I've been a long-time user of GIK Acoustic's studio acoustic treatments, employing their 244 FlexRange [Tape Op #113] and Tri-Trap corner [#113] bass traps in my many studios over the years. They install easily, have a clean aesthetic, are made with sustainability in mind, and are affordable. Each new recording and mix space present challenges, anomalies, and unique acoustic treatment needs. In my new studio, which is a tracking and mixing combination room, the majority of the space has 15-foot ceilings, with 8.5-foot ceilings in the mix loft above. It's been challenging to get the low end in mixes to sit just right, even with the acoustic treatments I've reused from my past studios. The corners of my mix room have bass traps, and I have tried a few different combinations of panels behind the speakers, which has resulted in either not enough treatment, or way too much. When mixing, I've been guessing a little bit with the low end, and that is never a comfortable feeling. Of course, over time you'll learn to adapt and figure out how sounds are translating, but if you can get it dialed in and trust what you are hearing, it's always worth the effort to try and get it right.
When I saw GIK's new SlatFusor PL Poly-Cylindrical Wood Slat Diffusers at this year's NAMM Show I was intrigued, and thought they might be just the right tool to clean up my studio's listening environment. I ordered four panels, which are 19.5-inches by 45.5-inches. They are rounded on the front-facing panel with a flat composite wood back for mounting on the wall. The core of the diffuser is mineral wool wrapped in black felt, and the visible surface exteriors are adorned with vertical slats of oak veneer. It is a stylish design that certainly upped the look and feel of my mix space. According to GIK, the SlatFusor PL absorbs frequencies below 70 Hz while scattering mid and high reflections across a wide area without over-damping.
Installing the SlatFusor PL was a breeze. All I had to do was attach the provided picture frame-style hardware onto the back of the panels, and then hang them on the wall. I placed two diffusers side-by-side behind each of my monitors, and they seamlessly blended into my studio's decor, giving it a professional look. To install these panels, all you need is a tape measure, level, pencil, and a power drill/screwdriver. After installation, there was an immediate, remarkable difference in the focus of the low frequencies and a nice tightening up at the mix position. I have Focal Trio6 Bes [Tape Op #114] as my main monitors in this space, and although they sounded pretty great previously, they performed even better with the improved clarity from the SlatFusor PLs. These speakers produce serious lows for their size, and the extra focus the new panels provided by cleaning up some of the low frequency fog in the room was fantastic. When I took some mixes I was working on out of the studio and into the car, home system, and earbuds, the low end was spot on and as intended.
Until now, I've never used a hybrid absorption/diffusion type acoustic treatment, but I'm falling in love with the SlatFusor PL's stylish, yet natural-sounding diffusion. For the look, performance, ease of installation, and price, I highly-recommend these panels.
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