electricontr Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 I've just move into a new home. The livingroom is 25' X 20', vaulted ceiling (4-12 pitch)with the peak at 15'. I Have a Yamaha 120watt amp. driving a Klipsch RF 25 home theater system with a 10" sub. The floors are hardwood and one wall has a 8' x 12' window in it. As you can imagine it is a major echo chamber. The system sits in one corner and projects caddycorner across the room. My wife objects to throw rugs that will cover parts of the wood floor. I really need some suggestions to help with the echos. To compound matters I wear one hearing aid. If anyone has some suggestions I would sure appreciate it. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 " My wife objects to throw rugs that will cover parts of the wood floor." What about hanging decorative rugs or quilts on the various walls? Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 You need Auralex dude. I am hesitant to recomend them though if your Wife finds no WAF in simple improvements such as throw rugs. A tough position to be in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebse2a3 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 ---------------- On 2/1/2005 2:58:03 PM electricontr wrote: I've just move into a new home. The livingroom is 25' X 20', vaulted ceiling (4-12 pitch)with the peak at 15'. I Have a Yamaha 120watt amp. driving a Klipsch RF 25 home theater system with a 10" sub. The floors are hardwood and one wall has a 8' x 12' window in it. As you can imagine it is a major echo chamber. The system sits in one corner and projects caddycorner across the room. My wife objects to throw rugs that will cover parts of the wood floor. I really need some suggestions to help with the echos. To compound matters I wear one hearing aid. If anyone has some suggestions I would sure appreciate it. Bob ---------------- Some floor(Rugs), wall or ceiling treatments would probably be the best answer in your situation but if thats not possible then a couple of thoughts come to mind. Maybe try a chair(Cloth covered and well stuffed)with a highback. If you want you could just try a pillow behind your head to see if blocking some of the echos from behind you would help.Actually try the pillow to your sides and over your head just to see how much if any of the echoing is calmed down. Anything to help breakup the reflections would help also like bookcases(Needs to have plenty of books and things kind of randomly placed)if they might be acceptable. Sounds like you are getting reflections from all around but if they do seem to come from specific directions then maybe you can interrupt it by slightly changing placement or angle of the speakers as well as walk around and see if you can find any locations(that would be suitable for a listening location) where the echoes quiten down. Tough situation Good Luck mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Hi electricontr Its a tough spot, you could try getting accoustic fabric blinds fixed above your window that would be hidden behind a wife approved window treatment. When you want to listen to music you could lower the blinds. Assume your usualy alone w/music otherwise your wife would understand, I was in the same boat, blinds also help movies for light. Bookselves might fit and perhap pick out as much fabric furniture (hopefully sound absorbing) as you can. Supposedly there is acoustic paint but I have no experiance with it. If you have a basement (hopefully finished) buy a second system for the room upstairs and move the good stuff down there. My orginal H/T was in the family room, but once I got the RF7s, I was told they could not stay there long, so $$$$$ later I have my room in the basement and she still does not know how to turn on/work anything, but I love her anyway. Go Figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 First of all, we should not confuse echo(bad), with ambience or just plain old reverberation (good). Your situation may not be as dire as you think. Many high quality recording/mastering studios have hardwood floors. In fact its often recommended that the floors be hard surfaced (especially wood), with either sound absorption being on the ceiling, or a higher ceiling height (>8). In your case, you have a high ceiling, AND its vaulted (good) as this will help break up room modes (affecting lower frequencies) and help with diffusion in general. It seems to me that with all the normal furniture and decorations that usually go into a room like this, there should be very little remaining echo anywhere. To test for echo or hot spots, walk around the room and clap your hands, snap your fingers, make SSSSSSSSS sounds, and listen carefully for echo ping, or flutter. Make note of the axial directions and reflecting surfaces that you hear any of these effects. These are places where your room is ringing. If some of the more effective sound absorption products made specifically for this purpose is offensive, consider placing them behind some curtains (false window), or in some bookcases. If you have a favorite listening spot, have someone move a small mirror around placed flat on the walls (& ceiling if u can) while you sit and watch for the speakers reflection to appear in the mirror. When you can see the speakers reflection, the mirrors location is where some kind of sound absorption/diffusion could be applied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 a diffuser and 2 sound panels will solve that problem easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Excellent, this has been a help to me, too. What I have might be described as a flutter or 'open buzz' nearly dead center in the room. This is not just mildly reverberant sound, but strong and sharp. It can't be good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.