AVAILABLE COLORS AND STYLES

All RealTraps are available in white, wheat, gray, and black as shown at left. They are also available either for bass trapping (Standard) or High Frequency styles. Standard traps are intentionally semi-reflective at mid and higher frequencies, and the HF types trade slightly less bass trapping for maximum absorption above 200 Hz.

Richard Hilton, engineer for Nile Rodgers, shown here in Nile's studio.

This studio is home to Ed Dzubak, musician, composer, and three-time Emmy winner.

MINITRAPS

MiniTraps ($200 each) are 2 by 4 feet, 3-1/4 inches thick, and weigh 18 pounds. [Metric: 61 x 122 x 8 cm, 8 kg] Despite their small size these are real performers that have exceptional specs, especially at low frequencies. MiniTraps perform far better than anything else in their price range, and better than products that cost a lot more too!

When mounted in corners MiniTraps absorb very well to below 80 Hz, and are still effective (0.30) to as low as 40 Hz. One reason MiniTraps are so much more effective than other treatments is the air gap behind the panels. When mounted on a wall with a spacer, sound gets behind a MiniTrap so its rear surface can also absorb. This air gap increases absorption as much as fifty percent, and also extends absorption to lower frequencies when compared with flat wall mounting. When placed straddling a corner the absorption is even greater, especially at low frequencies. Not only because sound waves can get to the back of the trap, but also because low frequencies tend to focus in corners.

In addition to the 2x4 foot size, MiniTraps are also available in a 2x2 foot model (11 pounds, $139.99) meant for mounting in tri-corners where two walls meet the ceiling or floor, or anywhere else a full size MiniTrap won't fit. [Metric: 61 x 61 x 8 cm, 5 kg]

We also offer both sizes in a High Frequency model that absorbs more at mid and high frequencies. Where standard MiniTraps are intentionally semi-reflective at higher frequencies, the HF type trades slightly less low frequency performance for maximum absorption above 200 Hz. This is useful for reducing echoes and excess ambience, or to treat first reflection points in a listening room. For more information on avoiding first reflections see Creating a Reflection-Free Zone on the Articles page.

Although MiniTraps cost more per unit than lesser treatments, they are far more effective so you can use fewer of them. And since the front surface of a MiniTrap is semi-reflective at mid and high frequencies, you can install enough of them to truly solve low frequency problems, but without making the room too dead as happens with foam or plain fiberglass.

All RealTraps products include hardware to mount them on a wall or ceiling. If you intend to mount your MiniTraps on microphone stands, please let us know when ordering and we'll include that hardware instead.

MiniTraps and MicroTraps are mounted easily on tripod base microphone stands.

MICROTRAPS

MicroTraps ($139.99) are similar to MiniTraps except thinner, and their absorption does not extend to as low a frequency. MicroTraps are ideal for placing at the first reflections points in a listening room, or wherever general mid and high frequency absorption is needed. For example, to tame reflections in a vocal booth or for overall ambience reduction at speech frequencies in large live spaces such as noisy bars, restaurants, and factories.

First reflections are described in more detail in the Room Setup and RFZ articles, and instructions are given for determining the specific location of the reflection points.

MicroTraps are 2 by 4 feet by 1-1/4 inch thick, and weigh 8 pounds. [Metric: 61 x 122 x 3.5 cm, 3.5 kg] They are available in the High Frequency type only since that is their main purpose. They also attach easily to microphone stands as shown in the photo at left, or use our RealTraps Stands. This is a great solution for apartment dwellers who can't mount anything to the walls permanently. Stand mounting also lets you create a temporary vocal booth as shown at left, or use the same traps in different places within a room to change the acoustics, or even use the same traps in different rooms.

In addition to the 2 by 4 foot size, MicroTraps are also available in a 2 by 2 foot model (6 pounds, $109.99) where the larger size panel will not fit. [Metric: 61 x 61 x 3.5 cm, 3 kg]

All RealTraps products include hardware to mount them on a wall or ceiling. If you intend to mount your MicroTraps on microphone stands, please let us know when ordering and we'll include that hardware instead.

RFZ panels (left) have a beveled front, and are proportioned better than typical 2 by 4 foot panels for treating first reflections.

