Why don't you care about getting good room acoustics?!

Whats up?!

Why doesn't anyone care about improving the acoustics of the room they listen to super expensive hi-fi in? Better room acoustics can make the most significant upgrade of any part of a hi-fi system, so why doesn't anyone care about this area of a hi-fi 'system'? In the system pictures thread I rarely see anyone with acoustic panels or even carefully placed items like book or record shelfs.

..Okay I admit acoustic treatments can look a little odd in the room, but surely given the huge investment of money most on this forum have made in electronics and speakers, they would tolerate quite a lot to get the best return from their investment? Is there some way to bash people around the head and make them pay attention to this massively important area of sound reproduction?

 

I agree that room layout is vital for good sound. Sometimes it just works fine like my current setup (although I have two large non glass pics on the wall and a big 'billy' record unit in the corner) and sometime its crap. My first real system lived in my bedroom. When I had the Diamond MKIs firing across the long part I thought it was great. When I moved things around and put the diamonds firing across the short part the sound was transformed.

 

There seems to be some pretty selective removals and editing going on here. Acceptable if it was applied to other threads as well.

 

Sadly, I think you answered your own question. People struggle to get hi-fi past domestic management; putting things on the wall seems to cross the line from 'skirmish' to 'tactical thermonuclear war'. Placing shelves in strategic places helps but if the system is tolerated, moving things round to get a better sound just isn't. The 'it's my room, not your studio' fight is never won by the studio side, unless you have your own dedicated room. Or you are single.

I think there's a darker side to this, though. Audio manufacturers have traditionally fought shy of recommending room acoustic tips and treatment, because they are afraid that people will cotton on to the idea that these relatively cheap additions can do more for the sound than equipment upgrades. You want better sound... buy this amp, power supply or cable, because I can charge thousands for that, but only hundreds for room treatment.

 

It will be.

Mention of items for sale should not have been made and have been rightly removed by a moderator.

Anyone can discuss a generic subject, so for example you would be perfectly free to discuss amplifier design if you wish and that applies to trade as well as personal posters.

The line must come were there is any specific reference to products or companies associated with the poster.

This is a difficult area to moderate but we can't completely gag trade members or those with commercial interests from comment. Trade input is valuable as when done with consideration it adds greatly to the forum knowledge base and can be gneuinely helpful to members.

It has to be a case that that if someone feels a post is not appropriate, and no action has been taken, they report it.

 

How do people here feel about the idea that room treatments can turn an otherwise small room with unacceptable sound, into a dedicated listening room with good sound? Is it something that appeals? The alternative of course is have a larger room that might sound better from the start, but needs to be shared with other family members.

How many here have a small room that could be taken over for audio use, but don't because they feel it would not sound any good?

 

hi simon, i believe in your theory about room acoustics, when dev came he saw the panels behind my spkrs, o.k. they look like picassos but do work i am sure yours are better than the ones i made, and room acoustics matter.
nando.

 

Nando, from your experience as a retailer, how many people who come to your shop do you think care about sound quality, and how many actually mostly enjoy the hobby for the fun of swapping equipment and playing with electronic toys, and even just want something to show off?

 

I think that when it comes to a small room and trying to get the acoustics right first of all u need a speaker with appropriate driver size, theres no point sticking 15" horns in a box room, a small room with a standmount with say a 6" woofer would be a good start,, but when itcomes to room acoustics the majority of us dont even know where to start!

I believe Mr Fnuckle is quite good in this area......I think alot of people struggle with the domestic setup as they have things in corners and doors and windows on the sides of the room, all though a few things stratigically placed can be a help its not as effective.

I have a wooden laminate floor on concrete and I have made sure when getting a rug its of a thick dense pile and it spans right acroos the floor from speaker to speaker which helped, if I could have some sort of traps in the rear corners I would as u can have them looking nice with a silk cover and a wooden shelf on top and a lamp or something.

For the side walls the best I could manage on one side is 2 large canvas' not sure how effective they are? The other wall has a 9 foot wide window so it was thick curtains and a chocolate leather venetian behind which I suppose at different angles and being so big will affect sound, maybe i'll have a play with it and hope the neighbours dont think I'm a perve!

Ceiling naff all but if I had the room for real treatment I would go for it cos if u give it enough thought it could look reasonably tasteful I think

 

I have deliberately not mentioned anything to do with my company or products yet I am being accused of viral marketing on another thread, so why haven't you removed that accusation.

BTW it says clearly that Tenson sells room acoustic material as his tag line at the bottom of all posts with a link to his selling site, how obvious do you want to get.

As I say I am not that bothered I just want a level playing field and not biased moderation. I have suffered enough of that on Pink Fish thank you!

 

I only live in places with a good sounding room! I've never rented / bought anywhere I didn't think I could get an audio system to work well - I rejected quite a few houses / flats over the years due to odd shaped rooms or ones that just sounded 'off'' when you held a conversation or clapped hands in them. I'm a firm believer in getting these things right at the off rather than trying to fix something horrible later. If you have a good sounding room to start with careful positioning of books, records etc is all you need to turn it into a truly great sounding room IME.

Tony.

 

Lets ask another question. How many people have their listening seat quite close to the back wall (wall behind your head)?

How many have something on that wall to stop the reflections coming back at them (pictures don't do much to help)?

 

I listen hard up against the wall and have some large canvas based pics that really do help!

 

Unless they are stuffed with absorptive foam they will only knock out very high frequencies. Why not try something with more acoustic 'clout' in that spot?

 

or move the chair forward?

 

I do tenson!!! I do!!!



I have bass traps, absorbancy panels behind me, and bookshelves as diffractors on the side walls.

Hark at me, gold stars ****


Good points well made though.

p.s.
to dudywoxer, plenty of Japanese audiophiles would tell you you can DEFINATELY have big speakers in small rooms. Can work quite well actually. With horns, you just have to attenuate the treble, which can dominate in the nearfield.

All IME

 

That would turn my ES14s into headphones!

 

LOL

Yes they are a bit close!

Great speakers though.

 

I'm the forum scourge with head against back wall (no choice) and little dampening materials (but reflectors) either side of the main chair. I do have a large stuffed couch three feet away against the back wall though.

Getting the balance between over and underdamped is damn tough especially when you're limited with no spare cash. Supergluing one of the dogs to the rear wall might be the ticket but I don't think either of the pups will agree.

Biggest problem as I hear it seems to be flutter echo. A cheap remedy that's worked pretty well are a couple of the dogs' stuffies siting atop a very tall bookcase near the ceiling. (yes, I bought the dogs replacements)

 

Read it again - it says 'room correction'.
That's digital EQ as produced by Lyngdorf (aka TACT), Behringer and many other pro companies.

On the bigger question of viral marketing, if a member raises the issue in a post that any company is viral marketing they are entitled to make that view known if that is truly their opinion.
Moderators should only get involved in these matters if things escalate. We have enough active admin here to ensure a fair response IMO.

As I said earlier, we need to relax a bit on this as if the pendulum swings too far in the other direction we'll end up adopting a thought police mentality and gaging everyone.