[
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2007, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]
58.179.97.156
In Reply to: RE: Suggestions-- treatments vs. changing set-up?? posted by naimie2000@yahoo.com on December 24, 2007 at 09:28:13
Well, as another person who has used the Audio Physic method, I also haven't heard problems sitting right against the wall but I don't think treating that area will deaden the sound too much. What happens is that you simply reduce the proportion of reflected sound that you hear and increase the proportion of direct sound. The direct sound will always have more HF content anyway since it has a shorter travel path and air absorbs high frequencies plus there's always some HF loss at each reflection point anyway. I consider the earliest reflections to be more of a problem than later ones since they're always the strongest reflections and if you're sitting against the wall that reflection will be the strongest since it will definitely arrive first.
I've got a L-shaped room, dogleg on the right side, and 2 open entranceways on that side. I think there's plusses and minuses to the openings. You get some areas of longer dimension to add a couple of lower standing waves to your room which can actually be helpful because room response smoothes out as the number of room modes per octave increases. You lose the ability to pressurise the room as easily which diminishes the cabinet gain phenomenon. Some reflections do come back through the opening which will diffract them, an aid to diffusion, but the results are probably unpredictable without some extremely good modelling software that lets you look at the effect of coupled spaces as well as the listening room itself. I don't know if any such software is available.
Personally I'd stick with the long wall placement because I've come to really appreciate it and the large soundstage you get. I'd hate to give that up by going to a short wall placement. I also don't want to deal with the door behind the speakers and problems stepping over cables. I think setup is something which has to take the room into account and openings and traffic paths should not be ignored. Setup works best when the resulting layout is physically satisfactory and not a source of problems and that sometimes requires compromises but then I think getting the best possible result in any room requires compromises and the best possible result is the one which lets you enjoy the music most. You won't get the most enjoyment if the layout is a constant annoyance to you.
Bass traps in corners always help in my experience, even in rooms like mine with open archways. I know no reason to believe the situation would be any different in your room so definitlely go for some bass traps. That would probably be my first treatment recommendation in any room.
You may benefit from some absorption in front of part of the openings or you may not. Since diffraction is involved I think you need to experiment if you're going to try that. I don't think the result is predictable. You will have to deal with the question of whether or not it's practical to place panels in such a location and it may not be. In any event I think bass traps in the corners make a bigger impact as a first treatment. What I would suggest is that you do get someone to move a mirror along the walls anyway to check that there is no early reflection from them. You may be surprised to find one and if you do you may be able to treat it without putting panels in awkward positions. As far as experimenting with absorption in front of the openings goes, see if you can hang some blankets or something absorptive over a frame of some kind and try playing with it at various points across the openings to see whether you notice a benefit or not. If you do notice a benefit, consider whether you can live with something in that location and, if you can and you think the benefit is large enough, then you've got a useful treatment option available whenever you want to do something about it.
David Aiken
Follow Ups:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2007, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]