2. amps-preamps
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Is it even possible to set up a system in 12x12 room?

I am moving next week and there is an extra room that is 12x12 with 9 foot ceiling. This will not be my main system but I have an extra gear I would like to use. I have never set up a system in a square room and definitely not this small of a room. I have a couple pair of 8 ohm 87 db monitors that go down around 40 to 50hz and a pair of 6 ohm 87db floorstanders that go to 27hz with ports in the front. I have a el84 tube amp that is 25 watts and a 150 watt solid state amp with a tube Preamp. The couch will have to go directly on back wall and may be able to pull speakers 2 to 3 feet off front wall and maybe a foot or so off side walls. Is there anyway to make this enjoyable to listen too? I know I'm going to have to treat room but where would panels perform best or am I wasting my time?
paulcreed

Showing 2 responses by rollintubes

rollintubes
84 posts
 
Or you could go digital and put in a DSP and never look back. It kind of eliminates the analogue part all together. :)
rollintubes
84 posts
 
DO NOT replace equipment. Everything you have is fine. Some people think they need different stuff, which is a fallacy and waste of money. Plus you end up with the same problems as before.

I'm in an 11' X 12' X 8' room. The listening chair is against the back wall. Monitors on stands are 5' 6" from the chair and 56" apart. There is plenty of room behind the speakers and on the sides. The equipment racks are on the (drum-roll, please) front wall! There is a TV there also. Record storage and computer desk are on the sides. Cozy.

Treat the trihedral corners and reflection points on the sides and back wall first. GiK Acoustics will probably start with more than is necessary, but they will be a great help. Talk to John Dykstra, he did a very thoughtful design for my room.  I would do it incrementally because you don't want too much control.
You're starting from scratch so you have the luxury of doing almost any configuration that will fit in that room. Jim Smith (GetBetterSound.com) suggested going to the 45 degree setup, but I would have to tear my room down and start all over. For me the treatments were a better option but if I were doing it from scratch I'd do more homework to design the room correctly from the floor up.

It took a long time to get where I am now and if I had been more thoughtful when I moved in to the room it would be laid out differently and I would have had way less trouble. I thought I would never get it right. I had two modes that were annoying but now I can't believe how good it sounds.

Now I'm going to install two REL T/7i's. They say they will work although I am skeptical. Proper room treatments can make a kids phono sound great (almost).


Rollin
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