For a quick good time, blankets...

I have a glass coffee table right in front of my listening sweet spot…I put a couple of throw pillows on top (covering 90% of the thing, and 100% of the area that would reflect anything into my ear balls), problem solved. And, I can then put my feet on it more comfortably which allows me to use my feet to reflect small bits of treble waves elsewhere, or simply absorb the waves into my socks. 

The flooring halfway between your ears and your speakers, is often the very first of many direct reflections in the listening area.....especially for those that listen in the nearfield.

At the very least, a natural fiber rug/carpet and thick rug pad is a necessity for those trying to wring everything they can from their system. I went the extra yard and placed a pair of GIK 242's in 2x2 size in the locations mentioned above. Very nice improvement to a listening room that I thought was already dialed in.

@wolf_garcia ,
Hahaha! I think the same funny thoughts whilst enjoying me music in me old listening room. I'm thinking wool v cotton v synthetic v blend socks.
How bout no-shows v ankle-highs v calf-length v knee-highs?
Legs apart? Crossed at ankles, knee or mid-thigh?
One foot higher than the other?
The possibilities are endless!!! O, glory be!!!

Tom

Legs on the coffee table and apart and directed to each speaker, wool thick socks with the toes at ear level and slightly bent inwards to guide the sound waves to the respective ear. Avoid holding glass mugs as they will make the room too bright.

I'm always disappointed that the most measurable, most provable changes you can make in a listening environment are the most mocked and most resisted.




E

I realize that many people attempt to listen to audio systems while living in rugless or carpetless environments devoid of furnishings and surrounded with reflective surfaces like some sort of insane Bauhaus nightmare of sonic reflections, rendered helpless when attempting to distinguish between an oboe and a 52 Telecaster. This is sad, and we certainly should help these hapless souls. However, I also feel that anybody who hasn't figured out that glass houses are not only inappropriate when located near golf courses and skeet shooting ranges, but potentially internally lacking the proper damping for serious audio sound wave stability might be beyond help. However, I don't plan to ignore those who suffer the dizzying effects of reflected cacophony, and will begin a drive to gather blankets and provide them to those befuddled by environmentally inappropriate flat surfaces in my new charity, SUTR, or Soak Up Them Reflections…I care…I really do...

I cant get by without an extra thick wool sweater while doing any critical listening. 

I mentioned this somewhere else, but remember seeing a picture of male model Fabio's system? Nice gear, (IRS speakers and Krell electronics iirc), but set-up in a marble-floored, glass-walled room. Ridiculous.

Bet it sounded Fabiolous...

Tom

Interesting. In that environment, a bi-polar line array may actually be the best you can get.

Still, yeah, not where I'd put my best gear.

Candidly, some of my favorite listening is while being covered in a down duvet. Rather than go off the rails, I'll support the premise of the OP.

@nrenter

Thanks !! Of course, this is far beyond where I meant to go.

I hope however that more audiophiles experiment with room acoustics which can be done for nearly zero cost. I think any who haven't yet done so in their audio education could be in for a real learning experience.

I do think that wearing a padded Winnie the Pooh outfit while listening would be taking the idea a bit far!

Best,

E

Brings up an interesting thing I notice in audio magazines...the always wireless and generally ampless and everything elseless cool man speakers in cool man modern rooms for advertising pics. It's as if your wealthy neighbor liked the looks of your Ferrari Red Wilsons so much he broke into your place and took the damn things up to the penthouse and just put 'em in there. Along the glass walled living area with no rugs and a view of the rooftop pool maybe. They hire ad agencies for this stuff of course, but I want to see piles of gear with gigantic cables, bass traps, ugly egg carton diffusers, and a grumpy looking trophy wife…just once...

Yep, at least one Stereophile reviewer has no room treatments at all, and constantly bemoans the poor bass response in his room, but that's how he reviews $100k+ speakers.

Best,

E

Does that reviewer have any furniture? 

A suggestion for those who put blankets over there big screen TVs.
I bought a piece of 2in Pyramid foam, cut it to size, put three 3in velcro straps on it. They come with adhesive, but then you need to put something on the adhesive strap part. And the adhesive doesn't hold well, so I sewed them on, just some stitches in no special pattern other than coming through between the pyramids. Put a few pieces of the other side of the velcro, the grabby side, on the top edge and back  of the TV.
When watching TV, I placed three small squares on my CD shelves.
On a 56in HDTV the velcro lines up nicely in three places on the CD shelves. It takes about 20 seconds to remove or install.
No more problems with big reflective screen.
I went with 2in, if I ever change TVs, I would probably go with 3 or 4in.
It helped with soundstage, depth, and to me just overall improved the sound.
I bought the foam here [very reasonable prices]:
http://www.foambymail.com/acoustical-foam-products.html
One piece of 48in x 72in was $35 plus shipping.
I had a few pieces left over that I placed in areas that I felt could benefit.
 

My mother made me a quilt wall hanging, beautiful piece of art. And I hung it behind my listening position, and it made a very positive improvement to the sound. A friend of mine has a tapestry that's been in his family for generations, behind and between the speakers, I haven't heard the room without it, but it does seem to be a well damped room. Looks a lot better than egg cartons stapled all over the room! 

@alpha_gt

Exactly the kind of things I was thinking of. Maybe someday when I join the plutocracy  I'll be able to do that.

Best,

E

My TV has a swivel it can be tilted back while listening. I hung a curtain over a large LCD to block potential reflections, it also looks good kinda gave the room a sense of being in a cozy little cinema. 


alpha_gt109 posts02-11-2017 8:57pmMy mother made me a quilt wall hanging, beautiful piece of art. And I hung it behind my listening position, and it made a very positive improvement to the sound. A friend of mine has a tapestry that's been in his family for generations, behind and between the speakers, I haven't heard the room without it, but it does seem to be a well damped room. Looks a lot better than egg cartons stapled all over the room!

I did that when a rear wall was only about a foot behind my ears. Treating a back wall in such close proximity makes a huge positive difference. 

I have an upright piano 4' from my left speaker and nothing to the side of the right speaker for 20'. I cover the piano with an old tablecloth when I'm alone. It helps.