow them to communicate with each other to manage large wavelengths. Diffusers do not and cannot affect an entire space by the very nature of their design. Most diffusers are designed following a diffraction phase grating principle, which means they are cavity, or well-based approaches to try and diffuse sound. This method is inherently problematic and creates lobing and proximity effects. Many attempts have been made trying to use number theory and quadratic residue sequences to solve these problems - mainly to no avail. This is why, in more recent times, companies who used to sell these types of diffusers have started selling a device they call a skyline diffuser which is relief based, not cavity based. It is still very limited in its capability and they are still trying to use number theory and quadratic residue sequences to build these devices, which is not a very sound approach.
  • I'm new to this, why are good acoustics important?
    Regardless of your knowledge in acoustics or your type of application, clean, clear sound provides an enriched experience. As electronics keep improving and the demand for more realism in movie watching increases, good acoustics will continue to play a bigger and more important role in our lives. Technologies on sonic management and a better understanding of the science involved are making huge advances. This is making the task of achieving good acoustics much easier to accomplish and much easier to understand.
  • Why can't I fix my room by just adding absorption?
    Most sound problems are more complex than simply too much energy in the room. If that's all there was to it absorption would fix it. Absorption takes away sound or energy but does not correct or fix problems. Proper management of the sonic energy is how you achieve a good sounding room. Since most people do not understand how to manage sound they over absorb their room to try and eliminate the problems. This deadening causes a muffled, muted sonic response in the room. Over absorbed rooms are hard to hear in and don't typically feel very comfortable to be in.
  • Should I start to fix the acoustics of my room by putting in bass traps first?
    It is true most small and medium sized rooms typically have bass buildup. This is an inherent characteristic of these sized rooms because of the relationship of lower frequency wavelengths to the dimensions of the room. With the products that have historically been available, starting with bass traps was a reasonable strategy. However, bass trapping is removal of those frequencies (or energy) from the room and generally causes an imbalance or lacking of richness of the sound quality. Golden Acoustics provides a new technology and strategy for managing low, medium and high frequencies.
  • Why does my room sound different in different positions in the room?
    All rooms have sound reflections off their walls, floor and ceiling. These reflections interact with one another causing increases and decreases in amplitude (or loudness) of these particular frequencies. It is these interactions, called constructive and destructive interferences which cause a room to have different qualities of sound in different areas of the room.
  • What causes a room to sound bad?
    If we assume a room is built with good construction methods and it is not next to noisy sources like airports or expressways there are very specific reasons that cause a room to have poor sound quality. For example the room's geometry or the materials it's made out of will contribute to poor sound. If a room is a cubic shape (equal dimensions in each direction) it will have poor sound quality. If a room has mostly hard surfaces it will typically have poor sound quality. The manner in which the sonic energy bounces around the room, combined with the dominant resonant frequencies, determines the basic "sonic signature" of the room. These resonant frequencies, also called standing waves or Eigen tones determines the "color" of a room. When these standing waves are not managed properly the room will sound bad.
  • When should I use diffusers in my room?
    If you have a 'hot spot' on a wall caused by higher frequencies a diffuser might help. But since most diffusers are based on a phase grating you'll probably introduce as many problems as you've tried to solve. However, you can solve a "hot spot" problem far more effectively by utilizing good quality absorption (like Owens Corning 705 0r 707 fiberglass) in small pieces (like 6" x 8" x 4"thick) and placing a spread-out array of these pieces over the area causing the problem.
  • When I'm trying to get the best sound in my room do I need to be concerned about more than the direct signal path from my speakers and the first reflection to the listening position?
    If you are really trying to get great sound, and you would like it to be heard in more than just a "sweet spot" you have to look at the room-loudspeaker interaction as a system. (Keep in mind that in the typical sized living-room, sound ricochets off of every square inch of surface 70 times a second). It is true that to get great imaging from your loudspeakers the direct signal path must arrive first to the listener, the rest of the sound reflections should support the original signal and not interfere with it. To accomplish this you need to eliminate the harsh specular (I=R, Incident wave equals Reflected wave direction) reflections as well as the standing waves that exist in all rooms. These interfering reflections can be corrected by redirecting them with Sonic Distributors.
  • I have a Home Theater with surround sound and my system will get loud, but it just doesn't have that "big theater" excitement I was hoping for, is my room just too small?
    No, even small rooms can have a large sonic signature if they are set up properly. The reason many Home Theaters don't have an exciting, big feel is that most designers use an excessive amount of absorption to "kill off" the room so that their loudspeakers deliver the experience. There are several problems with this method but one of the main problem's is that a deadened room requires the volume to be turned up excessively to replace the missing reflected energy that should be coming off the walls but was absorbed away. Loud is loud, not big or enjoyable. If Sonic Distributors are utilized properly, the room boundaries (the walls, ceiling and floor) appear to be much further away because the sound waves are spreading out before coming back to the listener. The brain interprets this as coming from a farther distance, giving the room a "big feel".
  • My Recording Studio is nice but it just doesn't give me the "magic" I'm looking for from my musicians when I record them, how can I get there?
    Musician's love the "feeling" they get when they perform. In live performance's musicians derive energy from the audience or other musicians, but in most studios they don't get that energy. The current trend in recording studios is to separate or "iso" musicians. Since this is the way recordings are typically done, it is extremely important that the recording environment is capable of "supplying" the energy the musician needs to deliver a good performance. However, as we all know, if a recording room is too live it makes it hard to mic properly, so most studios use a lot of absorption and bass traps to deaden the room. This allows the engineer to capture the sound well but the musician isn't happy. The answer is to evenly distribute the energy around the room with Sonic Distributors and only use enough absorption to "tame" the excessive energy. This gives the musician what he needs, energy, and the engineer what he needs, a clean signal path to his mic. Now you can capture the "magic".
