Room Too Dead


Hello All,

I am looking for advice and ideas on how to condition my Home Theater room.  I built the theater in my unfinished basement.  The foundation walls are covered in insulation and vapor barrier.  Instead of construction walls to cover them, I chose a "pipe and drape" to cover the walls.  I believe that the room is too dead.  It seems to affect overall soundstage in the midrange range.  Does anybody have experience with this problem and ideas to add a little "excitement" to the room?  Thank you all.

rael1313

@soix 

It's OK for you to be wrong.  We're used to it.  If you like that kind of distortion, so be it.  

There have been plenty of other "tests" that contradict your comment.  In one case, playback of a recording in Powell Hall of a SLSO recording was "wrong" because it excited the hall's acoustics.  Played back in a dead room fixed the problem.  I know first-hand of the results because I was there.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s OK for you to be wrong. We’re used to it. If you like that kind of distortion, so be it.

@bpoletti So much for “peace.” Well, the vast, vast majority of people here with dedicated listening rooms use some absorption, some diffusion, or some mix thereof to suit their tastes, and of all the threads I’ve read here on treating rooms over many years I don’t remember one person who created or recommended a completely dampened room even though they could — not one. Hmmmm. Suffice it to say you’re in the very extreme minority, so if I’m “wrong” then so are most of the people here, but u do u. Frankly, I don’t think there is a “wrong” here and ultimately, and as usual in audio, it comes down to personal tastes and preferences whatever they be and choosing room treatment is no different. 

Got rid of all mine and got used to not stuffing the room.More open and livelier.

I have a room like that downstairs.  Acoustically it’s a nightmare.  In cases  like that smaller is often better.  Also you need a lot flexibility in how things get setup.  So smaller speakers and separate sub or subs as needed is probably the way to go.  Big expensive bulky gear might work but just make life more difficult.  Who needs that?  Acoustically I would focus on primary reflection points on all surfaces as needed but don’t over do it.