Stillpoints Aperture Panels

[kcin]

I'm looking at these panels as an adjunct to what I have now. My manufactured panels that I currently use were built locally by a company that does theaters and professional spaces etc.

I am looking to try the Stillpoints Apertures. Comments seem favourable. Any real world users here with their experiences?

Thanks.

[Guest]

I use the Stillpoints Apertures. They are well made, work great and are easy to install. They are not bass traps. Designed by a professional acoustician.
The picture is a bit old, but representative. Six behind the speakers, Two on side walls at reflection points. Three on the wall behind my listening chair.



What would you like to know about them?

[MylesBAstor]

Designed by the man who designed the old Sonex panels.

[BadBob]

I like your audio cat. White gloves built in! Doesn't look like he misses any meals, but then nothing wrong with being a fat cat :-)

[kcin]

Very Nice room!

Do they really perform diffusion , absorption and resonate as claimed? I am looking to start with 4 panels .. feel the effects and perhaps add more. Where is the most effective place to begin? What was your experience with placement and result? My room below.

Thanks.

[Guest]

Very Nice room!

Do they really perform diffusion , absorption and resonate as claimed? I am looking to start with 4 panels .. feel the effects and perhaps add more. Where is the most effective place to begin? What was your experience with placement and result? My room below.

Thanks. ...

Thanks!

Not being an acoustician nor having measurement tools nor taking them apart, I can't say if they do everything their literature claims. But I know Paul Wakeen (Stillpoints) pretty well; he had the Apertures custom designed and has them made for his company (he does not cut corners on quality) And I've had the designer in my room to listen. So lacking info to the contrary I believe what is said about them. Whatever they do, they had an order of magnitude positive influence on the sonics in my basement audio room, which is roughly 17x22x8. For now I have no interest in swapping them out for something else. To top off all that, they are the best looking acoustic panel I've seen. You can have stock or custom pictures/artwork printed on their covers, along with a choice of wood for the box frame. Mine are oak.

Four would be a good number to start, the same number I started with. As to placement suggestions there are a variety of options depending on the nature of your room:

I can't tell from your picture where are your speakers. The rack is on the side wall I'm guessing.

Here's a few ideas, but first a note: each Aperture comes with 3M Command strips you can use for temporary mounting and experimentation of positioning. If you run out, they're cheap to buy more. You can just sit them on the floor for an initial impression.

1. Stack two vertically mid-point between your speakers. Put one behind each speaker - the position here varies with speakers and room. Try behind the inside corner of each speaker.

2. Stack two vertically mid-point between your speakers. Put one at the first reflection point on each side wall. Lots of tips on the Web to find the reflection points. I used a mirror and a laser pointer.

3. Variations of 1. Instead of two in middle, use just one. Put the remaining on the back wall behind your chair. Rear Apertures will pull the soundstage a bit further into the room. You could also try moving some of those diffuser blocks to the rear wall to see what that does.

I played around with the Apertures and my experience with them is strictly based on that. They will not work on the ceiling.

[kcin]

Thanks!

Not being an acoustician nor having measurement tools nor taking them apart, I can't say if they do everything their literature claims. But I know Paul Wakeen (Stillpoints) pretty well; he had the Apertures custom designed and has them made for his company (he does not cut corners on quality) And I've had the designer in my room to listen. So lacking info to the contrary I believe what is said about them. Whatever they do, they had an order of magnitude positive influence on the sonics in my basement audio room, which is roughly 17x22x8. For now I have no interest in swapping them out for something else. To top off all that, they are the best looking acoustic panel I've seen. You can have stock or custom pictures/artwork printed on their covers, along with a choice of wood for the box frame. Mine are oak.

Four would be a good number to start, the same number I started with. As to placement suggestions there are a variety of options depending on the nature of your room:

I can't tell from your picture where are your speakers. The rack is on the side wall I'm guessing.

Here's a few ideas, but first a note: each Aperture comes with 3M Command strips you can use for temporary mounting and experimentation of positioning. If you run out, they're cheap to buy more. You can just sit them on the floor for an initial impression.

