Our Acoustic Journey

We've really been getting to grips with acoustic treatment in more recent times and refurbishing our demonstration facilities to show off the latest in acoustic treatment. We've always known how important the room is, but perhaps lacked some of the detailed understanding of how to actually address the issues the room presents. As mentioned in our other article, "Acoustic Treatment - What You Need To Know", we partnered with Noizy Head (noizyhead.com) to further develop our knowledge on acoustic treatment in rooms. 

Our Renovation

When we completed our upstairs renovations in 2021 and downstairs in 2022, we treated the structure of the walls for acoustics - lining them with mass-loaded vinyl, sound-rated rockwool and other acoustic treatment for the structure. As for the insides of the rooms though, we did the basics of what was recommended to us by various acoustic treatment suppliers. However, deep down, we knew there was something wrong - some of the systems just didn't sound as good as we thought they should. 

Take our Gallery, for example. We had the ceiling, rear and side walls treated when we built it, and the systems sounded good, but was lacking a bit of bass that we knew the system was capable of producing. 

We had an acoustics consultant come in, they measured the room and recommended a solution, but still, there was something missing - it was better, but not something we were 100% comfortable with. Our other room, the Music Lounge, just sounded so much better and we were at a loss to explain why. 

That's when we bumped into Noizy Head. They came by one day just to visit randomly, and we expressed some of our concerns. Within minutes, they were able to accurately identify the issues, and not only proposed a solution but also went to great lengths to explain why we were having issue, presenting all the science in a succinct way, and hugely developed our understanding where other acousticians had failed. 

We worked together to develop a solution for the Gallery - adding diffusion on the front wall and treating the side walls with a mixture of absorption and diffusion. In this process, we ourselves furthered our knowledge to such an extent that we're so confident now of going into a space and identifying similar issues.

So, the result?

The wooden diffusers on the front were designed by us and produced by Queen and Crawford in Marrickville. They provide diffusion for the front wall and look absolutely incredible - so much better than any off the shelf solution. And it was cheaper that using off-the-shelf products! 

For the side, we opted for a solution from Autex Acoustics. They have a product called Acoustic Timber, and we combined this with some of their Cube Absorbers, to provide a solution that is a hybrid absorber/diffuser.

The Result

Hearing this system of Estelon, Metronome and D'agostino before and after the acoustics was mind-blowing. Of course, the system sounded great before, but after the acoustic treatment we deployed, there's a HUGE leap in performance. The bass is better, tighter, more impactful. The leap in detail is dramatic. Soundstage is wider. Everything is richer, cleaner, and just.. breathtaking.

Any of our customers that heard the system before we finished the acoustics, please come back in to hear the difference. It's an incredible level of performance increase, and something you really have to experience to believe.