Taming room acoustics

No Seriously, don't bother. For me TV is the biggest waste of money out there, got a 42" but hardly watch it. Trust me, you won't watch a bigger one anymore than you watch the Sony now.

Plasma's do make your hifi sound better though

 

Maybe you don't watch more, but sure you enjoy more a big screen, if it is any good, of course, and even more connected to your sound system... :MILD:

 

Whining? Hardly!

I was merely commenting based on my experience of how speakers sound with and without things between them. In my opinion, speakers sound best with NOTHING between them.

And just because a particular system sounds 'superb' with a TV between the speakers, doesn't mean it won't sound even more 'superb' if the TV wasn't there...

Of course, with AV systems, a TV between the front speakers is a different matter entirely.

Marco.

 

I would have happily concured with your sentiment, until I actually tried it. My system really does sound substantially better with nothing between the speakers now. Please don't ask me to explain why, I've no idea.

And for me the best sounding CD based system I'd heard to date (WM's) also had a TV sat between, still doesn't stop me thinking it sounds better.
Let me put it another way, I judge the improvement as sufficiently big to justify breaking up my av system, which will result in the use of a worse pair of front speakers and the requirement of a new pair of rears.
Does that help you understand my enthusiasm for the difference.

 

As you said, you didn't try removing the TV from the previous setup, nor placing it in the new, so you don't know that for sure...

 

Low,

I've already stated my reasons for why I can't account for the difference on other grounds. So for me, I'm convinced.

As for yourself, well it doesn't really matter if you think my system sounds better or not. The only thing that matters is whether your system "might" be improved by doing the same.
Why not give it a try?

 

Neither do I, but it appears to be beneficial - which is exactly what I found to be the case.

The thing is, almost everything in a normal domestic living room 'interferes' with a hi-fi to some extent. That's why having a dedicated room ( if you're fortunate) can be a major advantage, as one only has in there what is absolutely necessary.

Marco.

 

I have to insist, as you are dodging my arguments...

We all know you are happy with your new setup, I am happy for you too, but you don't know if the reason is the TV missing between the speakers, as you didn't test that...

As for me, I have to have the TV there, (I would prefer a plasma of course), as I have an AV system... But, knowing that anything near the speakers is a nono, I took care to place the speakers far enough, and the TV a little back, so I still have a very good sound stage... :JPS:

 

It helps if your room is bigger than a shoebox.

 

Just windin ya up dude.... but I still think its a bit anal

 

The reasons why it is important not to place a television (or any other significantly reflective surface) between a pair of loudspeakers is entrenched in quite basic physics and acoustics. The benefit, then, noted by Mr_Sukebe and Marco, is quite real. For those doubting the phenomena a trip to Google is suggested - look up radiation from a baffled piston, edge diffraction, and specular reflection.

For those ill-disposed towards reality - maybe you should go and buy some more cables?

 

Adam your a card dude

 

Indeed it does. My room will just about accommodate a pair of shoes, and I've got bugger-all chance of sqeeezing in there meself. Maybe if I dropped back to 7 stone in weight I might just manage it. I do most of my listening out-of-room with the tiny trap door open for this very reason.

I also use large speakers in my teeny weeny room and they seem to work just fine. Eliminating clutter from that place helps too.

Marco's room will just about take two pairs of shoes and its amazing how good it sounds in there, or should say just outside the door. For all its foibles, Marco's system doesn't seem to suffer any room-interaction issues - that is testimony to an open mind, and dedication on his part regarding optimising his system's performance. A guy who can make speakers work that are actually BIGGER than the room in which they are sited must be some kind of genius!

 

BUY HEADPHONES

 

And the effectiveness of Mana supports.

Steve, since the recent redecoration/rearrangement of the room, the 'shoe box-sized' room now quite happily accommodates my big arse and four other's...together with all our shoes...stilettos in Ian's case ...well, he's a kinky sod, and it was Saturday night after all

Furthermore, large rooms don't necessarily give the best sound. A lot of the result obtained, good or bad is down to achieving effective speaker/room interaction, and particularly how well (or otherwise) loudspeakers 'drive' the room. Whilst large rooms undoubtedly spread the sound to a greater degree; creating a seemingly more convincing performance, smaller rooms quite often give a more intimate listening experience, providing one is astute in assembling the right system. If one is successful in this regard, large (efficient) speakers in a small-ish room with suitable amplification can give truly amazing results and convey a 'physical', visceral presence that's almost impossible to obtain in a large room without using seriously powerful amps with speakers to match - and I mean those normally used at live gigs!

In the case of my own system in a small-ish room, with SP100s and 135s (particularly since all the mains mods), I've now achieved truly grin-inducing results, especially in areas such as dynamics and bass reproduction. The sense of realism, and the truly gut-wrenching 'physicality' of the performance on offer really has to be heard to be believed :MILD: Steve, you need to come over and hear this for yourself.

Also, as an aside, I'd rather have a small-ish room in a detached house where I can play my system as loud as I want, as often as I want, than have a large room in a flat where I constantly have to be mindful of neighbours and, as a result, rarely experience my system's full potential

Marco.

 

In between my speakers there are:

1) Desk
2) Chair
3) PC
4) Monitor
5) Oh, and the system
6) usually me as well

The set-up is all wrong, but despite that, it sounds surprisingly good to most listeners. Now admittedly if there was anything I could do about this situation then I would, but unfortunately in the interests of the continuing fortunes of Omiga Technology and it's Omiga Audio division; unfortunately it's an office first and my systems home on an "if at all possible basis".

Cheers

 

My room is not that big for an all purpose den, just 15' x 9'x 24', but golden ratio, treated ceiling and fairly wise furniture and speaker placement, I say... :MILD:

Even using monitors + subwoofers, it still improved a lot with bass equalization, so you must be lucky, or with large speakers in a small room you will hear boom, not bass...

 

To sum up: a small room, partnered with low-powered amps is the way to go.

Shome mishtake.

 

Hi Bub, I'd heard it rumoured that you'd joined us, good to see you about.

Small room and low powered amps? Every room is the wrong size for something, whatever it is, and if the amp has drive and can control the speakers, who cares how big it is?

Outside listening is the way to go; with SET's, Cerwin Vega's and the TT balanced on the bird table Jut try to keep the tele from between air pounders.

Cheers

 

Hi Timpy, nice to be back.

Ta.