I have read the theoretical articles. Now I need practical advice from real world experience. I need to reduce the echo in my living room. The room itself does not lend itself to being a sound studio, but it should be possible to set up a pleasant listening environment without breaking the bank.
Rug: We touched on this before. I know I need to have rug or carpet on the floor between me and the speakers. But, does it also help for the rug to extend behind me or wider than the speakers?
Wall covering: I am hoping to avoid buying expensive accoustic panels. I need less expensive alternatives. I am asking for examples of your real life experience here.
Drapes: I don't know to what extent I want to line the walls with drapes, but if I use this option for at less part of my solution, do I have to buy the expensive thicker plusher drapes, or can I benefit from the cheap flimsy drapes you buy at the big box store? I would like to think that cheap drapes will absorb most of the high frequency sound. But if it doesn't, what happens? Will high frequency sound bounce off cheap drapes, or will it penetrate them, hit the wall, and then penetrate the drapes after bouncing off the wall?
Canvas Paintings: Definitely not the cheapest option, but how well does canvas stretched out on wood frame absorb sound? If I could find some affordable art it would certainly be an attractive solution.
Plants: How effective can larger potted plants dampen sound in a room?
Homasote Board: Has anyone here covered homasote board with fabric and put this on the wall? How well has this worked? It would even be possible to put art work over it.
What other affordable, effective, and aesthetically pleasing options have you benefited from?
Remember, this is my living room. I am not hanging pillows on the wall. I am living in this room. People are coming over. It needs to look good.
Rug: We touched on this before. I know I need to have rug or carpet on the floor between me and the speakers. But, does it also help for the rug to extend behind me or wider than the speakers?
Wall covering: I am hoping to avoid buying expensive accoustic panels. I need less expensive alternatives. I am asking for examples of your real life experience here.
Drapes: I don't know to what extent I want to line the walls with drapes, but if I use this option for at less part of my solution, do I have to buy the expensive thicker plusher drapes, or can I benefit from the cheap flimsy drapes you buy at the big box store? I would like to think that cheap drapes will absorb most of the high frequency sound. But if it doesn't, what happens? Will high frequency sound bounce off cheap drapes, or will it penetrate them, hit the wall, and then penetrate the drapes after bouncing off the wall?
Canvas Paintings: Definitely not the cheapest option, but how well does canvas stretched out on wood frame absorb sound? If I could find some affordable art it would certainly be an attractive solution.
Plants: How effective can larger potted plants dampen sound in a room?
Homasote Board: Has anyone here covered homasote board with fabric and put this on the wall? How well has this worked? It would even be possible to put art work over it.
What other affordable, effective, and aesthetically pleasing options have you benefited from?
Remember, this is my living room. I am not hanging pillows on the wall. I am living in this room. People are coming over. It needs to look good.