Help Needed Designing an "Amphitheater-Like" House


Hi Folks! It's been a while since I've been around... I obtained a modestly priced system a few years ago, and of course the dreaming and wondering continues. Anyway, I'm trying to design an amphitheater-like house (as if I would ever be able to afford it!) which employs angled walls and a special sloping, barreled ceiling. The design is an attempt to transform the Great Room (which encompasses the living room, dining room and kitchen) into a form not unlike the insides of a musical instrument. The idea is founded on eliminating hard 90 degree corners and such, BUT DOES reflect sound waves from back walls toward the listening area. Also, there is a balcony that I would hope would enjoy good sound from as well.
So, if sound waves are being reflected AT ALL, back toward the listening area; IS THIS A FLAWED DESIGN!? Does the use of room treatments strive to deaden such reflections from behind making this design unfeasible? Is the notion that the room being shaped sort of like a Russian Balalaika (a stringed instrument) a silly, unproductive use of my time? If anyone knows about such stuff, please respond. Thanks in advance. Your Friend, Mr. Stain
mr_stain

Showing 4 responses by mr_stain

New info:
I took the trouble to see if others had similar questions, and behold; they did.....
So it seems there is a rift between rectangular shaped listening room fans; and fans of rooms that have no parallel walls. I now ask if the front wall (where speakers are) and the rear wall (behind the seating device) can be parallel? I should mention that the sloping, barreled ceiling doesn't reach the rear wall before being segmented by the other half of the roof/ceiling which simply slopes flatly down again to the edge of the rear wall. It is difficult to explain this with words, but perhaps Rives, if you're out there, or someone else who can picture this can provide insight, please do. Thanks again
Indeed, I chose the wrong word to describe the structure. 6550c, you are brilliant for discovering my mistake! I REALLY meant to describe a "music hall" type of structure, but before I had the chance to correct myself, YOU did it for me! Thanks! Hey, you even managed to infer that I listen to arena rock, which I presume would mean that I lack true audiophile taste. Perhaps you listen to "Aja" and "Dark Side" a lot, or better than that, "Classical" (groan) music! I wish I was like you!
It's o.k., I found out about a book that goes into room acoustics; and I will be using that for information. It's a shame, because I could endure a bunch more abuse if I just hung around here!
Oh, hang on! In my counter-slight list of music I suggested 6550c listens to, I mentioned "Dark Side". This could create a situation where someone could deconstruct my irony and point out that Floyd could be considered arena rock. So I will restate:
Perhaps you listen to "Aja", watered-down "Jazz" featuring expert, annoying female vocalists on recordings with superlative production value, or better still, "Classical" (groan) music!
Alright, I'm sure there's other stuff I'm messing up, so have at it.
Confusing response, and not sure why I came back; but trust that this will be my last post on Audiogon Forums forever. I stopped using Forums on other sites because the nastiness factor really comes out in people when they are separated by long wires. Anyway, the trouble with this Forum, which 6550c's remarks kind of exemplify is the undertone of snobbery that seems to come up again and again. People regularly show off their 'superiority' and brag about what they own. And of course, the emphasis is on physical equipment rather than ideas. For instance, in the various categories listed on the Forums page, the subject of "Music" wins about 5000 posts (about the same as "Tech Talk") and falls thousands of posts short of things like amplifiers. Then, upon reaching the "Tech Talk" forum page, one is offered some general things to comment on under the heading, "What do you think?" In that list, two threads stuck out to me in particular: "What does your system retail for?" and "What is Musicality?" The former thread is older, thereby deserving its post count which is a full 6 times the amount of the later, but wait..... people keep posting on the $$$$ thread while the "Musicality" thread has remained dormant for several months now.
WHERE ARE YOUR PRIORITIES, FOLKS?!
There is a thread within the "Misc. Audio" section's "What do you think?" header entitled (get this), "What time do you wear?"
GET LIVES. I'm out, peace....