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Room Acoustics Problem????

I'm hoping someone can provide some input to resolve what I "think" is a room acoustics problem. I have a HT setup in a rectangular shaped room approximately 20' (L) by 12' (W). My television and front speakers are located on the length of the room. Although I have 5 speakers in the room for surround HT sound, I listen a great deal to 2 channel as well. What I'm noticing is that the left speaker always appears to be louder than the right speaker, throwing the sound off-balance. After reading a few articles on room acoustics, I'm attributing the louder sound to the bay windows which are located next to the left speaker. I'm assuming the bay windows add increased reflections in the sound. The right speaker is located next to an open space so there is no added reflections from that speaker.

Is there an easy way of fixing this problem other than using the balance control to change the output? Would adding absorption materials near the bay windows (maybe curtains?) solve the problem? I'm hoping that I could come up with a simple solution without spending too much money. Any advice would be appreciated!

Tony
calgarian5355
inpepinnovations1e75
395 posts
 
Use the balance control, you might be surprised! Any added distortion, if you can hear it, surely is less than the "distortion" that you are experiencing now.
With your unbalanced room/speaker placement, there will always be some unsatisfactory element to the sound.
In fact, another solution, would be to equalize the sound from the speaker with the two boundaries, but gosh that might introduce some other "detectable" distortion, which, again, might be worse than what you have.
Another more acceptable way (at least to the cable crowd)to equalize for one channel, is to get a different speaker wire for that channel.
Salut, Bob P.
benie
147 posts
 
If you live in a big city you might be able to find a place that sells second hand hotel curtains, the better ones are what they call blackout curtians they absorb light + sound. but it is not a wall,you can make an absorbing panell on a stand and move it in place for critical listening, if you want to go cheap even a used office divider will help.
jkmw's avatar
jkmw
9 posts
 
Couple more links: ASC, Acoustic Sciences Corp, maker of the famous tube trap, acousticsciences.com, and Rives Audio, rivesaudio.com a very interesting site. Don't forget the ceiling! Anybody have any thoughts on ceiling treatments?
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
I had the same exact problem and I am lucky to have adjustments on dpeaker to compensate for the room, when I first moved into new house, I got a more powerful amp and thought it might be the amp, but it was the room and the adjustment worked great.

P.S. toe-in and one speaker a few extra inches out works great too
warnerwh
539 posts
 
Someone who is very knowledgeable is Ethan Winer of Realtraps. Give him a call. Pics would probably help too. He's very helpful with people that aren't even interested in buying anything. His prices though are the best for what you get from what I've seen. Windows are bad and thick heavy curtains would definitely help. If you have a balance control don't be afraid to use it, although I understand your thoughts there. Heavy drapes should be your next step if possible. DSP like a Tact will also work but is obviously more expensive. When room acoustics get better so does the sound quality.
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