First Experience With Room Acoustics

[Eddie Horton]

Well, we finally received a closing date of Sept. 29th on the new house, so while browsing for furniture last weekend we ran across a good deal on a new sectional and matching chair. After bringing it home to our current residence, we realized that until we get into the bigger place, our end tables and coffee table would have to be packed away. The sectional is 12ft. long on one end and 9ft. on the other end. Our end tables and coffee table is glass, and I always wondered if it had any noticeable effect on the sound. After removing them from the room, the answer is definately yes. I wouldn't call it a night and day difference, but when you take away all that glass and add in several additional square feet of soft fluffy couch, I can crank up the volume several dBs without it sounding too loud. It adds more punchiness to movies. Even my wife, who has tin ears, noticed the difference. Pretty cool.

[BradJudy]

The coffee table effect is pretty easy to show in measurements (I have done it myself), but I just can't get away from having the coffee table there - I use it all of the time. I need one that retracts into the floor when I want to listen to music.

[Eddie Horton]

I don't know if it will make a difference or not, but we're getting rid of the glass tables and getting wood ones. I hate the way dust and fingerprints show on the glass. It won't matter for long, I hope. We plan to start building the dedicated room as soon as we get settled in.

[Lou-the-dog]

Interesting stuff. I've always wondered what effect the large window directly behind my right main is doing to my sound quality. I may have to experiment some. The bad part is I doubt my wife will let me glue any treatments to "her" window.

Randy

[S_rangeBrew]

My home theater room is being finished right now. It's totally empty, not even any carpeting. When I clap my hands, the echos are terrible. I really hope the carpet and couch help it out, I'm sure they will. I may have to make or buy some bass traps. Some of the internet designs and data seem a bit suspect though. I'm not a big fan of audio voodoo. ( I don't believe in high priced power or speaker cables, for instance)

Lou, can't you put some nice heavy drapes over the window? You can just pull them out of the way when you need light. That's what I'm planning with the two windows in my new room.

[Kurt C.]

Carpet and a couch are a good start, but in my case they weren't enough.

I'm in the process of building four 2X4-foot absorbing panels using a vartiation of Ethan Weiner's plans. So far I've finished two and placed them on the walls midway between the front speakers and my listening position at the so-called 'first reflection points'.

They really do make a huge difference when it comes to clarity of voices and instruments (like everyones' favorite, the acoustic guitar). Best $75 bucks I ever spent.

Count me among the skeptics when it comes to Voodoo cables etc., but this 'tweak' has both a firm scientific basis and can be heard even by those with Tin Ears. (How big a skeptic am I? I have back issues from the last 10 years of The Audio Critic and believe almost every word...)

Cheers.

[Lou-the-dog]

Lou, can't you put some nice heavy drapes over the window? You can just pull them out of the way when you need light. That's what I'm planning with the two windows in my new room.

That is what I was trying to talk my wife into just last week. She is into those valance/swag/tied back window treatments. Not enough curtain there to cover the window even if we had operating curtain rods. When I suggested we buy full curtains with operating rods she just gave me this, "what planet are you from?" look. Sigh.

Randy

[bikeman]

"what planet are you from?" look. Sigh.
Randy

I've been going through the same thing for the past two years. I finally found a solution for me. You're welcome to give it a try if it's appropriate.
The cost of heat this winter is going through the roof both literally and figuratively. The newspapers are printing out stories about this every week and telling folks to do all they can to conserve heat. I've been making sure my wife sees each and every one of these articles.
Last weekend we hung new, heavy drapes on the windows. It takes persistence but I've got that in spades.

David

[Lou-the-dog]

I'll try working that angle David. Thanks for the tip!

Randy

[tjennings]

If you take a look at my home theater link below, you'll see I have some light curtains hanging on the side walls. My wife wanted to know why I was hanging curtains in a BASEMENT family room where there are NO windows. I didn't even bother trying to explain...