Room Acoustics Forum by Rives Audio

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Original Message

RE: setting up a listening room

Posted by David Aiken on August 9, 2007 at 22:47:39:
Chris,

That looks a lot like my room apart from the fact that the add-on alcove bit is on the other side and there isn't a wall covering part of the opening between it and the main area. My main area is about 1.5' longer and wider than yours and the alcove area is 10' square in my case. Entrances to my space are via 2 open archways in the 2 short side walls on my rightâ€”the mirror image equivalent of the 2 staggered left walls in your diagram.

Since you have near field monitors, you may like to try my approach:

- Regard the big area as the listening room and use the Audio Physic approach. Put the speakers along the solid 16' wall at the quarter and three quarter length marks, and 6'3" in front of that wall, ie half way into the room. Sit against the wall with the opening to the alcove in it.

- Use the bookshelves along the side walls at the early reflection points, or along the wall behind the speakers at the early reflection points there. Move the rest of the stuff into the alcove. Since you've got a part wall there, try and fit a door to seal that area off since it will cause some problems. If you can't fit a door, I'd try placing a tall acoustic panel in front of the opening to catch as much sound radiating from that area as possible. If the panel is moveable you can push it against the opening while you're listening. I actually use diffusors in the back corners of the similar alcove in my room, but then the opening into my room is full width and a bit more than half the width of the main area so the alcove actually extends behind my listening position.

- The minimum acoustic treatment you should consider is floor to ceiling bass trapping in the corners behind the speakers. That will be a bit messy on the right hand side because of the indented corner.

A carpet on the floor or at the very least a rug between you and the speakers will definitely help.

The sound should be quite reasonable like that but it can be improved with further treatment which can be done later if budget is a problem. Acoustic panels at the early reflection points mentioned above will be more beneficial than books. You can place moveable panels in front of the bookcases or move the bookcases and place panels a few inches in front of the walls at those points. Bass trapping in the other 2 corners would also be beneficial. You could also consider adding some absorption to the early reflection points on the ceiling but that would be my last preference as a treatment area.

I think you may have the makings of a quite reasonable listening area there judging from my experience.

David Aiken