What happens when sculptural form meets serious acoustic function? We built the Cymbals Series to diffuse sound like an art installation. But when we ran a test, the results surprised even us.
With no tricks and just a calibrated mic and REW software, this sculpted 2" panel showed NRC values exceeding 2.0 in higher frequencies — numbers rarely seen outside of ultra-thick treatments or multi-layer setups.
What Was Tested
Panel: Cymbals Pro 2'x2' (50mm panel, no air gap, wall mount)
Test setup:
- Mic: UMIK-1 (calibrated), 90 degree calibration file (mic pointing upwards)
- Speaker: KEF Q350 (frequency response 50hz- 25000hz)
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Amplifier ICEpower 100AS2
- Software: REW (Room EQ Wizard)
- Room size: 19.61 square meter, 55.54 cubic meter
- Mic positions: 4 locations, 5 test at each location averaged
- Number of Panels: 6, 595mm x 595mm panels
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Hanging Method: no air gap
Note: This is in-room data, not ASTM-certified. Still, it tracks closely with our calibrated Surge panel lab results.
Why These Results Make Sense
The absorption spike from 200 Hz upward comes from three things:
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Diffraction & Diffusion: The curved surfaces bend sound, scattering highs while creating micro-traps for mids.
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Edge Effects: Sound wraps around the circular forms, increasing interaction surface area.
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Air Gap Geometry: The angled mount creates deeper resonant cavities behind the panel — acting almost like a shallow Helmholtz system for midrange.
Where It Doesn’t Work (and Why That’s Fine)
Despite wild performance in the mids and highs, absorption below 200 Hz is near zero — as expected. That’s not a flaw. Most panels this size and depth can’t handle deep bass. That’s why we recommend pairing Cymbals with modular bass traps if you're treating a full-spectrum room.
See for Yourself
We’ve made the raw REW data available for download. If you're an engineer, audiophile, or just curious — dig into the waterfall charts, spectrograms, and decay curves.
⬇️ Download the Data
- empty room REW .mdat file
- cymbal series REW .mdat file
- Google Sheet – Absorption Data
- REW software download
Form and function don’t have to fight. With the Cymbals Series, we got both — more than we expected.
Ready to sculpt your space?
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