Room Accoustics

[m00n]

I have a building here where I could build a dedicated theater room. There are two section of the builing I would choose from. Both are the same size, however, one has valted ceiling the other does not. Which room would produce the better accoustics?

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the m00n system

FRONTS: RF-7

CENTER: RC-7

SURROUNDS: RS-7

SUB: RSW-12

RECEIVER: Harman Kardon AVR 520

DVD: Toshiba SD 3205 (DD, DTS)

TV: Samsung 27" Flatscreen

COMPUTER: ProMedia 4.1

c>Microsoft XBOXc>

f>

[Colin]

There are two very basic steps that I would recommend that you take to learn more about your room acoustics and how it effects you home theater. But my first question is always the same what problem are you trying to solve? Does something not sound right? Or, are you simply tweaking away to get the latest spec of performance?

The first step should be done alone, lest one suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous teasings. From outside your listening room, clap your hands together and listen to how they sound. Try shouting a hey and listening for the echo or reverberations. (Now do you see why you should do this alone?) How does the clapping and the shouting sound?

Then walk slowly into your listening room, clapping and shouting what difference did you notice? Is inside the room deader than outside? Is it more alive?

Walk around the room, shouting and/or clapping. How is the spot where you listen, or where the speakers are? Is it better? Worse? Did you notice reflections off the sidewalls? Listening to natural sounds tells you how your room is what the acoustics are and what could be done to improve them.

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Colin's Music System Cornwall 1s & Klipsch subs; lights out & tubes glowing!

[m00n]

Colin,

The only problem I am trying to resolve is that my wife and I tend to have differences about what is acceptable listening levels. Hmmm gee imagine that.

So, she has suggested that I take and build my very own theater outside in our extra building. It used to be a 3 bay tractor garage. The previous owner fixed it up to somewhat of a hapital living space. It really is a perfect place for this. So, my issue is, should I put it in the section that has a vaulted ceiling or a non vaulted ceiling. Both rooms are completely sepparated by a wall, and both rooms are carpeted. Mostly I was just wondering how the extra openess of the vaulted ceiling would affect the overall sound quality.

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the m00n system

FRONTS: RF-7

CENTER: RC-7

SURROUNDS: RS-7

SUB: RSW-12

RECEIVER: Harman Kardon AVR 520

DVD: Toshiba SD 3205 (DD, DTS)

TV: Samsung 27" Flatscreen

COMPUTER: ProMedia 4.1

c>Microsoft XBOXc>

f>

[j-malotky]

Moon

You will get a more desirable sound with a flat ceiling.

JM

[mace]

M00n,

My first thought was that you'd get better sound with the vaulted ceiling part because standing waves would be less likely to form.

j-malotky: what was the reasoning for recommending the flat ceiling room?

m00n: What are the ceiling heights of each part? Regardless of what people recommend here chances are you're going to have to try both rooms. Room acoustics are really hard to predict and they do play a vital role in how the music sounds. Colin's suggestions are good to get started in trying to decide.

Good luck,

Mace

[justin_tx_16]

i would say vaulted ceilngs, think of a cathedral.

also, if this is of any help...

http://www.lotsui.net/soundwise/id91.htm

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-justin

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[Klipschguy]

I've done flat and cathedral. The cathedral, to my ears, gives a more open, natural sound. But the increased volume of air in the room requires more square inches of woofer to drive the bass. A bigger room gives better sound (usually), but requires more speaker.

Andy

[Lone Palm]

I visited the Klipsch plant in 1978 and the listening room there had vaulted ceilings.

[HDBRbuilder]

"Cathedral" ceilings are angled flat surfaces with a peak..."vaulted" ceilings are in the manner of either a roman or gothic arch...the Klipsch sound room has a "cathedral" ceiling. This sound room was also PURPOSELY built into the old red brick building for just this purpose...primarily to show off a three speaker stereo array...I worked there when it was built. A regular 8' flat ceiling in a LARGE room will generally provide more reflection than a room with a higher ceiling.

If the peak of a cathedral ceiling falls in the same vertical plane as the intended "sweet spot", or behind it, you are better off...providing this vertical plane is parallel to the front speaker vertical plane.

