Added blackout drapes--> sound becomes muffled

[LexLynx]

I have recently added some extra black curtains in my home theater/studio apartment to cover more of my walls for when I watch movies. Unfortunately, even after adding just a little bit more to what I already had, my speakers sound like they've got a giant sock over them. They are Sierra 2's, but now it's hard to distinguish them from my previous 340 SE's. My room is a cube and it's always had major bass issues, but it seems introducing extra fabric in certain areas of the room drastically affects the high end as well.

I would appreciate it if someone could recommend a type of treatment I could use to counteract this effect...other than getting rid of the drapes and painting my apartment dark grey (don't think I haven't considered it)

[davef]

I have recently added some extra black curtains in my home theater/studio apartment to cover more of my walls for when I watch movies. Unfortunately, even after adding just a little bit more to what I already had, my speakers sound like they've got a giant sock over them. They are Sierra 2's, but now it's hard to distinguish them from my previous 340 SE's. My room is a cube and it's always had major bass issues, but it seems introducing extra fabric in certain areas of the room drastically affects the high end as well.

I would appreciate it if someone could recommend a type of treatment I could use to counteract this effect...other than getting rid of the drapes and painting my apartment dark grey (don't think I haven't considered it)

Hi Lex,

If you are using room-EQ like Audyssey or similar, after hanging the fabric, the acoustics in your room will dramatically change and as such, you must re-run room eq.

If you have already done this and your room is still too damped, if your goal is to blacken the room -- black grille cloth works well and has little affect on acoustics.

[Johnny_Mac_III]

I have recently added some extra black curtains in my home theater/studio apartment to cover more of my walls for when I watch movies. Unfortunately, even after adding just a little bit more to what I already had, my speakers sound like they've got a giant sock over them. They are Sierra 2's, but now it's hard to distinguish them from my previous 340 SE's. My room is a cube and it's always had major bass issues, but it seems introducing extra fabric in certain areas of the room drastically affects the high end as well.

I would appreciate it if someone could recommend a type of treatment I could use to counteract this effect...other than getting rid of the drapes and painting my apartment dark grey (don't think I haven't considered it)

Like Dave said, if you are running a room correction make sure you are recalibrate your speakers.

Also, where is your seating position? What are your room dimensions and how far are your speakers away from the front and side walls?

[mikesiskav]

Also, if you're trying to fix bass issues, curtains aren't going to help. They'll help reduce reflections at high frequencies but they aren't nearly thick enough to do anything with bass. You should check out some bass traps from companies like GIK Acoustics.

[Jaybeez]

Unfortunately, cube dimensions are among the worst sonically. Bass traps and broadband panels are what is needed, vs. heavy curtains.
There is only so much you'll be able to do with a cube set up though.

[LexLynx]

The curtains were not to address bass issues, they're for eliminating reflected light. I've made several 24" bass tube traps and placed them everywhere in my room, but to no effect. I've since gotten rid of them. Are broadband panels effective on really low frequencies?

[mikesiskav]

In that case, try to get a hold of some acoustically transparent fabric like Dave recommended.

For bass traps, broadband traps don't absorb low frequency energy as well as range limited bass traps.

[LexLynx]

I originally used velvet, but I switched to speaker grill cloth, and the general effect is still there, just not as severe.

[mikesiskav]

I originally used velvet, but I switched to speaker grill cloth, and the general effect is still there, just not as severe.

So all you did was add a few more drapes made out of speaker grill cloth, and it dramatically changed your sound for the worse? That is strange.

[curtis]

So all you did was add a few more drapes made out of speaker grill cloth, and it dramatically changed your sound for the worse? That is strange.
Yeah...if that's the case, then I'm thinking something else happened at the same time.

[davef]

I originally used velvet, but I switched to speaker grill cloth, and the general effect is still there, just not as severe.

Is the grille cloth directly against the walls? If possible, please post a few pics...

[LexLynx]

Sorry for the delay. The drapes are all against the walls/ceiling. Here are a few pics I took two nights ago: http://imgur.com/a/jdhYY

[davef]

Sorry for the delay. The drapes are all against the walls/ceiling. Here are a few pics I took two nights ago: http://imgur.com/a/jdhYY

The room definitely looks heavily damped. For black out purposes, perhaps try painting the walls black or use a black wall paper?

[LexLynx]

The room definitely looks heavily damped. For black out purposes, perhaps try painting the walls black or use a black wall paper?

I was considering it, but the apartment in a rental and the ceiling is popcorn, so it would be hard to reverse for when I leave.

Is there a way to counteract or cancel out damping?

[davef]

I was considering it, but the apartment in a rental and the ceiling is popcorn, so it would be hard to reverse for when I leave.

Is there a way to counteract or cancel out damping?

You can compensate to some degree using advanced room equalization.

[LexLynx]

You can compensate to some degree using advanced room equalization.
Such as Audyssey?

[sludgeogre]

Such as Audyssey?

Yes, but it isn't really that advanced and won't do a whole lot of correction. Dirac is much more capable and you can set your own target curves with Dirac Full so that you can tailor the sound to what you really want instead of whatever the Audyssey baseline is. There is also ARC from Anthem, which is generally more expensive, and then Trinnov, which is out of this world, total insanity, are you serious right now kind of money.

[N Boros]

Yes, but it isn't really that advanced and won't do a whole lot of correction. Dirac is much more capable and you can set your own target curves with Dirac Full so that you can tailor the sound to what you really want instead of whatever the Audyssey baseline is. There is also ARC from Anthem, which is generally more expensive, and then Trinnov, which is out of this world, total insanity, are you serious right now kind of money.

Audyssey with the new models (coming this fall I think) will offer the ability to change the target curve as you like. I think you need to use an app from them, which you can purchase for $20 to do so, but this is great news.

[sludgeogre]

Audyssey with the new models (coming this fall I think) will offer the ability to change the target curve as you like. I think you need to use an app from them, which you can purchase for $20 to do so, but this is great news.

That really is great news. I always use Audyssey to set my distance and levels, but I never engage the sound mode, I always just listen in direct, even in a big open room with no treatments I still prefer the way it sounds. Audyssey just sounds too rolled off. I think it does a really fantastic job at phase alignment, though, and that's 90% of what you need anyway.