Does ceiling height make much difference?


What are the differences between an 8ft ceiling compared to a 9 ft ceiling. And would a 7ft ceiling be any good at all? I have a chance to build a soundroom in a 7ft x 14 x23
basement. Anyone ever have experience in such a room?
nrgy22
The difference between an 8 and 9 foot ceilings is 12 inches. All joking aside, you are better off with a taller ceiling within reason.
Thanks guys..
I'll have to try and go with what i have for now:( 7' x 14'x 23. And hope i can do something with the low ceiling. I do have a number of bass traps, foam, and Room Lenses, maybe i can make it work pretty good. Once I get it up and running, i'll let you know how it goes.
My listening room in the basement is 7H x 13.5w x 22L.
You can compensate for the low ceiling by using diffusor panels mounted on your ceiling. Auralex makes several models and there are others as well. It sure made a difference in my listening room.
the closer the ceiling the bigger the first reflection problem since the time difference to your ears is so close to the direct sound. the taller the ceiling the less pronounced that problem is.

the second problem is that ceilings reflect bass; and lower ceilings tend to have a greater impact on this. it varies based on ceiling construction, of course.

7 foot ceilings can work fine if they are sensibly constructed. one approach is to use angled baffles between the ceiling joists and then cover the ceiling in fabric. this will diffuse the high and mid frequency reflections and break up bass reflections. if you are 'stuck' with a basement environment you might consider lowering the floor. you may not need to lower it everywhere. this may be quite a bit easier and less expensive than alternatives.

you might go to the room acoustics forum on audioasylum and do a search for some very detailed responses as this question has been asked many times there.