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R13?? [message #50799] Sun, 11 March 2007 13:34 Go to next message
Mark Andrews is currently offline  Mark Andrews
Messages: 21
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
Guys can someone tell me what R13 is?

I can get:
1) Poly fill
2) Fibre Glass
3) Compressed fibre glass (high density almost like sheets)

Ta

Mark

Sound absorbtion [message #50803 is a reply to message #50799] Sun, 11 March 2007 14:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18756
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

R13 is simply fiberglass insulation that's 3.5" thick, uncompressed. It's used to absorb unwanted midrange frequencies inside the cabinet. Bass passes right through it because it isn't thick enough to absorb bass energy, and that's exactly what we want. We want the bass to react with the Helmholtz resonator formed by the bass-reflex cabinet. But midrange and higher frequencies would develop stading waves inside the cabinet, and we don't want that reflected back to the cone. So by using fiberous material inside, we absorb midrange and reduce standing waves.

The same thing happens in rooms, but it happens at lower frequencies because of the size of the room. Standing waves setup inside rooms and cause peaks and dips at bass frequencies. So the best rooms are those that provide some damping. In North America, many homes are made using a framed drywall construction. This uses drywall panels mounted on studs with insulation in between. The panels flex fairly easily, and this allows some damping which actually does a lot towards reducing the strength of room modes.




Re: R13?? [message #50807 is a reply to message #50799] Sun, 11 March 2007 19:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dB is currently offline  dB
Messages: 234
Registered: May 2009
Master
I would not use fiber glass (sorry Wayne) because it does not last. And is not healthy.
I would look under the names of "SoundProofing and Acoustic Materials" and other industrial type materials for construction, etc. with the same properties (is only my opinion). I like to open a speaker after 20 years and find the material intact, not like dust in the bottom. A good material similar in texture to figer glass is the white snow that goes in the upholstery of sofas (and pillows - home use) and you can find it in any supermaket or similar department store.

Re: R13?? [message #50810 is a reply to message #50807] Sun, 11 March 2007 20:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18756
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I would agree that fiberglass in the lung is not a good thing, but I don't think good quality R13 used in loudspeakers disintegrates to become airborne in enough quantity to hurt anyone. I have confidence in the ability of R13 to absorb sound and in its durability. I've never run into trouble with it disintegrating, even in adverse conditions like humid and dirty environments. Other products are fine too, so it's not a problem to substitute it with another similar fiberous material. But I think R13 works good, and I don't find it troublesome with respect to disintegration.


Re: R13?? [message #50812 is a reply to message #50810] Mon, 12 March 2007 00:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mark Andrews is currently offline  Mark Andrews
Messages: 21
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
Thanks Wayne - but what is R13?

Ta

Mark

Re: Sound absorbtion [message #50813 is a reply to message #50803] Mon, 12 March 2007 00:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mark Andrews is currently offline  Mark Andrews
Messages: 21
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
Thanks Wayne

I missed this bit doh

Ta

Mark

Re: R13?? [message #50815 is a reply to message #50812] Mon, 12 March 2007 06:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dB is currently offline  dB
Messages: 234
Registered: May 2009
Master

Is insulation fiber glass.

Re: Sound absorbtion [message #50816 is a reply to message #50803] Mon, 12 March 2007 06:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dB is currently offline  dB
Messages: 234
Registered: May 2009
Master
Very nice info Wayne. 5 Stars.
(Wayne, for the first time I'm going to use a 3/4" Layer of Polyurethene Foam available from Spain i.e. COPOPREN by Recticel) There are a lot of technologicaly developed new materials (sound absorbing) available.

" A promising sort of material would be one that absorbed sound (rather than re-directing the air flow as leather does). Traditional sound absorbers are fabrics, such as batting, or knotted carpets. More recently, a number of high-tech sound absorbing fabrics have been devised which may work somewhat better, and are quite a lot thinner--very important in the restricted space of a concertina end.


Sound-absorbing acoustic fabric
produces a different sound quality The material I tried is a rough ribbed polyester fabric made by JM Lynne Co. and sold on the net by Netwell Noise Control under the name "silence wallcovering" for application to the walls of rooms; it is said to be "designed for light sound absorption where the human voice and other mid range sound sources are a culprit". It is thin: 0.175" (about 4.4mm). The mill width is 54 inches, so a single linear yard at that width will cut out into a dozen or more pairs of baffles, even large ones; it is light in weight, with a linear yard (54" wide x 36") weighing 24 ounces. The fabric is available in 24 colors ( I have used black and ivory.) A yard costs USD 22.50 (GBP 15.85, EUR 25.60). See below under Suppliers.

This particular acoustical fabric is not at all air-tight--if you hold it to your lips you can blow through it just about as easily as through a single layer of ordinary t-shirt fabric. "
in www.concertina.com
(http://www.concertina.com/gaskins/baffles/)


Re: Sound absorbtion [message #50830 is a reply to message #50813] Thu, 15 March 2007 09:30 Go to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18756
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Here's a thread about R13 alternatives:

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