CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

Lobby => DIY => Topic started by: TMRaven on February 23, 2014, 09:01:36 PM

Title: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: TMRaven on February 23, 2014, 09:01:36 PM
I finally got around to finishing and hanging these after a year and a half of working on them on and off.  The skyline diffusers are spec'd from the old BBC design many years back, and honestly they're more for aesthetics than functionality.

http://i.imgur.com/eehK8mt.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/oSphDv8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fdyb8ea.jpg

Each set of diffusers consists of:

1 skyline diffuser made from aspen wood
1 skyline diffuser made from pine wood
1 skyline diffuser made from naturally grown heart redwood
1 skyline diffuser made from naturally grown douglas fir

The douglas fir and heart redwood are virtually impossible to get nowadays, but I was lucky enough to reappropriate some old lumber and run them through the planer.

Each diffuser is 12" by 12", consisting of 1" wells that are from 1.5" to 6" long.  The width of the wood determines the high frequency effectiveness and the depth the low frequency effectiveness.  These are effective from 500hz to 5000hz if my memory serves me correctly-- not that it really matters.

All-in-all, from the wood gathering, planing, cutting, gluing and hanging, I'd say this project took me around 60 hours to complete.  Quite a bit longer than my diy basstraps in the corners of the room.  I've seen so many people use stock-wood, but the planing process is perhaps the most important to making the diffusers look the best they can look.
Title: Re: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: Greed on February 23, 2014, 09:10:30 PM
Beautiful work Raven. If for nothing else, you made some nice looking art!
Title: Re: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: LFF on February 23, 2014, 09:21:49 PM
Very nice!


These are quite effective and I have seen some big made on casters so you can roll them around a recording studio.


As long as you use the proper math to cut them, they should work marvelously.
Title: Re: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: TMRaven on February 23, 2014, 09:27:46 PM
I have thought about making one on wheels from time to time, perhaps using larger wells out of cedar.  Similar to the ones you see at Skywalker Ranch.

Just for the decor of course!
Title: Re: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: shipsupt on February 24, 2014, 12:22:51 PM
They look great Raven! 

Skywalker Ranch just looks out of this world!!  That roller might be a little large for home use?
(http://www.gk-music.com/images/photos/steve-miller-band-skywalker-ranch-02.jpg)
Title: Re: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: TMRaven on February 24, 2014, 02:16:52 PM
A miniature version of course.  :)

The ones at skywalker ranch have rather large wells, so their high frequency cutoff must be rather low.

Something similar to what this guy did:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/3955417-post8.html  http://www.gearslutz.com/board/3959346-post13.html

Only with the Prime Root pattern.
Title: Re: DIY Skyilne Diffusers
Post by: Skyline on February 24, 2014, 05:34:46 PM
Quit picking on me.