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Concert Hall? Or Dedicated Listening Room?

Maybe I missed them, but the last time I was in Carnegie Hall or the Metropolitan Opera House, I didnt notice any tube traps, foam rubber panels, high margin, pillow like things in the corners of the ceiling or Michael Green passing out business cards during intermission.

So as I start to contemplate my next listening room, I am wondering:

Are any of the principles of great concert halls relevant to good sound in a more domesticated listening room environment?

Other than size, is there some reason we shouldnt compare these two environments?

Albeit on a smaller scale, could we build a mini "hall" using the principles of great concert hall design, put the front end in the engineers area, and just set our big giant high end speakers on a small "stage"?

Or am I missing something?

Beyond great sound, I would rather my listening/living room look more like some of the beautifully designed halls I have seen, than a rubber walled, geeked out recording studio.

Just a thought on a wintery day.....
cwlondon

Showing 1 response by gs5556

gs5556
1,243 posts
 
The short answer is yes. Just design your listening room without any parallel surfaces and have the dimensions increase from the front wall back, much in the shape of a horn. This way, room modes and standing waves are eliminated.

Most all concert halls, movie theaters and ampi-theaters have width and height dimensions increasing as it fans out from the sound source. It's done so that every seat hears the sound at the same volume. Also, every stepped wall, ceiling and decoration has a purpose: to reflect sound to the seats.

If Carnegie Hall was a typical audiophile's rectangular living room, it would not be anywhere near as acoustically efficient. And then it would probably need those silly room treatments.
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