The floor between and behind the speakers is too often neglected
Hello everyone,
One thing I've noted among us is that too often we neglect the floor between and behind the speakers as opportunities to improve the sound quality.
Based on a lot of popular literature we focus on direct reflection points first, and then the rest of the room, with perhaps a throw rug. Of course, "not all audiophiles" do this, but we don't often think of this particular area. I have found on numerous occasions that treating this can reduce brightness/sibilance as well as open up the sound stage.
So, what am I selling you? Nothing really, you can try this out with some blankets and pillows on the floor. It is a free experiment. Let me know what you find.
Of course, if this turns into a trend I'll be selling audiophile bean bags... :)
Hello, A great topic often overlooked by folks trying to build their music room or HT room. I consider speaker postioning as one of the key framework items in this process w/o which it is amost impossible to get the best performance out of your speakers and electronics regardless of their cost. To me this audio framework covers following list of items, not in any particular order. 1. Speaker Postioning 2. Electrical framework, includes dedicated circuits, quality AC distribution units with star grounding, AC recepticals, etc 3. Vibration Control platforms 4. Room Acoustics & Room Analyzing softwares like REW 5. Cable management. Separating AC cables from other cables and makung sure that none of the cables have a long parallel run
Unlike other components none of these (excludes AC components) have a plug & play feature. I had to spend a great deal of time on each item to integrate it to my listening room. And this was not easy. But as I mentioned previously w/o this effort any money spent on speakers and electronics would lead to less than optimal performance and frustration. Thanks.
I get a decent --tho mild-- improvement in imaging and reduced treble hardness from placing a faux ficus tree between each speaker and the rear wall. Each tree has natural branches densely fitted with silk & wire leaves & twigs. Each is about 6.5 ft. tall, and is "potted" in light-weight wicker baskets w/ realistic faux ground cover. IMHO, the visual effect is pleasing, softening the hard lines and planes of techno gear, partly camouflaging cables, lending a more organic feel and ambience to the listening room.
A lot of very good rooms have exposed wood floor in the first third of the room, behind the speakers.When i inquired my speaker manufacturer about building the perfect room, that is what they recommended.
One third placement of 4 foot tall half rounds on the front wall,
Maybe some 1/4 round tube traps along the floor front wall junction. And again with the full rounds or half rounds on the side walls, and then maybe some 1/4 rounds again, along those wall and floor junctions.
If you have multi kilobuck gear, this may be the best money ever spent.
That is..if you are trying your best to move toward perfected neutrality so you can nail the dynamics and overall tonal presentation ’exactly so’...so you can avoid coloration and then buying gear to offset that. Which is a disaster for sound quality. Error stacked on counter corrective error is ..well.... stop. Just stop.
When it comes to acoustics, always go big, or stay home. Get some headphones or something... :)
This might be $2-3-4 grand but it’s probably the best money ever spent and will outlast all gear.
Importantly, the room is fixed in critical ways which makes you stray toward neutrality, not correction in gear purchases, which is the biggest horror show of an error -- of all. Criminal, actually.
I have a thick shag rug (yeah baby!) covering my whole listening floor. No equipment between the speakers not only because the ergonomics wouldn't work in my room, but because I don't like to stare at equipment between speakers. I like a nice clean, open space which I find more easily accommodates the sense of musicians "appearing" between the speakers. My ceiling has a build-down with acoustic treatment. It all adds up to really smooth, spacious sound with precise imaging for pretty much any speaker I place in there.
Someone will undoubtedly jump on this thread and call me a man with a personal agenda who doesn't know what he's talking about. I would remind you all that I'm not asking for money or that you blindly trust me. Just try it out for free.
Usually what makes me think of this is some one with bright/shrill speakers which should not sound like that looking for cable advice. When that happens i think to start a new specific thread in the hope it gets absorbed and distributed into the greater Audiophile mindset.
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