GUILFORD MINITRAPS

Guilford MiniTraps include hardware to mount them on a wall either vertically or horizontally. For corner bass trapping you'll use two adjacent in the corner, flat on the walls. This is more effective than one trap straddling a corner, and is also less instrusive visually. For maximum bass trapping you'll use two traps on each adjacent wall, one above the other, for a total of four traps per corner. This is shown in the drawings at left.

In addition to the 2 by 4 foot sizes, Guilford MiniTraps are also available in smaller custom sizes at no additional cost. Larger sizes are also available, up to 4 by 8 feet, but shipping such large panels is much more expensive. Please call or send us an email for a quote on custom sizes larger than 2 by 4 feet. Please note that custom sizes cannot be returned under our money back guarantee, and special-order colors are subject to a restocking fee of $50 per panel.

Guilford MiniTraps are available in seven standard colors as shown below. However, all 48 colors in the Guilford FR 701 series are available on special order.

Black Burgundy Baltic Lilac

Aquamarine Silver Cream

Featuring the Latch Lake Jam Nut.

The RealTraps Portable Vocal Booth is the perfect solution for capturing vocals clearly in less than perfect acoustic spaces. Neumann microphone not included.

Besides its intended use as a self-contained vocal booth, The RealTraps PVB is also useful for reducing room tone when miking small amplifiers, and to reducing leakage from other instruments.

The RealTraps Portable Vocal Booth ($299.99 complete) provides an elegant and affordable way to capture dry, clear sounding vocals, even in locations that are less than ideal acoustically.

This clever and light-weight device (11 pounds) mounts on any microphone boom stand to create a highly controlled environment for recording vocals and spoken narration in acoustically hostile spaces. Unlike other products that are too small to be effective enough in noisy or live environments, the RealTraps PVB is much larger comprising a pair of 2 by 2 foot absorbing panels joined with a hinge in a fully adjustable V shape. The integrated base attaches easily and securely to any inexpensive tripod microphone boom stand. The PVB can also be placed directly on a table or other flat surface.

Since the RealTraps Portable Vocal Booth is larger than competing products, it blocks unwanted sound and reduces room ambience much more effectively.  As you sing or speak into the booth, it prevents your voice from getting out into the room in the first place. This is far more effective than trying to block room ambience and reflections after the fact.

The graphs below show the amount of isolation you can expect, and how the on-axis frequency response is affected. The photos show how we tested.

You can view a short demo video that illustrates how effective the Portable Vocal Booth really is at taming room ambience on our Videos page. There's also an MP3 file with just the audio portion for people without high-speed Internet.

Available fabric colors are White, Wheat, Gray, and Black.

NOTE: The PVB is compatible with most boom stands, such as the one shown above. Here the boom's angle adjuster is above the threaded portion that attaches to the stand's upright pipe.

Test Procedure Notes by Ethan Winer

The acoustic measurements for the data shown at left were done in my home recording studio using a JBL 4430 loudspeaker as the source, and a DPA 4090 omnidirectional condenser microphone. For the audio example on our Videos page we used a large diaphragm cardioid microphone as is typical for voice recording. But a proper acoustic test requires a small diaphragm omni condenser microphone having a uniform frequency response from all directions. The photos at right show the test setup.

The first test measured the on-axis response of the loudspeaker (as influenced by the room) without the Portable Vocal Booth in place. This is shown in the top photo at right. The microphone was 56 inches above the floor, and 44 inches away from the front of the speaker.

Then the response was measured again with the Portable Vocal Booth in place facing away from the loudspeaker. This shows how much the sound from the loudspeaker was reduced, to simulate a singer facing a band or other noise source. When more sound is blocked, the measured SPL level is lower.

RFZ panels (left) have a beveled front, and are proportioned better than typical 2 by 4 foot panels for treating first reflections.

RFZ PANELS

RealTraps RFZ panels ($249.99) are a perfect way to treat the first reflection points on the side walls and ceiling. They have a beveled front surface for an attractive appearance, and can be mounted securely flat on a wall either vertically or horizontally.

