Seymour AV acoustically transparent material?

7999 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Bruce Fisher, Jul 24, 2009

gobrigavitch

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2009

I'm planning to build a new acoustically transparent screen within the next few months. I have heard good things about Seymour AV screens. I've heard they have a new screen material out with a finer mesh. Has anyone tried this material? Has anyone compared it to their previous material and if so what were the conclusions?

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

wbassett

· #2 · Apr 4, 2009

I haven't personally tried it, but Seymour does seem to have a good reputation. Another very good AT screen is the SMX AT screen.

From what I have read from both reviews and user comments, both should provide for a good AT screen.

mechman

· #3 · Apr 4, 2009

Call or email them. They'll probably send you a sample. Chris from Seymour used to frequent our forum occasionally.

They have some great diy frame projects on their web page too.

http://www.seymourav.com/articles/DIYFixedFrame.pdf

http://www.seymourav.com/articles/DIYFixedFrameGallo.pdf

doug goldberg

· #4 · Apr 4, 2009

I got samples of both the old and new materials from Chris. Very nice to deal with. As a screen they looked quite good but in the end, being an old audiophile, I decided to stick to not covering my speakers. I will say that the attenuation could easily be compensated for with some EQ.

coolhead

· #5 · Apr 11, 2009

There is a white paper published about transparent screens the hole patterns and what it does to the picture and sound:

http://www.stewartfilmscreen.com/re...screens/wp_perforated_screens_residential.pdf

Not sure who funded the study but it may be a good resource for your screen selection.

gobrigavitch

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 16, 2009

Thanks for all the valuable feedback. Has anyone used either of the materials from Seymour AV? I'm wondering at what distance the screen pattern becomes visible. I have 20/15 vision and I'd like to have my first row of seats at 12 feet. I don't want to be able to see the texture in the screen.

gobrigavitch

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 23, 2009

bump

Hoping to hear some feedback from someone with experience with these materials.

mechman

· #8 · Apr 23, 2009

Shoot chriscmore a pm. I'm certain he'd be more than happy to help. :T I'm absolutely certain he would send you a sample. :yes:

rmk

· #9 · Jun 30, 2009 (Edited)

gobrigavitch said:
Thanks for all the valuable feedback. Has anyone used either of the materials from Seymour AV? I'm wondering at what distance the screen pattern becomes visible. I have 20/15 vision and I'd like to have my first row of seats at 12 feet. I don't want to be able to see the texture in the screen.

Probably too late for a reply to this but just in case my research came up with an 8' minimum view distance and 12' is adequate for even the most critical eye.

ggallaway

· #10 · Jul 21, 2009

I received a sample from chris and I too can attest to the distance of 12' being plenty far to not notice the screen material. seems like with someone who has very good vision you can see it at 8' if you are looking for it and may even be able to see it at 12' but you would have to focus your eyes specifically on the screen to see the texture (I would hope you are too busy watching the movie to do that!)

Basspig

· #11 · Jul 21, 2009

I have been following the AT-screen discussion threads via Google on another forum for the past 36 hours, reading about 3 years' worth of posts by SandmanX, Mark P and others. As some of you know, SandmanX is the founder of SmXscreens and it came about because of his search for an acoustically-superior screen material.

It appears that he found it in a sunscreen material called Pfifer SheerWeave, either the 2000 or the 4000 or similar. He wrote that he contacted the manufacturer and was able to have a custom color and weave made to order. I think that material became the basis of his screen company's offering, initially. Now he's into motorized masking systems and other accessories.

Looking at SeymourAV's screen material, it also looks to be the same stuff, derived from the Pfifer SheerWeave product. This is just one of those instances where a differently-purposed product just happened to be, with some modifications, a much better product than a lot of the existing solutions.

I myself am building a screen this week and it will be based on SeymourAV's material. The thing about these weaves is that they were intended as sun screens and to allow a summer breeze to pass through them. If a breeze can pass through it, then it seems logical that sound should be fairly unimpeded. My earlier DIY speakers used stainless window screens as grills, for protection, and I didn't hear any effect on the sound whatsoever with the grills.

I've been up late this week working on rough CAD designs for my false wall and screen. I have a 22' wide wall of speakers that's about 5'4" high to conceal behind my screen, so I've designed a frame to hang sheer curtains for cosmetic purposes, around the screen.

Here's a rough CG visual of the concept: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/video/video.php?v=1067550418945&ref=nf

This entire project, including IN82 projector, is under the $2000 budget that I allocated.

See less See more

Basspig

· #12 · Jul 22, 2009

Has anyone ordered samples from SeymourAV and if so, how long did they take to respond? I made a request and asked a couple of questions via their web site form yesterday, but have no idea if they even got my request.

dougri

· #13 · Jul 22, 2009

Chris is very responsive... not always the same day, but usually within a few days. I got samples in less than a week.

mechman

· #14 · Jul 22, 2009

Did you send Chris a pm? See post 8 if you haven't.

patchesj

· #15 · Jul 22, 2009

I've been very impressed with the responses from Chris. I am working on the final decisions and hope to have my order placed with them this week.

Basspig

· #16 · Jul 23, 2009

'Got e-mail from Chris this afternoon guys! He said he mailed a sample today.

BTW, I've started a dedicated thread on my theater build at: http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...s-lair-gets-projection-system.html#post178248

Bruce Fisher

· #17 · Jul 24, 2009

I have ordered a 130" 2.37 screen from Chris - and am waiting for it to arrive. I will post my thoughts after I get it installed. If everything goes as hoped - next weekend

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.