1. Stack two vertically mid-point between your speakers. Put one behind each speaker - the position here varies with speakers and room. Try behind the inside corner of each speaker.

2. Stack two vertically mid-point between your speakers. Put one at the first reflection point on each side wall. Lots of tips on the Web to find the reflection points. I used a mirror and a laser pointer.

3. Variations of 1. Instead of two in middle, use just one. Put the remaining on the back wall behind your chair. Rear Apertures will pull the soundstage a bit further into the room. You could also try moving some of those diffuser blocks to the rear wall to see what that does.

I played around with the Apertures and my experience with them is strictly based on that. They will not work on the ceiling.

Thank you, this was the kind of first hand advice I was looking for.

[MylesBAstor]

I've worked with the Aperture panels too. Have to write them up one of these days. My approach was a little different. How much of an improvement could you get with a minimum of panels? In this case three. And they worked but like all of these panels, inches can make big differences. And every room is different. Putting the panels behind my speakers kind of killed the dynamics in MY room (a spot that always seems to be bugaboo with these acoustical panels). I ended up with using two at the first reflection points in my room. There among other things, the panels attacked a busyness in the stage that wasn't aware of before. Like a clutter for lack of a better word. Also added to the system's transparency.

[kcin]

I've worked with the Aperture panels too. Have to write them up one of these days. My approach was a little different. How much of an improvement could you get with a minimum of panels? In this case three. And they worked but like all of these panels, inches can make big differences. And every room is different. Putting the panels behind my speakers kind of killed the dynamics in MY room (a spot that always seems to be bugaboo with these acoustical panels). I ended up with using two at the first reflection points in my room. There among other things, the panels attacked a busyness in the stage that wasn't aware of before. Like a clutter for lack of a better word. Also added to the system's transparency.

Thank you. I love this hobby as I get little older I don't obsess as much as I used to. Looks like I've got some experimenting to do as I have ordered 4pcs
to start. They will be here next week.

[Hawk]

Tima's response is very good & complete. His system is much more impressive then mine. I have a total of 7 Aperture panels. 4 behind the speakers, 2 for side wall reflections and I have a stand to place one in back-center between my speakers. Hales and Muse Sub are part of my A/V system. Room tunes in corners & above plasma TV to help with slap echo in upper corners. Even though I took some care constructing the room, I had some issues with standing waves, reflections and slap echo. My room was very live.
Aperture panels really helped to resolve my room issues. Sound-stage quality and depth were greatly improved. Unlike some other room treatments, the Aperture panels maintained good dynamics. i started with 4 and moved them around and made decisions from there

[Hawk]

Pictures in earlier post are a little older. System now looks a little cleaner and organized. Below is Aperture panel for side reflections.

[kcin]

I have been experimenting with my panels for last couple of weeks. 2 dead centre over each other on the front wall in line with my listening position & 2 in the corners by my subs.

I also tried first reflection points and that was very effective as well- I will have to order another 2.

Easiest way to describe the effect: more focused with greater ambiance and less bloom to the bass making it more realistic and tight. Really a worthwhile transformation. Cheap or relatively expensive depending on your perspective. They definitely do have an impact for me in a positive way. A very effective product that is easy to deduce in your system.

When the distributor puts in his order again next month I am going to order another two. This is going just the way I figured it would!

[jonathanhorwich]

In my studio I use giant oak triangles made by Mapleshade which disperse the sound haphazardly and musically. Because most acoustic treatment dampens the sound as Myles mentioned I don't use it. Heck I've got a thin rug in the studio and some art on the wall both of which kill reflections but not too much as they are thin material. Ideal for me is not to have the sound dampened but instead randomly dispersed and musically which thick oak seems to do. This would include having the pictured acoustic treatment Kcin shows behind his system made out of oak which would disperse the sound randomly yet musically. I have never found dampening to be musical in any studio in some 50 years. Yet this is much of what acousticians do. This is just my view and taste in sound.

[Joe Pittman]

I agree Jonathan! I don't like damping music I paid a lot of money to make in the first place.

