RECORDING November 2022 - 58

REVIEW
GIK Acoustics
Sound Blocks
A new set of acoustic building blocks
to treat and tame your space
REVIEW BY JOHN CZERWINSKI
ince 2004, GIK Acoustics has been a leading
innovator, manufacturer, and seller of acoustical
absorption and diffusion products. Sound Blocks
are the latest line of GIK acoustic panels that offer
considerable absorption properties in a versatile,
modular and stylish design.
On the Blocks
The GIK Sound Block is a 10.5 " deep, 23 " square wood frame
weighing roughly 22 lbs. filled with ECOSE®
Technology environmentally-friendly
sound absorption material. Sound Blocks can be
hung on walls as with other conventional acoustic panels; however,
what makes the Sound Blocks different from the norm is a modular
design. Sound Blocks can be interlocked and stacked together utilizing
built-in rails to create freestanding acoustical arrays. As a resu
lt, they're perfect for lining a wall, creating a freestanding acoustic
gobo or fabricating an ad hoc isolation booth.
Absorbing the Bass
According to GIK, the depth of the panels make them efficient
as broadband bass trap absorbers, effective to just below 50 Hz.
If the need arises, you can order individual Sound Blocks that are
tailored to tackle bass frequencies with less absorption in the mid
and treble frequencies.
Sound Blocks are configured in a bottom, middle, and top
scheme. The bottoms are packaged with stabilization footers for
secure stacking, and the tops feature a set of interlocking rails on
the underside only.
If you desire to wall-mount your Sound Blocks, GIK offers configurations
designed to solely be hung or suspended.
Many Options
Since the units can be positioned anywhere along the rail system,
you can offset Sound Blocks to provide greater coverage or create
functional patterns.
As with most GIK panels, 24 different fabric color choices are
available, plus you can select from 15 front plate/diffusion designs
from either the GIK Alpha or Impressions series.
58 RECORDING November 2022
The backside of the units is usually unfinished, but if
you intend to use them as a freestanding wall or acoustic
gobo, Sound Blocks may be fabricated with four solid
plates on the backside to provide a finished appearance.
Playing with Blocks
GIK sent me a set of three Sound Blocks-Bottom, Middle
and Top-for this review. The Sound Blocks are well constructed
and attractive. The bottom and top units I received
were covered in basic black fabric, while the middle unit
featured the Palomar Front Plate from their Impressions Series.
Unpacking and setup took no more than ten minutes.
GIK Sound Blocks are designed to be easily set up, configured
and used in any environment; and they can quickly
be moved and reconfigured for use in multipurpose mixing
and tracking scenarios. They are also well suited for use
in spaces where permanently installed sound treatment options
are not always possible.
I took the opportunity to employ Sound Blocks as freestanding
gobos for acoustic separation. I utilized the stack
of Sound Blocks and paired it with a GIK VISO Booth
(reviewed August 2020) for use in some voiceover work.
My room is untreated at the moment (more on this later),
and as a result, recording any acoustic source exhibits a
considerable amount of ambience, particularly in the midrange
and low frequencies. I was able to considerably
reduce those room reflections by using the VISO Booth
microphone shield in conjunction with the Sound Blocks.
Furthermore, by introducing them in strategic areas
per GIK recommendation, I noticed a marked difference
and tightness in the bass response of my space while
listening to mixes.
S
RECORDING November 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of RECORDING November 2022