Their 32 by 42 inch size also creates a larger Reflection-Free Zone than typical 2 by 4 foot panels. RFZ panels are 2 inches thick to absorb to a lower frequency than MicroTraps, and each weighs 15 pounds. [Metric: 81 x 107 x 11 cm, 7 kg]

First reflections are described in more detail in the Room Setup and RFZ articles, and instructions are given for determining the specific location of the reflection points.

RFZ Panels can be mounted on either of our Stands, though they are not suitable for use with microphone stands because of their large size and weight.

Tri-Corners (at top of photo above) are an ideal complement to MiniTraps or MondoTraps, to treat the top (and optionally bottom) of a corner for maximum bass trapping.

Above, Devin Freeman-Roche holds a Tri-Corner to give a better sense of its true size.

TRI-CORNERS

RealTraps Tri-Corners ($249.99) are the ideal complement for MiniTraps and MondoTraps mounted straddling corners. Besides treating more of the room's total surface, they're a good choice when appearance concerns prevent placing traps in wall-ceiling corners. They can also be placed in the tri-corners where two walls meet the floor for maximum trapping.

Tri-Corners are 32 inches on each side and weigh only 10 pounds. [Metric: 81 cm each side, 4.5 kg] (From tip to base they are 27.7 inches [70 cm]). Like Corner MondoTraps they have beveled sides to tuck fully into the corner to hide the edges. They're a full four inches thick, but the rear portion telescopes into the corner so it appears only one inch thick.

Unlike those thin fabric triangles we at RealTraps jokingly refer to as "bikini corners," our Tri-Corner trap is a substantial piece of hardware - as you can see in the photo above!

PLANTER BASS TRAPS

When appearance concerns and "spouse acceptance" prevent a full complement of room treatments, RealTraps Planter bass traps ($199.99) are a terrific alternative. These attractive bass traps work surprisingly well given their diminutive size and stealth appearance.

RealTraps Planter bass traps are broadband bass absorbers, but they're only 22 inches high by 21 inches in diameter, 13 pounds, and disguised to look like a planter. [Metric 56 by 53 cm, 6 kg] Placed in at least two corners of a typical size room they make a modest but very real improvement in the response and tightness at low frequencies. The photo at right shows the size in context with an 8-foot ceiling.

RealTraps Planter bass traps optionally include a base layer of Spanish moss plus your choice of artificial foliage on top ($20 additional). You can also use your own plants - real or artificial - to achieve nearly any look. Or sprinkle a layer of pine cones and potpourri on top instead of a plant. The available styles shown at left from top to bottom are Ferns, Ivy, and Fuschia. But these clever bass traps are not just pretty - they also work.

The graphs below show the low frequency response (Figure 1) and ringing (Figure 2) after adding four Planter bass traps to a 16 by 11 by 8 foot room (one in each corner). As shown in Figure 1, peaks were reduced up to 2 dB, and nulls were raised as much as 7 dB, reducing the overall span by 9 dB. This is impressive for four very small bass traps! Especially considering that nulls were improved as low as 82 Hz.

The waterfall plots in Figure 2 were derived from the same data in Figure 1 to show the reduction in low frequency ringing. As you can see, even the lowest peak at 38 Hz was improved. Ringing is just as damaging to bass clarity as peaks and nulls, and is responsible for the problem commonly known as "one-note bass." In this type of graph, the "mountains" come forward over time. Note that as bass traps are added to the room the peaks are reduced, and are also made wider (lower Q), and the forward slopes pass through the floor sooner.

This unique product marries a high performance bass trap with a genuine QRD "well" diffusor that's effective down to the low midrange. The device transitions from diffusion to absorption over the range between 400 to 800 Hz. The RealTraps Diffusor ($499.99) can be easily installed on a wall or ceiling using the supplied hardware, or mounted without harming the wall using either of our attractive Stands.

All untreated listening rooms suffer from comb filtering, a particular frequency response error that creates numerous peaks and deep nulls. Comb filtering is a problem in smaller rooms especially, because of the proximity of the listening position to the rear wall behind. Numerous peaks and nulls occur at predictable quarter wavelength distances from that wall, badly skewing what you hear. For audiophiles and other critical listeners the result is a colored, often boxy and congested sound. For mix engineers comb filtering is even more troublesome - if you can't hear the music as it really sounds, it's much more difficult to achieve an excellent mix.

