Teach a Newbie about midbase

[aginhouse]

Im running into an issue with midbase coming from my RF7ii's sounding very bloated an boomy. I know that this is a charcteristic of my room but Im wondering the best way to tackle the issue. The most pronounced "boom" tends to be heard from from high notes on a base or the low E of an acoustic guitar. It has become very distracting to listen to any music with a walking base line.

Question. I know I need to work on room acoustics but I have been putting this off until I furnish the room. That being said, which type of acoustic panel should I be looking for to help reduce this wave. Also, I have both towers sitting out about 1' from their respect corners(right angle corners). As a bandaid should I try pulling the speakers out of the corners temporarily?

Austin

[CECAA850]

The first thing you need to know about mid base is that its mid bass.[]

Treating a room for bass concerns normally involves bass traps in the corners, but that's usually for lower frequencies than you describe. Try getting the speakers out of the corners before you buy anything. You may be exciting some room nodes. Experiment with 2' from the closest wall (or as far as is practical if you can't go 2') and see what happens.

[Thaddeus Smith]

mid-base is where the short stop plays, right?

[aginhouse]

Only when your holding the runner tight ;-)

[Chris A]

That being said, which type of acoustic panel should I be looking for to help reduce this wave.

Bass traps in the corners of the room would definitely kill "boominess".

As a bandaid should I try pulling the speakers out of the corners temporarily?

You could always try anything like this that costs nothing, but I don't believe that you'd be happy, since this will likely put a notch in the spectrum at ~170-300 Hz--depending on how far you pull them out from the corners. But It's much better to solve the problem at its source and use bass traps. If you are looking for something cheap, then just insert a couple of plywood panels about 3' by 5' at 45 degrees from the corners and then pile some blankets/pillows into the space behind it.

Pushing the front speakers into the corners will actually smooth the response and allow you to EQ the bass down a bit to reduce modulation distortion (an old PWK trick). But you will still need some sort of corner absorption panels like bass traps to kill the boom - no matter where you put your speakers. If you try pushing the front into the corners, make sure that there aren't any other acoustically reflective objects within 3 feet of the fronts/room corners, and preferably 6 feet radius. Otherwise you'll have issues with midrange reflections.

If you use bass traps in the front corners, I think you will find that they are very effective, but maybe too much so think about using rear room corners.

http://www.atsacoustics.com/bass-traps.html

http://www.readyacoustics.com/bass_traps.html?cPath=26_7&

Chris

[thebes]

It has become very distracting to listen to any music with a walking base line.

Austin

Well in our league we put a spike in those bases. Keeps them from moving around.

I gather the room is rather bare at present? If so, just throw some objects in there Willy-nilly (he used to play for the Cubs). Even large empty boxes will help. Then hang a thick blanket on the back wall and Fiddle from there (he played for the Socks).

It's temporary but it should help break up waves and tame echoes. Once the furniture is in, the furniture itself it may be sufficient without further room treatments. But in an empty room, I'm thinking just doing panels or traps could mean you end up doing the wrong treatments and will have to change them again later Alligator (fabulous southpaw for the Cardinals).

[Ski Bum]

Im running into an issue with midbase coming from my RF7ii's sounding very bloated an boomy. I know that this is a charcteristic of my room but Im wondering the best way to tackle the issue. The most pronounced "boom" tends to be heard from from high notes on a base or the low E of an acoustic guitar. It has become very distracting to listen to any music with a walking base line.

Question. I know I need to work on room acoustics but I have been putting this off until I furnish the room. That being said, which type of acoustic panel should I be looking for to help reduce this wave. Also, I have both towers sitting out about 1' from their respect corners(right angle corners). As a bandaid should I try pulling the speakers out of the corners temporarily?

Austin

Have you played with one of those room mode calculators? Better yet, do you have any way to measure your room (Dayton Omnimic, calibrated usb mic + REW, or similar)?

Without measurements to determine what's really going on, it's more a shot in the dark, but certain patterns seem to hold true that you can use as a starting point. A rule of thumb for speakers is to place them at even divisions of the room's overall dimensions, halves, quarters, sixths, eighths, etc., and seating at odd divisions of room dimensions, thirds, fifths, etc. A few inches in one direction or the other can make dramatic differences when it comes to room modes. Experiment liberally with it.

[aginhouse]

Ok, based on the replies, Im going to start by grabbing blankets, pillows, small children....and just start filling up the space and see how changes the feel. I will also try moving my listening position a bit. The correct assumption was made that the room is currently bare with the exception of a leather chair, which doesn't absorb sound waves. Eventually the front wall will be covered with thick movie panel curtains. Once thats in place it will be a whole new ball game.

Cask, Im going to look over the traps, I am intrigued by the idea of using the rear corners. I may have to drop by on my way to work in the morning and borrow yours!!!

[Chris A]

I may have to drop by on my way to work in the morning and borrow yours!!!

If you're in the area, I've actually got a couple of traps that aren't being used upstairs that I could lend to you,

Chris

[aginhouse]

Chris, I drive to Hurst from McKinney every day. GB all the way out to Hwy10. I would love to borrow them if you seriously don't mind. Even more so, I would like to hear the Jubilee's in acton!!!

Austin

[Chris A]

Austin, sending a PM.

[CECAA850]

Pushing the front speakers into the corners will actually smooth the response and allow you to EQ the bass down a bit to reduce modulation distortion (an old PWK trick).

PWK wasn't working with rear ported speakers though.

If you don't move the speakers, try loosly stuffing some socks in the ports and see what happens.

[thebes]

If you don't move the speakers, try loosly stuffing some socks in the ports and see what happens.

I tried that trick in high school but I still couldn't get the girls.

[Dennie]

If you don't move the speakers, try loosly stuffing some socks in the ports and see what happens.

I tried that trick in high school but I still couldn't get the girls.

Clean socks! [:S]

Dennie []

[CECAA850]

If you don't move the speakers, try loosly stuffing some socks in the ports and see what happens.

I tried that trick in high school but I still couldn't get the girls.

You sure you weren't using them in lieu of girls???

[Mongo171]

If you don't move the speakers, try loosly stuffing some socks in the ports and see what happens.

I tried that trick in high school but I still couldn't get the girls.

You sure you weren't using them in lieu of girls???

I guess Thebes heard that "stuffing" a port might be helpful. [:|]

[CECAA850]

And the newbie gets his first threadjack[]

[Thaddeus Smith]

[Taz]

If you don't move the speakers, try loosly stuffing some socks in the ports and see what happens.

I tried that trick in high school but I still couldn't get the girls.

Ya gotta put them in the Front, not in the Back.[]

Taz