If you could...


If you could build a listening {not theatre} room that you did not need to use for anything else, what dimensions would it be? Ceiling height, etc... for optimal sound quality. Assuming an above average system.
128x128ziff
Wouldn't that be great! A dome circular room, and only about $500/ sq. ft. Great thought Sd
The absolute best system I ever heard was installed in a large, circular room with a heavy domed ceiling, baffles around the walls, and a moderately thick carpet. Not a standing wave in the place, and excellent sound quality from almost anywhere in the room.
Ziff, I would also recommend Everest Book "The Master Handbook of Acoustics". As far as splaying walls go I think Everest does a Finite Element Analysis on a room with splayed walls in the book. If you are absolutely sure you want to splay the walls do yourself a favor and check local building codes first. In my area the local building codes say the walls must be straight to within a 1/4" over a given linear distance, but I am not sure how this applies to wall coverings like sheetrock. Cheers, Dan
Robert Harley's book "The Complete Guide To High-End Audio" recommends a formula with the hight being 1 the length of 1.9 and width of 1.7. If I were designing a room I would splay the walls maybe 2' smaller on the wall behind the speakers than the wall behind me. I have thought a big bow wall behind the listening possition as an effective and look cool. For sure the ceiling would slope, even if only a little was possible. I would look at areas for built in base traps. My new Audiogon friend "nicetom" recommended Everest's book "Sound Studio Construction on a Budget" as an excellant reference. I have seen other Everest books talked about here, that might be the best place to start. Good luck and have fun! J.D.
I wouldn't recommend a rectangle at all. Although that's what is mostly written up--it's done so because acoustic calculations for standing waves are pretty simple, and most rooms are rectangular. If I were building a dedicated listening room there would be no parallel walls or floor to ceiling height.
Hi Ziff -- try a rectangular 15W x 25L x 12H. Also, you can check out Cardas' Golden Rule for speaker placement that also refers to rooms. Good luck!