Best known dimensions for home audio room

FWIW, two of the best sounding listening rooms I've been in have both followed the Cardas Golden cuboid ratios with dimensions of 10x16x26. Marvelous sound and imaging while using a minimum of supplemental acoustic treatment. Best of luck to you in your room building.
.

Thanks for all your responses and the information links etc. I will take as much of this into account when going ahead with the room. You guys are great.

Check out the Everest Handbook of Acoustics and the Rives web site too (see manufacturer list). I don't think there is a single best room size since there are a lot of variables in construction that impact performance as well as the equipment and how it works in a particular room. Room design is part science part art so if you really want to do it right then work with a professional, otherwise it will be luck if you get it just right!

here are some links that might help...

optimum room size
http://www.decware.com/paper36.htm

room calculator
http://www.mcsquared.com/modecalc.htm

Dealing with room nodes
http://www.audioholics.com/education/acoustics-principles/room-modes-and-dealing-with-them

room tuning review
http://www.avrev.com/equip/roomtune/index.html

good luck

Read the blurb about room dimensions on Cardas' website. www.cardas.com. That website also has other articles that are all very interesting. After 100s of speaker positions, the golden ratio indeed worked out best in my room so I don't see why it wouldn't apply to the room itself.

But IMO, the best thing you can do is find speakers that are optimal for the room rather than choosing speakers and then forcing them to work with whatever room you have. If you go this route, you will have few bass and soundstage issues to begin with. The downside is it takes a lot of effort to find the right speakers.

Arthur