When placed on the rear wall behind the listening position the RealTraps Diffusor scatters mid and high frequencies, while low frequencies pass through the reflecting well membranes to be absorbed by rigid fiberglass behind. The membranes also increase bass absorption beyond what fiberglass alone could provide. Thus, comb filtering artifacts are reduced dramatically over the entire effective range.

The RealTraps Diffusor is 24 inches wide by 48 inches high by 6 inches deep and weighs 26 pounds [Metric: 61 x 122 x 15 cm, 12 kg]. It is available in either Far or Near versions, depending on the listener's proximity. The Far version has diffusion wells 6 inches deep, and is recommended when the diffusor is at least six feet away from the listener's ears. For smaller rooms where the listener is closer, the Near model is more appropriate. The Near model has wells 3 inches deep, and the bass trap portion is correspondingly thicker.

In the overall scheme of acoustic treatment, diffusion is more like icing on the cake compared to the staples of absorption and bass trapping. However, good diffusion can add a nice sense of spaciousness not possible with absorption alone. Diffusion also avoids comb filtering and flutter echo, but without reducing the room's ambience as does absorption.

Truly excellent diffusors like this are complex to design and build, and thus cost more than absorption which is simpler to manufacture. Even the best diffusors are ineffective below around 600 Hz, so absorption is still needed for those lower frequencies. We have developed what we believe is the ultimate diffusor because it offers the best of both treatment types. Indeed, two or more RealTraps Diffusors adjacent will create the ideal "rear wall" treatment for listening rooms and mixing suites of any size.

REALTRAPS SEAT COVER

The RealTraps Seat Cover ($149.99) solves a very common problem in listening rooms - reflections off vinyl and leather seat backs that create audible comb filtering. Even fabric seats can suffer from comb filtering because furniture-grade foam is not absorbent enough to stop reflections. When the reflections are very close to your ears they are even more harmful to imaging and clarity.

Comb filtering is a special type of frequency response error that is characterized by a series of many peaks and deep nulls. The peaks and nulls are caused when reflections off a nearby surface combine in the air with the direct sound coming from the loudspeakers. At some frequencies the reflections are in phase with the direct sound, creating peaks as large as 6 dB. But when out of phase, the nulls can be very deep. The graph below shows how effective the RealTraps Seat Cover is at reducing the peaks and nulls caused by comb filtering.

The RealTraps Seat Cover is 2 feet wide by 4 feet long, and nearly 2 inches thick. It's made of highly absorbent materials, and is effective at mid and high frequencies where comb filtering is most damaging. The front fabric is extremely soft and very comfortable - great for long listening sessions or movies. Support wires sewn into both side edges are easily formed over any seat to prevent slipping, so the cover always stays in place. The RealTraps Seat Cover is also ideal for single seats such as high-back leather or plastic chairs.

As you can see, the reduction in comb filtering with the RealTraps Seat Cover in place is substantial. Nulls as deep as 50 dB were reduced to about 20 dB. When the RealTraps Seat Cover is in place, the audible improvement in imaging and clarity is immediately apparent even to unskilled listeners.

GoboTraps offer a simple and elegant way to isolate a performer or instrument amplifier. When fitted with standard MiniTraps they can be used to create a large portable absorber to easily change the liveness of larger spaces.

GOBOTRAPS

The GoboTrap system consists of a metal carriage ($199.99) with wheels that accommodates either standard or "Gobo" MiniTraps. The traps are stacked sideways on the carriage to create a gobo that's four feet wide, and two or three traps can be attached for a total height of either four or six feet. [Metric: 122 cm wide by 122 or 183 cm high] The GoboTrap carriage hovers very low to the floor to minimize sound leakage under the traps, and the wheels are large enough to roll easily on thick carpet or over wires.

You can use either standard MiniTraps or GoboTraps, depending on the application. To create an acoustically dead sounding area or an enclosed booth within a larger space, or for use as a large portable absorber to change the liveness of a room, you'll use standard MiniTraps. For maximum isolation, perhaps to surround a drum set or loud amplifier, you'll instead use GoboTraps.

