Recording - November 2017 - 16

Trick Out
YOUR STUDIO

GIK Impression
Series Acoustic
Panels

$55-$175 depending on thickness/size/quantity;
available in bundles at www.gikacoustics.com
By Paul Vnuk Jr.
Back in our November 2011 issue, I wrote a Fade Out called
"Hey! Treat Your Room, Stupid!", where I discussed the benefits
of room treatment and how it is equally if not more important
than gear purchases, although admittedly not as fun.
I professionally treated my room seven years ago and rather
than going the DIY route, I wisely chose to use the products
and services of Atlanta's GIK Acoustics. I say 'wisely' since after
I spec'ed out the price of materials, the learning curve, and the
time and sweat involved (i.e. I have zero construction skills),
the GIK panels were a bargain. Besides, I got the hand-holding
and expert advice of GIK's owners, the husband and wife team
of Glenn Kuras and Shelly Williams.
In my 12' 6" x 18'' 2" x 7' 7" converted office space I went with
six of the company's 242 Acoustic panels and seven of their 244 Bass
traps. Long story short, the sonic results of the GIK panels in my
room resulted in more accurate imaging, a dryer focused sound, and
a tighter controlled low end... yielding a mix space I could trust.
I also make use of one of the company's PIB Portable Isolation
Booths (reviewed November 2016) as a full-size absorber/
isolation panel when cutting vocals, acoustic guitar, sax and
strings, and I use it in folded-gobo mode when tracking drums
and electric guitars to control boom and tighten bleed. I mention
the PIB because the panels on review this month are a logical
outgrowth and marriage of the PIB and GIK's 242 Panels.

Impressionism

The new Impression panels are, at their core, 242 Acoustic
Panels. Each panel consists of Knauf ECOSE ridged fiberglass
inside a wood frame and covered head to toe, front and rear,
in tight stretched fabric. Added to that on the front is a thin
wood veneer, which is what is similar to that of the PIB. The
16

RECORDING November 2017

new Impression panel design isn't just for looks; it combines
two acoustic treatments-absorption and diffusion-into
one product.
Visually the Impression Panels are available in one of nine
standard GIK fabrics (with custom colors also available for an
upcharge) and the front panel is available in one of six Art Deco
inspired patterns: Bubble, Checkerboard, Digiwave, 3-D Cubes,
Gatsby Arches, and Mod Geometric. There are also five veneer
choices of Blonde, Black, White, Gray Elm, and Mahogany. See
the GIK website for details. The panels are also available in three
sizes/shapes-Square (23 x 23 inches), Narrow (11.5 x 45.5),
or Rectangle (23 x 45.5)-and three thicknesses: 2", 4", or 6".
I was sent a pair of the rectangular panels in Blonde
Mod-Geometric with red fabric. At Glenn's suggestion I
placed them at the front of my room, behind monitors in my
mix position in place of two of my 244 bass traps. To not lose
the control of the bass trapping, I placed those panels along
the bottom of my wall in a horizontal position.
The effect? My room was brighter... visually, that is, since all
of my other panels are coffee brown. The new panels looked
great, especially since red and wood are the accent colors
in my room. (Props to my wife, who's an interior decorator.)
Sonically I was not expecting a huge change, since my room
has been GIK treated already, but I was pleasantly surprised
to hear a subtle but significant difference. Up until now, all of
my panels were essentially of the absorption variety. The
Impressions' veneer fascia helped to liven up my mix position
ever so slightly and add more life and definition to the high
end-not so much a brightness as a gentle controlled liveliness.
Bottom line, I plan on adding two more of these panels in
the not-so-distant future to my first reflection points, and then
repurposing my older 242 panels into a ceiling cloud. All of
this will be with Glenn and GIK's advice, which is a great
place to remind you that before you blindly start buying and
tossing up treatments, you should contact the folks at GIK.
Give them some room dimensions, email them some pics, and
get their advice on product choice and placement.
Before you buy your next new compressor or EQ, do
yourself a favor and "Treat your room!" If not, buying all
that gear and not being able to hear the results properly
will be kind of, well... stupid.
http://www.gikacoustics.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - November 2017