[kcin]

In my studio I use giant oak triangles made by Mapleshade which disperse the sound haphazardly and musically. Because most acoustic treatment dampens the sound as Myles mentioned I don't use it. Heck I've got a thin rug in the studio and some art on the wall both of which kill reflections but not too much as they are thin material. Ideal for me is not to have the sound dampened but instead randomly dispersed and musically which thick oak seems to do. This would include having the pictured acoustic treatment Kcin shows behind his system made out of oak which would disperse the sound randomly yet musically. I have never found dampening to be musical in any studio in some 50 years. Yet this is much of what acousticians do. This is just my view and taste in sound.

Hi,I have a very specific goal with my treatment. My Beveridge line source electrostatics point directly at each other -with 180deg of dispersion- not at the listener. As recommended in the factory instructions by the original designer and my countless experiments a dead front wall is required. You might notice acoustic absorption panels on either side of the mid section on my front wall as well. The Beveridge's are a unique design where this strategy won't necessarily work with most conventional speakers.

Thanks.

[Hawk]

If you get a chance, post a picture. Sounds like an interesting set-up.

[Hawk]

Updated photo of Aperture Panels on front wall behind speakers. Lamm amp keeping the place cozy.

[kcin]

I've just ordered 2 more to further experiment with.

[Hawk]

Nice! Aperture Panels look good & work even better. I am sure your electrostatics poise some interesting room interface challenges. Since my listening room is very live & I have a rear firing ribbon tweeter, the Aperture's do a great job of maintaining dynamics & taming the challenges of my room I heard from a good source that Stillpoints may be coming out with a smaller product to tame slap echo and other issues in the upper portion of room interface. I currently have Roomtunes in these spots. Roomtunes work pretty well & are rather inexpensive; however, they are not the best looking. I put full Aperture's in the upper corners & my wife vetoed it from an aesthetic standpoint(All black & she thought they looked too blocky) I truly think that she found out what I paid for them. Ha-Ha. Sometimes full disclosure is harmful to wedded bliss.

[Kingrex]

Just something to think about. As you pull an acoustic panel further from the wall, you impact the bass response at a lower frequency level. Having them 2 feet off the wall will give a different tonal character than mounted on the wall.

Throwing them on the floor in front of your speakers for first reflections will also have an affect.

You can experiment by first purchasing a bundle of Owens Corning Rigid Fiberglass. $78 will get you enough to make (4) 2'x4'x4" thick panels. Wrap a little breathable fabric such as thin flannel around them and move them around your room. May times the back of your room is a big offender. Clap your hands at the listening chair and listen for the reflections. I bet you will hear them behind you. Try to locate the point and put a panel there. They are usually in the top or bottom corners.

The panels in the photo are 30" x 48" x 4". They worked wonders. I also have a 24" x 84" x 2" sheet in the back of my room to get rid of that rear reflected slap I was talking about. Recently I removed the large panels behind my speakers and have 24" x 24" x 4" there.

Per Joe, it is easy to overdamp. I bought 3 bundles and put them all over to see the affect. Some in the open, others on the walls. I actually smoothed out all the bass humbs and dips, yet the room got extremely flat and lifeless. It actually almost hurt my ears. The lack of any life is very unnerving.

I know this is kind of redneck, but it is a cheap way to see what sort of results you will get.

[Hawk]

You definitely have a higher skill-set for building then I do. Your panels look good. Nice practical advice! I constructed some dampeners with 2x6's & stapled some blue jean insulation that a friend recommended to them. I put them in the corners of front wall & put pillows to fill in the air space behind them. Of course this looked horrible. I bought some pretty good looking black blankets from Overstock.com. With the blankets covering my dampeners, they actually worked pretty good. Damped the room more then I would have expected. Did not do much for slap echo. From a looks perspective, they did not look half as good as yours. My finished product looked like Darth Vader had 2 illegitimate kids standing in each corner(minus the helmet) They looked so hokey that my wife initially had no issue with the cost of the Aperture panels. As I accumulated a few more, her cost viewpoint changed. Should never have let her see the Visa bill.