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Room Treatments, When are they required?

Hey Audiogoners!!!

I threw my first BBq in my new home this weekend. One of my guests who is also into audio gear came and we ended up talking a bit about audio gear.

My livingroom where the audiogear will be has 15ft vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, and opens up to the dining room and kitchen. All pretty much in one real big l-shaped room.

I was telling him about my future upgrqade plans, which are nothing too extraordary, im thinking of some Parasound Amps and some Vandersteen 2CEs or 3As. It iwll be run 100% seperate from my HT system, but in the same room.

Anyways, he told me that it was a waste of money and there is no point in upgrading what i have unless i have a Dedicated listening room.

Personally, i think the accoustics in my livingroom are fantastic. Yes, some echo busters along the back wall or something might help out, but sound there is rich and full of live. Snap your fingers you get a nice clean SNAP, it doesent echo or linger any longer than it should. I have 3 very plush couches that do wonders for echo absorption.

When did everyone else start getting into room treatments and dedicated listening rooms?

Personally, i disagree with him, vandersteen 2ce's powered by some Parasound Amps will sound better than some radioshack speakers powered by a Denon 3505. No doubt about it in my mind. I dont care if it is installed in a dedicated room or a subway tunnel. it will sound better and i plan to upgrade.

When do YOU feel it is time to work on the room instead of the system?
Is there a certain price tag on the system that you feel is useless to upgrade further without having a dedicate room or room treatments?

Just curious.

Oh yeah, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
Woulda got that out earlier if i had been sober in the past few days.
slappy

Showing 4 responses by slappy

slappy OP
903 posts
 
Oz,

Welp, im kinda stuck with the livingroom. None of the rooms in the house are really a good size for it except for the livingroom.

Also, i agree with you 100%, I too like to be able to hear it wherever i go. I like the idea of a dedicated listening room to reach that level of sound production, but at the same time, im a pretty active person, and i like to listen to music while cooking, cleaning, working on projects, hanging out on the deck, doing home improvements, etc.

More than anything, i was just kinda suprised by his statement.

I certainly agree a good system will sound like a good system no matter where it is, it might not be optimal, but it will still sound good.
slappy OP
903 posts
 
Nrchy, define a "Good System"
If you take an audiophile system and put it in a normal room without tweaks, would you say it sounds BAD?

I fully believe a good system will sound like a good system anywhere.

an Excellent system may only sound like an excellent system under optimal conditions, but even an excellent system will sound good in less than optimal.
slappy OP
903 posts
 
That was a hell of a deflection.

I think my ears must be more forgiving.
For me, having a dedicated listening room just wont cut it. Ill never use it.
Some day when i get a good rig going again, i will probaably have Rives help me out and do what i can to treat the room tastfully and effectivly.
As far as the natural room accoustics go, they arent bad at all, and im pretty thankful for that!
Optimal? Not a chance.
Better than alot? Yeah i think so.

Man, i shouldnt have eaten that burrito
slappy OP
903 posts
 
Hmmm...

I always had the idea a dedicated room was a room where everything was designed 100% around the gear... never really thought of a living room as a dedicated listening room... guess there is no reason it couldnt be.

Well, i herby declare that i no longer have a living room, but an "All Encompasing Large Dedicated Listening Room With Plush Couches, A Dining Room Table, A China Hutch, And A Kitchen Which Not Only Opens Outside To The Front But Also To The Back Through French Doors"

I will call it "AELDLRWPCADRTACHAAKWNOOOTTFBATTBTFD" for short. And maybe call it the "Wnoot Batt" to save time.

HAHAHAHA
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