How can i tell if my diy bass traps actually improve room bass response?

[Grace_T]

I’ve been trying to get a more consistent low-end in my mixes, but my room has some nasty nulls around 80-120Hz. I’m considering trying some DIY bass traps, but I’m worried about wasting time and materials if my placement or construction is off. Has anyone here built their own and actually measured a real improvement in their room’s frequency response?

[Luke76]

Yeah I built some DIY bass traps in my room. A couple of corner units with 4 inch mineral wool and a ceiling cloud over the listening spot. After a few weeks of living with them, the 80–120 Hz region felt less sketchy and the bass sounded tighter in the chair. My measurement showed the big notch around 90 Hz soften by about 4–6 dB, though the other modes weren’t magically fixed.

[Thomas99]

I tried something similar and the payoff was basically nothing measurable. Spent days building, then measured pre and post and the curve barely moved. I started thinking the issue might be subwoofer placement or how the room interacts with the seating, not just the traps.

[Alexander89]

I want to believe in the traps, but I also noticed the improvement only when I stood in a certain spot; move to the couch and you still hear the same problem. It can feel frustrating to chase a seam that shifts with position.

[GaryH]

Are you actually measuring anything or is this just on feel?