I ended up adding two absorbing panels behind my speakers and it allowed me to fully open the rear port on my sierra raal towers from ascend acoustic. Without the panels I had to use a partial plug that blocked the outer diameter of the port because the bass was overly muddy. It is now a fuller and tighter sound. And I find that diffusers are best at first reflection points on sidewalls and ceiling and on back wall and back sides of side walls. At least in my house of stereo and for my taste. Never made sense to me to have diffusers on front wall behind front facing midrange drivers and tweeters since diffusers only diffuse higher frequencies.
Sound Absorption Behind and Between the Speakers?
Recently my system moved to a new listening room and I was not enjoying the sound very much. There is a window between and behind the speakers. Last night, I put three sound absorbing panels right in front of the window and added a couple salt lamps which illuminate the panels. The sound instantly became way better! I have a soundstage now! I am not sure why though. Do the absorbing panels really have that much of an effect? Or does the fact that I added the panels with the salt lamps give my mind a surface to project the soundstage on which makes a bigger difference? Bit of both?