I need to do this, please help


I have put this off long enough, I need to do some room treatment, and it is the only part of audio that I don't know much about. I know about tube traps, corner traps, echo-busters, etc....... But what I don't know is how to make it function the "right" way, i.e. where to put them in my room. I can't change the dimensions of my room, nor can I change it unusual set-up though I would like to optimize the performance of what I have and I think I should have done this a long time ago. Are there any books or websites that may be able to help? or do any of you folks know any tricks that everyone in this hobby but me already knows? Thanks a lot for any help

~Tim
tireguy
Thanks guys and don't give me a hard time about my quad 901's!!! I have two per channel, i.e. 2 left channel speakers and 2 right channel speakers. I lay one pair on the side and I put a thin layer of rhino sperm on the top side of the bottom one, and then place the second speaker perpendicular to that one-standing upright(everyone knows Rhino sperm is a great check that its the best isolation device!). Oh and Eric you have mail! thanks a million buddy!

~Tim
Read the free download e-mag, www.audioperfectionist.com
He has a really GOOD article on this subject and how to do it.
AHHAAHA.... I just KNEW that Tim had 901's !!! Thanks for confirming that Kirk : ) Sean
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tim i think a chainsaw and a bulldozer will change everything, i would just put your 901s outside. they would sound much better outside. it just seems to make them sound well, better. if you must leave them inside try nailing 2 cats in each corner, that should be plenty. good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Thanks a lot guys!! I printed your post out Duke, I like your ideas of the inexpensive way out ;) Any other tips I would be eager to hear.
Greetings Tim -

There are three things one can try to do with room treatment. They are:

1. Improve the natural tonal balance of the room;

2. Improve the imaging; and

3. Smooth out the bass response.

As a general principle, the ears like a powerful but diffuse reverberant field whose tonal balance is similar to the tonal balance of the first-arrival sound. The ears do not like strong, distinct early reflections - such are detrimental to imaging. So we will be doing things to absorb or diffuse those early reflections, but we still want plenty of diffuse reverberant energy bouncing around as this gives a rich, pleasing timbre.

Let's look at the first item on our list, the room's tonal balance. Take a walk through your house, talking out loud as you move from room to room. Listen closely to the tonal character of your voice - it will change from room to room. Hopefully, it sounds good in your listening room. If not, then you have some work to do. Also, try snapping your fingers or clapping, and listen to how the snap decays. If there is rinnnnging, then you have high frequency sound bouncing back and forth between two undamped parallel surfaces. You'll need absorption on one.

The more stuff in your room along the walls to break up and diffuse the sound, the better. One of the best-sounding rooms I've encountered is at my mom's house - she has a room essentially lined with old wooden furniture. The reverberant field there is powerful and diffuse, and the timbre rich and warm.

With the information you gained in listening to the voicing of your room, you're now ready to move on to the second thing, imaging.

To improve the imaging, you want to treat the first reflection points in the room. The way to find the first sidewall reflection point is to have a friend hold a mirror flat against the sidewall while you sit in the sweet spot. When you can turn your eyes and see the tweeter's reflection, the mirror is at the first sidewall reflection point. You can go on to find the opposite sidewall reflection point, and then first floor and ceiling reflection points as well. The imaging will be improved if you either absorb or diffuse the sound energy at each of these six early reflections points.

If the tonal balance in your room was hard and rinnngy, then use absorption at these early reflections points. If the tonal balance was just right or a bit on the overdamped side, then use diffusion if possible.

If the imaging is still screwy, treat the first reflection off the wall behind the speakers (use the mirror to see the inner edge of the enclosure at tweeter height). Also, if you have any sharp corners near or between or behind the speakers, they can diffract the sound and act as secondary sound sources. You might try draping towels over them one by one to see which (if any) are affecting the imaging.

Now if the tonal balance of the room still isn't right after you've treated the first reflection points, consider absorption in the corners. This is an especially effective place for absorption. But remember too much absorption will suck the life out of the sound.

A treated room need not look like a treated room. You can use draperies, rugs and stuffed furniture for absorption, just about anything for diffusion, and plants (ficus trees, real or fake, work well) at those first sidewall reflection points if absorption would be overdoing it.

I have mixed feelings about bass traps - they also absorb a heck of a lot of midrange energy, and can make a room sound lifeless. Use as a last resort. No doubt you've already tweaked you speaker locations to get good bass - if you haven't tweaked your listening position (which has just as much effect) then I'd suggest that before resorting to bass traps. A cheap bass trap is a generous pile of newspapers or clothing or pillows in a corner - this might at least let you know if you want to go the bass trap route. Personally, I haven't tried it in my room.

I don't sell any room treatment products because I think it can be done well in other ways, but maybe I'm just a cheapskate.

Best of luck to you!

Duke
Tim; I'n no expert either, but several recommend a book on acoustics by (I believe) Alton Everest-- maybe do a search for it. Robert Harley's book (2nd Ed.) "The complete guide to High End Audio" has a room acoustics section that is useful, and the book is a good read/reference for many other high end topis as well-- available at Audio Advisor if you don't already have it.

I use 5 ASC tube traps, and 3 Panel traps with some success, ie I'm not sorry I got them. Awareness of the speaker/room interactions and room acoustics is essential to best music, and you're on the right track. Good Luck. Craig
I have created a drawing of my room, with some specifics, if anyone would be willing help please email me. I tried to post the picture here but computers aren't my bag, and I can't figure it out, though I am confident I can email the sketch-I think I missed my calling in life, I should design houses and such lol!

Again thanks in advance for any possible help,
~Tim
Call the guys at ASC, they are VERY helpful and can make good suggestions for you.