Please feel free to contact us if your questions are not fully answered.
Will putting a shield in front of the drummer fix our problems?
Usually not by itself . If you do not have acoustically absorbent treatments to the sides and behind your drummer, you may end up with a very roomy sounding drum set in the audience areas. We strongly recommend the use of our S2 SORBER panels on the lower half of the ClearSonic Panels along with several S4-2 or S5-2 SORBER panels behind and beside your drummer to soak up all that excess acoustic energy. You may even need to use our new LID System. (SORBER & Foam)
What is the best way to mic the drum kit?
First, don't go out and buy a bunch of mics if you have not already. We
have found that in most church applications, a kick mic and at least one
overhead mic is all that is needed to give the sound person control over
the drum volume. This works well for a couple reasons. 1) It's inexpensive
2) It's easy and uncomplicated, and 3) you don't have a bunch of mic stands
and cables to fight with in a tight area. Use a small mic stand to mic the
kick drum or just lay a mic inside the drum on some type of cushion. If
you have the SORBER Lid panels that are Velcro receptive, you can apply
a few strips of hook Velcro on the back of a standard PZM (see Crown or
Audio Technica) and attach it above the snare on the Lid Panel. You can
use a few more strips of Velcro to drape the cable over to the side of the
booth and then down to the floor. This mic will pick up the entire kit and
eliminate the need for a mic stand
What is the average diameter of an IsoPac?
IsoPac A will yield about an 8 foot average diameter whereas the IsoPac
B is about 7.5 feet. Most of the time, the systems are setup in a more "oval"
configuration so that the width is less than the dept. Our support bars
work best at a 6 to 7 foot span.
How do I get in and out of a ClearSonic system?
Is there a door?
Good Question! Because the SORBER panels don't actually connect to the ClearSonic
Panels, you can simply use one side of an S5-2 (two sections hinged together)
as a "door".
How do the part numbers correspond to what I'm
ordering?
The A stands for Acrylic, the first number designates the panel height,
and the second number tells us how many sections you want in your system.
i.e. A5-4 means an Acrylic 5-1/2 feet tall system consisting of 4 panels.
AR stands for Abrasion Resistant, S stands for SORBER, C stands for Case.
What are the sizes I can get, and how many sections
can I get?
We offer two standard drum shield heights, 4 feet and 5 1/2 feet. Each individual
panel is 2 feet wide. You can order up to 7 panels in your pre-assembled
system. Model A5 ClearSonic Panels are 5.5' feet high because many drummers
have cymbals that high and lower panels are not nearly as effective. After
all, aren't cymbals a BIG part of your volume problem? It costs us a lot
more to add that 6 inches because it's a non-standard size, but we do it
because we feel that it is very important to provide our customers with
the highest possible system that will ship by standard FedEx ground service.
Higher systems have to ship by truck at a much greater cost, so beware of
6' or higher systems. If you feel you need more height, see our new AX12
Height Extenders.
Our 2 foot tall systems for guitar amps have 4 sections that are 1 foot
wide each. (ClearSonic Panels)
Which size should I get, and how many sections?
Good question! Drum set placement, drum volume vs. cymbal volume concerns,
ceiling height, existing wall and floor surfaces all play a part in determining
the best setup. Speaking directly with us will help you devise a plan of
attack ensuring that you receive the correct system to handle your situation.
Our best selling systems are listed under IsoPacs.
What are the panels made of?
The standard CSP systems are made of 1/4 inch thick American made acrylic
sheet, similar to Plexiglas™. Our AR models are made of acrylic that
have been treated with a scratch resistant coating.
Will the hinges hold up?
Our full-length heavy-duty plastic hinges have been improved several times
since 1995 and are holding up very well. Our latest design incorporates
a "tooth" that snaps into a groove along the long edge of each
panel, ensuring that the panels will not come apart. This unique hinge also
allows our systems to fold "accordion style" for easy transport.
The flexible part of ClearSonic hinge is at least 0.06" thick, almost
twice the thickness of our competitor's catalog bought hinge. We own the
die for our heavy-duty extruded hinge. No one else has it. Don't settle
for some flimsy, off-the-shelf hinge from a competitor that may be only
0.038" inches thick or less at the flexible part that will split and
fail in short order. Ask for a sample of their hinge. We will be glad to
send you a sample of our hinge for you to compare.
Do I need to add more acrylic sections if the
volume is still too loud, or should I add acoustic treatment, like your
SORBER units?
Many people ask if more panels will help, and sometimes it will, although
sometimes less acrylic and more acoustic treatment is necessary. Adding
more acrylic will reflect more direct energy, but that energy still needs
go somewhere. Don't just trade a loud direct drum sound for a loud roomy
drum sound! ClearSonic SORBER Panels greatly improve the effectiveness of
acrylic drum shields by soaking up much of the direct and reflected sound
coming off the drums and shields. See our SORBER page for more details.
Speaking with us will help to determine what setup is best for you.
Can I add or remove sections if the system I ordered
isn't quite right?
All of our systems are designed to accommodate panel add-ons. We include
instructions on installation with your add-on order. Our hinges are designed
to be permanent and so removing a panel would destroy the hinge. Keep in
mind that the end panel can be folded back onto the adjoining panel to save
space.
How soon can I get a panel system?
We manufacture our products as orders come in. Manufacturing time depends
on the amount of orders that are currently in place. Please contact us to
determine current lead time.
How will my system ship?
We normally ship FedEx Ground .
Is your drum shield factory assembled and packaged
well enough to take the abuse of shipment?
ClearSonic Panels ship fully assembled in a heavy duty box that includes
extra packing materials. Once again, it costs us more to do this but we
feel that drum shields won't do you much good if they arrive broken.
What is my return policy?
ClearSonic Panels are shipped with the paper masking on the surface of the
acrylic to prevent scratches during transit. Please do NOT remove the masking
until you are sure you will keep the panels! If you decide you would like
to return a CSP and the paper masking has not been removed, we will refund
your purchase cost less a 5% restocking fee provided the panels return in
new condition. If the masking has been removed, the panels are not returnable.
Click here for return instructions.