  • I own a Mixing and Mastering facility can your product help in a professional environment?
    Although our products have been installed in virtually every type of room there is, we have been installed in more Mixing and Mastering rooms than any other type of room. There is no more demanding an environment than these types of rooms. The quality of your mixes, the speed in which you can complete the project and the transferability of your mix all affect your bottom line. Our Sonic Distributors create a "Sweet Area" as opposed to a Sweet Spot", so your clients and producers can hear what you hear, without having to sit in your seat. A properly distributed sound field allows you perform your mixes at a lower volume reducing ear fatigue while maintaining a proper relationship between all the frequencies you are dealing with. This also allows for an accurate sound stage so it becomes easy to position all the elements in the mix. When you mix in a Golden Acoustics treated room you can trust the room, so what you're hearing is what you get, your mixes will transfer perfectly to any environment.
  • I love listening to music and have a dedicated HI-FI listening room with very nice equipment, it sounds nice but I want great sound. Can adding your acoustic treatment panels really make a difference?
    People spend large sums of money on loudspeakers, amplifiers, turntables and cables to try and get great sound reproduction in their homes. They pour over technical data about a fraction of a percent distortion and the latest composite material for fabrication and then put the equipment in an ordinary room and expect it to perform flawlessly. It won't happen. The room you place this high end equipment in is more critical than any other single aspect of obtaining great sound.
    Loudspeaker specifications are determined in anechoic chambers, but you use them in live rooms, the two environments do not behave the same. The impedance of a loudspeaker can change depending on how much resistance the driver is seeing from modal pressures in the room which will affect the quality of sound. The reasons for 'less than spectacular' sound in your home go on and on. If you want great sound, if you want to do justice to the fine equipment you own, you need to create a room that is equal to the equipment. You need a room that gives you a great "acoustic signature" that means a room that is neutral, it adds no coloration to the sounds being produced in the room, so you get to hear what was created in the first place - unaltered or influenced by your room. That's how you get great sound. Golden Acoustics can design a complete acoustic solution for your room, and you'll love the results.
  • How does your technology help classrooms?
    Being able to hear in classrooms is critical to effective learning. Students need to hear the teacher, and each other. Acoustically the same problems that exist in all small and medium sized rooms are present in classrooms. They typically have windows, hard floors and walls. This makes the rooms very blurry sounding and hard to hear in. Our Sonic Distributors balance the energy throughout the room making it easier to hear everywhere in the room (sometimes blended with absorption). So, when students speak everyone can hear them. This can eliminate the need for electronic sound reinforcement systems.
  • Why doesn't my room sound clear?
    It probably falls into one of two categories; either it's constructed mostly out of hard surfaces so it is too loud and has excessive reflections, making everything very blurry and non-distinct or, the room is so "dry" it feels like everything that is been said sounds like a murmur, or muffled like talking into a pillow. The first situation has too much sonic energy in it, the second, not enough. Clear sounding rooms have the correct balance of the right amount of sonic energy.
  • Do I need an acoustic consultant to fix my room or can I fix it myself?
    This typically depends on the type of problem you're having. If it's a sound transmission issue from one part of a building to another (walls, floors) or something that is coming from machinery, you probably need a consultant. If your room is well built and you're trying to obtain good acoustics you can fix it yourself. With the information on this web site, perhaps a little phone assistance and our new Sonic Distributor Panel technology, you can do-it-yourself!
  • I have Styrene diffusers, why are your parts so heavy?
    A diffuser or a distributor is designed to scatter or redirect sound waves. In order for it to perform its design function it must reflect most of the sonic energy that hits it. All materials are classified with a sound transmission coefficient, the more they allow sound to transmit through them the poorer they are at bouncing away sound. Heavy solid materials like concrete and plaster are the best at bouncing sound. Soft lightweight materials are the worst. Any company serious about the performance of their products would never build a diffuser out of Styrene or polyester. Golden Acoustic Sonic Distributors are manufactured out of a custom plaster material called a polymerized gypsum. They weigh about 4-5 pounds per square foot.
  • Are there differences in absorption and how much do I use?
    There are slight differences in the characteristics of different absorptions, but the biggest difference is in the ability to properly apply absorption to your needs. Setting aside a special class of absorber called a Hemholtz trap or membrane absorbers (more on this elsewhere on the site) using the right type of absorption for the job is important. Three pound per cubic foot and heavier Fiberglass, mineralwool, cellulose and recycled cotton absorption all work very well. However, it is extremely important to use an absorber that is equal in its ability to absorb at all frequencies evenly. With all of these materials it takes at least 4 feet of thickness to have an even absorption throughout the full audio spectrum of 20hz to 20khz. If you use 1 inch or 2 inch thick fiberglass absorption you are simply removing mid and high frequency sound, which leaves an overabundance of lower frequencies, causing a muddy, dull sound. A good rule of thumb is 'thicker is better'. That is not to say more is better. You should only use as much absorption as you need to "tame" the room down, not deaden it.
  • I'm new to this, what noticeable changes can I expect when I install your product?
    A cleaner, clearer sound. Also rooms treated with our technology have a very comfortable "feel" to them. People just like hanging around in a Golden Acoustics room. When you have a clearer sound you will find you can listen to you material (or watch a movie) at a lower volume yet hear more. This reduces ear fatigue and makes the experience more enjoyable.
  • How do I know your products are going to fix my room?
    The product line went through six years of development before it was introduced to the market in the fall of 2004. It has been applied and researched at 4 different universities and research facilities, (including Riverbank Laboratories), installed in almost 100 rooms and has a 99.9% satisfied customer results (you can't please everyone). Our technology simply works, try it, you'll love it. Visit a Golden room in your area, or speak to a proud Golden Acoustics room owner.