Hi, Get rid of rumblin/buzzy bass

[geoyil]

Hey guys!

I need some help since this is not my strongest field. I own floorstanding speakers Jbl studio 580 and a marantz sr5008. I have a room that is around 20 square metres. And I placed the speakers on the long side of the wall.

I know I have a small room for these speakers but I actually think they can sound pretty good her, I have one problem though, the buzzy bass. Sometimes on some songs it goes very low and it becomes buzzyrumbling However this is when I sit in the sofa which is close to the wall.

If i take a step (1.5m) forward and listen it goes away. When I am in this position I am between the sofa and the speakers so they are pretty close to each other. I cant take the speakers further from the wall since I have a girlfriend and I already took them out about 40cm or so.

Anyway I was thinking a soundpanel behind the sofa right on the wall might do the job so I can sit in the sofa but it would be like sitting in that position 1.5 m forward? Anybody know if this works or not? Or any other ideas? I cant really use a bass trap since they seem really big. I was thinking more lika a acoustic panel that looks nice.

If any other ideas might do the job please let me know 🙂

 

[hifikrazy]

I cant take the speakers further from the wall since I have a girlfriend and I already took them out about 40cm or so.

This is a curious statement 🙂

Any chance to place the speakers on the short side of the wall? An acoustic panel right behind your head isn't going to do much to trap the bass unless they are quite thick panels like these which are 5.25 inches thick:

http://www.gikacoustics.com/product/gik-acoustics-244-bass-trap-flexrange-technology/

 

[geoyil]

🙂 Oh that is too bad.. Any more places I can look at bass traps? Unfortunately I cant place them on the short side. alot of other stuffs that wouldnt work in that case :/

 

[the record spot]

Can you adjust positioning where the speakers are? Toe them out, or straight on, move them out from the wall a little? Positioning is all and you might not need to spend money on bass traps, especially if you want to keep your living space look more like a living space!

 

[geoyil]

I tried just for experimenting to take them out alot more than what they are now but it didnt make a lot of differences. I can try to toe them out but I tried that aswell but didnt do much. I dont think it would help by taking them out but it would help to move my listening position 1.5m which is ALOT. It is basically in the middle of the room 😛

What if I invest on two bass traps behind the speakers? But lets say they are thick but the length and height is not alot. But still thick ofcourse. Would that help? And if yes would that mean I have to take out the speakers even more because I put them behind 🙁?

 

[hifikrazy]

Typical locations for bass traps are the front corners and also each of the 4 corners of the ceiling. However, those front corner bass traps are bulky and unsightly.

I too sit very close to the back wall, and it does help (more so on the imaging) to put some absorptive and diffusive material behind your head. I have a combination of both.

I use some other inconsipicous room treatment products that are non bulky and have done wonders to provide excellent well controlled bass in my room which is even smaller than yours,(about 16 square meters) but I can't recommend them here because they will attract too many snake oil gibes and they do cost a lot.

I would also spend a bit more time experimenting with speaker placement. Try moving them further in or out. 1/3 or 1/5 of the room length (measured from front wall to back wall) will tend to reduce the bass, although this is not a hard and fast rule as items placed within the room may throw out some of these ratios.

As a last resort which I don't personally like to do, just partially plug the bass port. Don't fully plug it as I think it makes a speaker sound constipated.

 

[Escapism]

Buzzy bass you say.? Could it be something in the room resonating?

Edit - ignore, I see you mentioned it goes away when you move around.

 

[hifikrazy]

Buzzy bass you say.? Could it be something in the room resonating?

Yea, I was going to say. It's not boomy bass but buzzy bass.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

I dont think my corner bass traps look too bad (diy). Depends on room..They have worked magic (as my sig)

 

[geoyil]

I cant move out the speakers more than I have that is why I was considering something to put on the wall. It will look so bad if I move out the speakers further. Its hard to put bass traps for me in the corners since one of them corners have a desk standing..

And i should also mention that they are already plugged. This is ofcourse only in some songs but the sound im hearing when i sit in the middle of the sofa and the speakers are incredible and i want that sound on the sofa and I was just wondering if it is possible to get that with a acoustic panel or bass trap or whatever its called. Those that are thicker that you can ahve on the wall.