GoboTraps are the same size and weight as a MiniTrap, and are available in standard and HF versions. Standard GoboTraps are absorbent on the rear and reflective on the front, where the HF type is absorbent on both sides. Both are built with an internal barrier to block sound from passing through.For most uses the HF type with both sides absorbent is preferred.

GoboTraps are sold in a variety of configurations - as a package that includes two or three MiniTraps or GoboTraps, as GoboTrap panels only, with a clear Plexiglas top section as shown at right, or you can buy just the carriage for use with existing MiniTraps.

Available colors are Wheat, Gray, and Black.

This 2x2 MiniGobo helps keep unwanted sound from getting into the microphone, and lowers the amplifier's volume out in the room.

The hinged MiniTraps above left add substantial bass trapping in any room. Use a ficus tree or similar as shown for visual appeal. The hinged MicroTraps at right are perfect for reflection points, especially in front of a permanent fixture such as a fireplace or book shelf.

2x2 MiniGobos are highly effective for isolation when placed around a small guitar amplifier. Adding another panel on top increases the isolation further.

2x4 MiniGobos are ideal for isolating larger instruments such as congas, or a string bass, as shown above.

Here, four 2x4 MicroGobos are connected to form a single absorbing barrier four feet high and eight feet long. You can easily connect any number of MiniGobos or MicroGobos to totally surround even the largest drum set.

REALTRAPS MINIGOBO SERIES

MiniGobos are lightweight affordable alternatives to our GoboTrap system. MiniGobos are available in a variety of sizes and configurations to favor either isolation, bass trapping, or broadband absorption. MiniGobos are based on our standard line of MiniTraps, MicroTraps, and MondoTraps. They use hinges to join two or more panels together as a single unit that's stable, easy to handle, and self-supporting. Best of all, the same panels can be used when recording, and again in the control room when mixing.

As gobos in a recording studio they can be placed around instruments and guitar amplifiers to prevent sound from getting into microphones meant for other instruments, and vice versa.

For most gobo applications we recommend the HF style MiniGobo, which is absorbent on both sides and has a barrier in the middle for increased isolation. However, we can also build MiniGobos with the reflective barrier on either side, or no barrier at all if you prefer. Even with no barrier they still provide plenty of isolation, and they're also more effective as bass traps or reflection panels in the control room when mixing.

Most of the panels in the MiniGobo series use lift-off hinges as shown at right. This offers a highly flexible and modular configuration - the hinges can be joined and separated easily for portability, and any number of panels may be connected in series as shown surrounding the marimba and drum set in the photos below.

As bass traps or broadband absorbers, MiniGobos are an attractive and portable room treatment solution that avoids the need for stands or wall mounting. (For this use we do not add a sound blocking barrier inside.) Simply place the hinged panels at right angles in each corner for bass trapping, or in a shallow "V" at reflection points as shown at left. For corner bass traps you'll use standard style MiniTraps or MondoTraps. And for reflection points you'll instead use HF style panels - either MicroTraps, HF MiniTraps, or HF MondoTraps.

The shorter 2x2 MiniGobos and MicroGobos use a piano hinge identical to the Portable Vocal Booth. In fact, a 2x2 MicroGobo is a PVB, but without the additional hardware to mount it to a microphone stand. The taller models instead use lift-off hinges as shown above.

Bass traps and broadband absorber models have hinges in the middle "V" section only. When used as gobos in studios we can add hinges at both sides so any number of panels can be connected in a chain. The additional hinges are omitted from the room treatment versions simply for appearance.

The optional isolating barrier is offered at no additional charge, and is available for 3- and 4-inch thick panels only.

All of the panels in the MiniGobo series are priced as described on our Prices page, plus $30 per piano hinge or pair of lift-off hinges. For example, a 2x2 MiniGobo comprises two 2x2 MiniTraps plus one piano hinge permanently attached, so the cost is $30 more than two 2x2 MiniTraps. Traps with hinge pairs at both ends to allow chaining multiple units together cost $30 more per panel.

Assembly feature: The hinge pairs are offset slightly to make them easier to join - the top hinges mate 1/8 inch higher than the bottom hinges. This way you can join the panels one hinge at a time rather than have to line up both hinges at once.

