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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?
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Showing 4 responses by hilde45

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,818 posts
 
I know this topic gets very complicated, very fast, but why does the space behind and between the speakers make a difference to anything but bass -- if the speakers have forward facing drivers?

First reflection points on side wall, ceiling, floor -- I get why they might mess up soundstage, balance, etc. But behind the speakers -- how does that affect these things?

Your answer will be directly relevant to my situation because I have brick behind and between my speakers. I think it's not *that* pure a reflector but it's not a diffusion panel, either.
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,818 posts
 
@rego and others,

Rego pointed out that:

the reason for treatment on the front wall is to control first reflections and then help on the axial direction.

If the time it takes for the first reflection behind the speakers is longer than the time it takes the sound from front of the speakers to my ears, why would I need to treat them?
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,818 posts
 
@rego and @unsound 
That helps. I moved my speakers far enough off the front wall so that there'd be enough of a delay and I wouldn't get the reflected sound *before* the direct sound.

Still, Rego's point is valid. The whole room is still full of energy/information and that can get into the mix, even if it's not interfering, initially, with the direct sound.

That's how I understand what you're saying, at least.
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,818 posts
 
@audiokinesis Thank you for that informative post!
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