 

[skippy]

I noticed you said the buzzing stops if you move, but it does sound like you've either got some sort of cabinet or room vibration.

Nothing's fallen into the rear port has it, you could get that kazoo type sound?

 

[geoyil]

I noticed you said the buzzing stops if you move, but it does sound like you've either got some sort of cabinet or room vibration.

Nothing's fallen into the rear port has it, you could get that kazoo type sound?

No they are new and nothing has fallen into it. I think the problem is that when i sit close to the backwall where the sofa is the sub "increases" not really sure what the proper words are here but it gets stronger for the listener.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

IMO bass trap is the only solution. Experiment with rockwool or even a duvet to see if and where it helps. Plenty of posts here if you search. A photo/diagram will help others to advise

 

[hg]

I know I have a small room for these speakers but I actually think they can sound pretty good her, I have one problem though, the buzzy bass. Sometimes on some songs it goes very low and it becomes buzzyrumbling However this is when I sit in the sofa which is close to the wall.

If i take a step (1.5m) forward and listen it goes away. When I am in this position I am between the sofa and the speakers so they are pretty close to each other. I cant take the speakers further from the wall since I have a girlfriend and I already took them out about 40cm or so.

If you want reasonable bass you cannot have your head next to a wall. The wall forces the air velocity to be zero and hence you have a maximum fluctuation in pressure. If you want reasonable bass you must move your chair out into the room as you have established. Have a listen close to some of the other walls as a check.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Not sure about your explaination hg but clearly settee/wall is one of many obsticles in our quest for best sound. The op describes the common problem of compromise between best sound and best room decor/arrangement. Speaker position is important and room treatment is the solution but we all have to compromise in a domestic environment. I have tried traps behind the settee but the front traps were far more effective. I would go further but its a lounge and not a studio. 🙂

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Can you move your speakers further apart -

If you're hearing buzzing that would suggest something in the room, have a good look round, get one of those test disks that give a rattle test.

How loud are you playing these boxes anyway?

 

[geoyil]

Can you move your speakers further apart -

If you're hearing buzzing that would suggest something in the room, have a good look round, get one of those test disks that give a rattle test.

How loud are you playing these boxes anyway?

I am not playing loud or sometimes I am but even in low volume I can hear the buzzing. I actually havent tried to take the speakers further apart. Only to take them further away from the wall. I will try that but not really sure why that would help though?

About bass traps it seems like the only solution. I just talked to a guy on GIK acoustics and he recommended to put 1-3 of theese:

http://www.gikacoustics.com/product/gik-acoustics-monster-bass-trap-flexrange-technology/

which are so thick that it will become so ugly. And they should be behind the sofa so not really sure if I want to live with good sound and ugly room or bad sound (sometimes) and nice room:/.. this truly sucks

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Move them apart you'll see - try firing them straight ahead, then try toe in to your listening position. see how you get on.

looking at those boxes I bet you don't play them loud....... NOT!!

 

[geoyil]

Move them apart you'll see - try firing them straight ahead, then try toe in to your listening position. see how you get on.

looking at those boxes I bet you don't play them loud....... NOT!!

lol 🙂 Ofcourse I do but still I can hear the bad bass on some songs even on low volume.

Ill try to move them aparat 🙂 thanks for the tip!!

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Sorry it sucks! Guess physics sucks! I recon all the answers are here now. Experiment and make the choices.. Best of lick

 

[hg]

Not sure about your explaination hg but clearly settee/wall is one of many obsticles in our quest for best sound. The op describes the common problem of compromise between best sound and best room decor/arrangement. Speaker position is important and room treatment is the solution but we all have to compromise in a domestic environment. I have tried traps behind the settee but the front traps were far more effective. I would go further but its a lounge and not a studio. 🙂

Even if you do not know what sound is or how it behaves in a room it still seems surprising that you haven't noticed what happens to bass when you put your head near a wall. Its the same as when you put a speaker near a wall (reciprocity theorem).

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Simple wave theory :cheer: