Custom Installer Reference Guide INTRODUCTION AuralexELiTE.com When building or upgrading a Residential Theater, House of Worship, Recording Studio, Conference Room or other commercial space, you take the time to select the right equipment to suit the needs and personal taste of your customer. But there is one critical component that is often overlooked—and one of the most important—room acoustics.
CustomInstaller ReferenceGuide ELiTE Custom Fabric System™ (CFS) Engineered Listening Environment THE ELiTE ADVANTAGE The ELiTE Custom Fabric System (CFS) offers your client the finest acoustical treatments for all critical listening environments. Each installation is custom designed to meet the needs of the end user, both acoustically and aesthetically. This section will take you through the entire process of quoting, selling, ordering, and coordinating the installation of the ELiTE-CFS.
ACOUSTICAL GOALS Great sound is our passion, not just an incidental (and unpredictable) byproduct of an attractive “theme” treatment system. For your reference, we have included a very general overview of how we approach these common applications of the ELiTE-CFS. RESIDENTIAL THEATERS/CONTROL ROOM/CRITICAL LISTENING ENVIRONMENTS Every entertainment space is different, and every client has their own opinion as to what is the perfect sound.
CustomInstaller ReferenceGuide QUOTING THE ELiTE SYSTEM For most rooms, the total installed price can be estimated by simply calculating the total area of all walls, floor to ceiling. We will call this model a “typical room”. Based on the size and shape of the room, and the application, Auralex will specify the proper mix and location of absorption, diffusion, and bass trapping, as well as the quantity of fabric, retainer, adhesives, hardware, etc.
DETAILS, DETAILS... No two installations are the same. Each room has its own set of details that must be addressed to ensure perfect results. The following items should be reviewed thoroughly for each proposed installation. Attention to these points well in advance saves time, energy and shipping expenses, as the project progresses. 1. Wall surface: must be solid, smooth and flat.
CustomInstaller ReferenceGuide IMPORTANT FACTS The ELiTE-CFS is marketed as a turnkey product. The pricing includes engineering, materials, and complete installation. Auralex is committed to doing everything possible to keep the ELiTE-CFS easy to quote and easy to sell. There are, however, a few responsibilities that must be handled on the dealer level to ensure that the process goes smoothly and efficiently.
ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS ABSORPTION For general acoustical absorption, Auralex has chosen 1” SonoFiber for many reasons: • Better overall broadband absorption/isolation • Class A flame retardancy • Resists Microbial Growth • Ease of installation, no harsh particulates Overall NRC = 0.75 - Absorption coefficients shown below: 125Hz 250Hz 500Hz 1kHz 2kHz 4kHz 0.09 0.20 0.72 0.97 1.04 1.01 DIFFUSION Diffusion is an important element in critical listening environments, especially Residential Theaters.
CustomInstaller ReferenceGuide MILLWORK INTERFACE OPTIONS The ELiTE CFS system is highly versatile and allows for a variety of design options, especially in regard to its ability to be integrated with baseboard, chair rail, crown moulding, and other trim elements. It is important that this aspect of the room design be discussed well in advance, as some layouts will result in additional materials and installation labor.
CHAIR RAIL ELiTE CFS will work well with any chair rail, as long as it is properly shimmed in advance of retainer installation. Interfacing with trim of this kind may result in additional materials and labor, and therefore expense. Always discuss trim options with Auralex in advance. Here are some examples of how this works with the ELiTE CFS system. 1. Fabric above and below 2. Fabric above only, with trim returning to original wall plane 3.
CustomInstaller ReferenceGuide CORNER STRUTS FOR BASS TRAPPING In most cases, corner struts must be installed prior to ELiTE CFS installation. This is especially important if shim is to be used for subsequent baseboard, chair rail, or crown moulding. Please refer to the following drawings for proper specifications; Every situation is a little different, so you will want to work directly with the ELiTE team on these details.
ELECTRICAL AND LOW VOLTAGE BOXES In order to make all faceplates flush with the ELiTE CFS fabric surface, there must be a solid base for them to rest on, over the stretched fabric. In most cases, the tallest edge of all junction boxes must be 1” to 1¹⁄₈” above the drywall surface. This should be done as part of the standard room preparation for ELiTE CFS installation. Shown here are some examples of how junction boxes and faceplates are handled for an ELiTE CFS installation.
