Cabinet dampening material?

[Landsharks]

I built a cabinet a few years back. I have not added any dampening material to the inside of the cabinet. Would adding any such material add warmth to the sound or anything, and what would be a good material to add?

It is a 4-10 4-ohm loaded with Mesa speakers. Here is a pic.

[OldFenderPlayer]

This is a timely question. I'm rehabbing a 1960s Ampeg B18N and I just addressed the cabinet insulation question. By examining the remnants of the original insulation, it appears that it was applied to only the back of the cabinet, not the sides or bottom. So I purchased a 16" x 42" roll of 2"-deep unfaced insulation from my local hardware store, cut it to fit, then attached it to the back wall using spray adhesive. If I find that the sides and/or bottom should be insulated, I'll add it.

[rpsands]

Line the walls with 1-2" of quilt batting from the craft store. I wouldn't say it will add warmth but it should add clarity for sure.

[JimmyM]

The lining reduces standing waves inside the cab that can make it sound muddy. Ported cabs should be lined, yes. However, I tried adding extra lining to my B-15 cab once, AB'd it with another B-15 cab, and heard no difference at all, so in the B-15's case, back wall lining is enough.

[PhiDeck]

FWIW: attenuating an oscillation is "damping", not "dampening". The latter means moisturizing or humidifying.

[Smokin' Toaster]

I worked for a high-end Hi-Fi Loudspeaker company in the
80s. After noticing that the ports were belching out fibers from the fiberglas insulation we decided to use other materials - we didn't care to breathe these fibers or get sued by those who did. We went to a local bedding manufacturer and found that by using the purple/gray/with day-glo fibers stuff that the mattress people use, as well as 1" white foam we could achieve anythng from tightening up the sound to killilng the bass almost completely. We put a piece of purple stuff about the same size as the driver on the cabinet wall directly opposite the drivers. Once, we lined a cabinet completely with it and the bass almost completely disappeared. Use it sparingly. We put some of the white 1" foam on the sides of the cab.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

FWIW: attenuating an oscillation is "damping", not "dampening". The latter means moisturizing or humidifying.

The two terms are interchangable with respect to speakers.
Parts Express - Speaker Building Terms Glossary

[AwkwardLoudness]

I use standard mattress foam and some airplane glue.

[PhiDeck]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

The two terms are interchangable with respect to speakers.
Parts Express - Speaker Building Terms Glossary

No disrespect to Parts Express, but they are hardly authoritative regarding the English language.

Although there are plenty of unfortunate people who believe "irregardless" is a word, that doesn't make it so.

Google "spring mass dampener" and see what you get.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

I use standard mattress foam and some airplane glue.

Yes, but what did you use for cabinet damping?

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

No disrespect to Parts Express, but they are hardly authoritative regarding the English language.

They are reasonably authoritative with respect to loudspeaker engineering terms.

[Stick_Player]

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

No disrespect to Parts Express, but they are hardly authoritative regarding the English language.

Although there are plenty of unfortunate people who believe "irregardless" is a word, that doesn't make it so.

Google "spring mass dampener" and see what you get.

Source: Oxford Dictionary:

1) Avoid using Irregardless.

2) Dampening and Damping mean the same thing, in regards to audio.

[simplebass]

I once used foam carpet pad on a 2x15 cab once. Seemed to help and it was free at the local flooring cause they always have scraps.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by simplebass

I once used foam carpet pad on a 2x15 cab once. Seemed to help and it was free at the local flooring cause they always have scraps.

Felt carpet padding works well also.

[Landsharks]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't think this was an English class. As long as everybody knew what I meant, I guess it doesn't matter how it's spelled.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

No disrespect to Parts Express, but they are hardly authoritative regarding the English language.

Although there are plenty of unfortunate people who believe "irregardless" is a word, that doesn't make it so.

Google "spring mass dampener" and see what you get.

Bull. From Dictionary.com:

Word Origin & History

dampen
c.1630, "to dull or deaden" (of force, enthusiasm, ardor, etc.), from damp. Literal meaning "to moisten" is recorded from 1827. Related: Dampened (c.1630); dampener (1887).

There are many, many AES papers that use "dampening" in peer-reviewed published contexts in a fashion completely interchangeable with "damping." Google is hardly unimpeachable in this case, but if you dig a little deeper it reinforces use of the terms as synonyms.

[Leakim]

Lamb’s wool: DAMPING MATERIAL LAMBS WOOL VISATON | SOS electronic

[JimmyM]

Damping...dampening...who gives a rat's ass? Where are the bikini girls?

[GeoffByrne]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Damping...dampening...who gives a rat's ass? Where are the bikini girls?

I'll drink to that...........



G.

[PSPookie]

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

FWIW: attenuating an oscillation is "damping", not "dampening". The latter means moisturizing or humidifying.

I was wondering why he wanted a soggy cab

Edit: Man, I must have skipped a few posts. When did this topic change to bikini girls and lambskin? Mind you, I'm not complaining but we will need visual aids.