Available colors are White, Wheat, Gray, and Black. Because we offer so many custom configurations, MiniGobos are built to order and take an extra two to three days to ship.

Special thanks to Grekim Jennings (seen playing in the photos at left) for letting us use his beautiful Acoustic Refuge recording and music teaching studios in Easton, CT to take these photos.

RealTraps offers a number of discounted Room Kits. Note that these trap combinations are just a suggestion, and we're glad to work with you to determine the best combination of traps for your particular budget. The same 10+ quantity pricing applies regardless of whether you buy one of our kits or buy the traps individually. For any of the kits that include MondoTraps, you may substitute the more attractive Corner MondoTraps for an additional charge of $200, or $50 per trap.

For smaller home recording studios and listening rooms we offer four kit combinations:

Our Standard Room Kit ($1,899.99) includes 8 MiniTraps for corner bass trapping, plus 3 MicroTraps to control early reflections. Two of the MicroTraps go at the side wall reflection points, and the third is for ceiling reflections. First reflections are described in more detail in the Room Setup and RFZ articles.

The Mondo Room Kit ($2,299.99) is similar to our Standard Room Kit, but replaces four of the MiniTraps with MondoTraps for even more bass trapping. MondoTraps will go in the four wall-wall corners, and MiniTraps are for the ceiling corners where their smaller size and lighter weight makes them easier for one person to install.

Our Standard Surround Kit ($2,299.99) adds three more MicroTraps for a total of 8 MiniTraps and 6 MicroTraps. This lets you have two at the ceiling reflection points, plus one more on each side wall for the surround speakers.

The Mondo Surround Kit ($2,699.99) is similar to our Standard Surround Kit replacing four of the MiniTraps with MondoTraps for even more bass trapping.

For larger listening rooms and home theaters we offer two kit combinations:

Our Standard Large Room Kit ($3,569.99) comes with 10 MiniTraps for corner bass trapping, plus 7 MicroTraps for first reflections, plus 4 HF MiniTraps for rear wall reflections. Three of the MicroTraps go on the ceiling at each of the front speaker reflection points, and four are for the side walls to handle the front and surround speaker reflection points.

The Deluxe Large Room Kit ($6,599.99) comes with 4 MondoTraps for bass trapping in wall-wall corners, plus 4 Tri-Corner traps, plus 6 MiniTraps for wall-ceiling corners, plus 4 RFZ panels for front and surround side wall reflections, plus 4 Diffusors for the rear wall, plus 3 HF MiniTraps for ceiling reflections from the front left, center, and right speakers.

RealTraps Stands ($79.99) offer an attractive way to mount any of our products for easy portability, and they're more stable than tripod base microphone stands. RealTraps Stands and Wall Stands are shown in the photos at left.

When mounted on RealTraps Stands the trap height is adjustable over a range of two feet [61 cm], so a MiniTrap or MicroTrap can be as high as 6'2" [188 cm]. The stand base is designed to align the trap perfectly into a corner, just touching the walls, or will space the trap four inches away when parallel to a wall. Each stand weighs ten pounds.

Wall Stands ($59.99) are less intrusive visually than our regular stands, and they also cost less. They may be used with all RealTraps products, but only when leaning against a wall or into a corner. That is, they will not free-stand by themselves out in a room. However, for corner mounting MiniTraps or MondoTraps, Wall Stands are actually superior to our regular stands because they leave more room to place a 2 by 2 foot MiniTrap or Tri-Corner trap below. Note that Corner MondoTraps are meant for use with Wall Stands, not our regular stands.

When a MiniTrap is mounted on a Wall Stand the top of the trap can be as low as 5'9" [175 cm] or as high as 6'8" [203 cm]. The top of a MondoTrap ranges from as low as 6'5" [196 cm] to as high as 6'10" [208 cm].

Available colors for both stand types are Wheat, Gray, and Black. Assembly instructions and additional photos for RealTraps Stands are shown in the How To section of our web site.

Besides free expert advice on the use of our products, we also offer paid acoustic consulting and room layout services. In many cases the consulting fees can be applied 100 percent to a subsequent purchase of RealTraps products. Please call or email us with your specific requirements. Note that product suggestions and advice are always free.

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