An awakening

[davidpr]

Strange title but true. We moved house recently and I am lucky enough to have a second garage as my music room. I set the system up a month ago and sat down to listen. Oh dear it was not good, very tiring and my ears were ready to bleed. So I started to make improvements to the room, carpet in front of the speakers helped. I then put the speakers on building blocks which again helped a lot' wish I had done this a long time ago.

After reading a number of forum posts about listening environments I spent $50 on acoustic foam panels and placed them using the mirror approach for each speaker, in line with my listening position and above on the ceiling. Wow what a difference. It sounds like a new and much more expensive system. The harshness has gone, the soundstage is lovely and it is much more enjoyable to listen to the music.

Treating the room is the best upgrade I have ever done and to be honest came as a bit of a surprise but very welcome.

 

[matt49]

If the forum had stickies, this post should be one of them.

Nice work!

Matt

 

[LowFeller]

Just want to echo that excellent post.

There isn't enough recognition given to the importance of getting the room right (treating the room, speaker positioning, room layout etc).

Strange title but true. We moved house recently and I am lucky enough to have a second garage as my music room. I set the system up a month ago and sat down to listen. Oh dear it was not good, very tiring and my ears were ready to bleed. So I started to make improvements to the room, carpet in front of the speakers helped. I then put the speakers on building blocks which again helped a lot' wish I had done this a long time ago.

After reading a number of forum posts about listening environments I spent $50 on acoustic foam panels and placed them using the mirror approach for each speaker, in line with my listening position and above on the ceiling. Wow what a difference. It sounds like a new and much more expensive system. The harshness has gone, the soundstage is lovely and it is much more enjoyable to listen to the music.

Treating the room is the best upgrade I have ever done and to be honest came as a bit of a surprise but very welcome.

 

[emperor's new clothes]

+1

Was going to invest in some GIKs but found cheaper foam prisms did the job. Room-induced bass boom and overhang mitigated - best upgrade yet and one of the cheapest.

 

[Native_bon]

I always make this piont about room acoutics but some on this forum or a particular person refuse to admit to its importance.

 

[Covenanter]

I always make this piont about room acoutics but some on this forum or a particular person refuse to admit to its importance.

I doubt that many think it can't be important but I suspect there are some who think that it isn't always important.

Chris

 

[Native_bon]

I always make this piont about room acoutics but some on this forum or a particular person refuse to admit to its importance.

I doubt that many think it can't be important but I suspect there are some who think that it isn't always important.

Chris

Yes do some how agree with your statement. But if your system does not sound the same as it did at demo in the shop, all things being equal, then it most be clear what the problem could be..

 

[davidpr]

Thanks for your responses. Before I moved house my system was in a small room without the aqbilty to 'treat' the room and it sounded ok, not great but ok. But having this space and targeting where the acoustic foam is situated has made me realise that the equipment, seating position and the room all combine to what ends up at your ears.

I am very happy with the result and I can sit and listen to more than 3 LP's now, it has stopped being tiring.

Also I referred to using building blocks as speaker stands. I tried going back to my original stands but the sound lost its impact so I have gone back to the concrete.

I am sure everyones circumstances are differnt but this works for me.

David.

 

[MakkaPakka]

I always make this piont about room acoutics but some on this forum or a particular person refuse to admit to its importance.

I think that's people who, for whatever reason, can't treat a room tell themselves it's really not that important and that moving speakers around is a perfect solution. I don't think I'll ever experience an upgrade the same as when I stuck a bass trap behind each speaker - I had no intention of putting them there permanently and it was just an experiement but I was bowled over. There started the slippery slope of measuring the room and adding ever more to it.

 

[nima]

No need for room treatment - if you have enough LPs, CDs and books.

 

[wilro15]

+1 for room treatment. I had photos printed onto large canvases, filled them with acoustic insulation and hung on wall. Result was nasty reverb mostly gone, much better sound! Added benefit of looking good too.

 

[the record spot]

I prefer my stereo to fit in with my room, not the other way around. Thankfully I have no need to "treat " my room.