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Room Treatments added, with negative effects..

Hi Folks:
I purchased a set of foam acoustic room treatments and set them up in my listening room. It now seems that the soundstage has collapsed somewhat, and the sound is less ambient, filling the room less. I'm wondering have I overdone the treatments, or placed them incorrectly or maybe I really just didn't need them to begin with. Can anyone offer any advice or thoughts?

I purchased 12 24inch by 24inch panels of ProFoam treatments from Audioadvisor.com which were pretty reasonable at about $150 for the set. I set up four panels behind the speaker position going from left to right at about 20 inches above the floor, and seven panels behind the listening position (three from left to right about 10 inches above the floor and the other four above those from left to right). Side positioning wasn't really possible because I have glass doors on one side and a corridor on the other.

My system is Audio Physic Virgo, Supratek Syrah pre, Blue Circle BC2 monos, Teres 135/OL Silver/Shelter 501mk2 vinyl rig.

I'm keen to hear any comments or advice on how I can improve my use of the room treatments, or whether I just need to scrap them. Thanks!
Outlier.
outlier

Showing 2 responses by newbee

newbee
4,798 posts
 
Not nearly enuf info in your post to be helpful to you, but FWIW my order of priority in setting up diffusion (not deadening) materiels for dynamic speakers is sidewall reflection points first, behind the listener 2d and behind the speakers last. I'd remove the panels you now have, piece meal in that order and see what happens. Good luck.
newbee
4,798 posts
 
I can't think of anything good coming out of reflective surfaces - it will just cause you to hear a signal at about the same intensity arriving slightly later than the original signal - this will cause brightness and a loss of transparency. Just the opposite of what you did with sound absorption panels and just as bad, if not worse. What you can also do with the set up you now have is to try changing the toe-in of your speakers, radically at first, from say 30 degrees from pointed straight at you to pointed straight ahead and crossed well in front of you. This latter could help you avoid the potentially negative effect of the glass doors. If space allows, I would put in well stocked bookcases behind the listening position as a cheap method of diffusion. (in my room I use them on both side walls and the rear wall. I use large plants on the wall behind the speakers). Keep the faith, this is all done empirically. What ever works is good and every room is different (as are your expectations.
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