The tendency of some would be to argue the point I just made, but one must remember, in a church with a cathedral ceiling, the peak runs from front to rear...this is to provide the entire congregation with the ability to hear sound projected from one point (preacher and choir)...whereas in a home theater, the sound is projected from multiple points around the perimeter to just one "sweet spot"...thereby making the best method for a peak in a cathedral ceiling to be perpendicular to that in a church...with the sweet spot directly beneath the peak or forward of it towards the front speakers and screen, so as to limit the reflection of sound from the downward slope of the ceiling behind the sweet spot, and eliminate reflection from the front.

Decisions of this kind rely upon alot more than the ceiling type. Many things must be considered...windows, doors, wall insulation, wall covering( curtains? cloth? padded cloth covering? paint?...is it a textured finish, or a flat interior paint, or....?)...add to that the ceiling surface and its underlying insulation...the list goes on and on...

The best way to plan a home theater room is to just go to a newer type good movie theater...look at how it is set up...generally, most have a full-sidewall pleated curtain treatment, carpeted walls above the curtains, etc, etc....the ceiling raises as you go farther away from the screen, not just because of the seating, but because it allows for expansion of frontal sound waves with little or no reflection of them. These are professionally designed for the purpose, therefore the best examples.

Hope this helps some.

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If you want to send a private message, or have already done so, be aware I have not as yet been able to retrieve them. Send e-maill instead, please...just note Klipsch forum in the heading so it doesn't get deleted.

This message has been edited by HDBRbuilder on 05-12-2002 at 11:49 AM

[iwillwalk]

quote:

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The only problem I am trying to resolve is that my wife and I tend to have differences about what is acceptable listening levels. Hmmm gee imagine that.

---

That "only" problem is quite common I think

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Main's-JVC

Center-Fisher

Suround's-Fisher

DVD Player-Panasonic

Receiver-Sony

TV-Philphs 30 inch

Sub-I pretend I have a 7 foot SVS tower of power like HornEd.

-In storage-(not for long)

1973 Walnut Cornwalls

198? Walnut Hersey II's

1999 Mahogany KLF-30's

1999 Mahogany KLF-C7

2001 Black Ash RB-5's

Receiver-Yamaha 995

DVD Player-Toshiba 3109

T.V.-Toshiba 52 inch

1 KSW 15

[m00n]

Guys thanks for all your input.

IF I do this, most likely I will build it in the room with the vaulted ceiling. Reason is, is that the room with the flat ceiling was going to become a workshop for me. That being the case, the H/T would be in the middle section of the 3 bay garage, with my office off to the left of that. I will have to take some pictures off what every room looks like and post them. I will do this as soon as I can get a SCSI card for my PC. I need one so I can run my scanner. One cool thing is that if I build it in my center section, I already have that section painted blue, with a midnight blue ceiling. So it would be nice and dark.

I think my biggest issue with this is that, this room would only be used for watching DVD's and nothing else. And to some degree it seems like a waste of money. But DAMN, it would be nice to a room where the guys could come over, have some beers and watch movies. The place has a small kitchen, bathroom... It's really kinda cool. Many friends have come over and been very envious of this extra building. If I take the time and money, this is a awesome place for a husbands dog house.

Anyway, I will get a scsi card in my PC and take some pictures so I can scann them in here in the next week.

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the m00n system

FRONTS: RF-7

CENTER: RC-7

SURROUNDS: RS-7

SUB: RSW-12

RECEIVER: Harman Kardon AVR 520

DVD: Toshiba SD 3205 (DD, DTS)

TV: Samsung 27" Flatscreen

COMPUTER: ProMedia 4.1

c>Microsoft XBOXc>

f>

[iwillwalk]

Everyone needs a doghouse!

------------------

Main's-JVC

Center-Fisher

Suround's-Fisher

DVD Player-Panasonic

Receiver-Sony

TV-Philphs 30 inch

Sub-I pretend I have a 7 foot SVS tower of power like HornEd.

-In storage-(not for long)

1973 Walnut Cornwalls

198? Walnut Hersey II's

1999 Mahogany KLF-30's

1999 Mahogany KLF-C7

2001 Black Ash RB-5's

Receiver-Yamaha 995

DVD Player-Toshiba 3109

T.V.-Toshiba 52 inch

1 KSW 15