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Room Treatments, When are they required?

Hey Audiogoners!!!

I threw my first BBq in my new home this weekend. One of my guests who is also into audio gear came and we ended up talking a bit about audio gear.

My livingroom where the audiogear will be has 15ft vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, and opens up to the dining room and kitchen. All pretty much in one real big l-shaped room.

I was telling him about my future upgrqade plans, which are nothing too extraordary, im thinking of some Parasound Amps and some Vandersteen 2CEs or 3As. It iwll be run 100% seperate from my HT system, but in the same room.

Anyways, he told me that it was a waste of money and there is no point in upgrading what i have unless i have a Dedicated listening room.

Personally, i think the accoustics in my livingroom are fantastic. Yes, some echo busters along the back wall or something might help out, but sound there is rich and full of live. Snap your fingers you get a nice clean SNAP, it doesent echo or linger any longer than it should. I have 3 very plush couches that do wonders for echo absorption.

When did everyone else start getting into room treatments and dedicated listening rooms?

Personally, i disagree with him, vandersteen 2ce's powered by some Parasound Amps will sound better than some radioshack speakers powered by a Denon 3505. No doubt about it in my mind. I dont care if it is installed in a dedicated room or a subway tunnel. it will sound better and i plan to upgrade.

When do YOU feel it is time to work on the room instead of the system?
Is there a certain price tag on the system that you feel is useless to upgrade further without having a dedicate room or room treatments?

Just curious.

Oh yeah, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
Woulda got that out earlier if i had been sober in the past few days.
slappy
robm321
932 posts
 
Well, room treatment is necessary to get your equipment to sound the way they are designed to. You spent all of that money, you may as well get what you paid for. A dedicated listening room is up to you. I decided to go with it and am glad I did. I did away with home theater all together. I found that I didn't need to hear every detail of Hollywood soundtracks. But music that's another story.

Again your choice.

As far as room treatment don't waste too much money on it. Furniture or DIY absorbing/diffusing panels will do good enough if placed at first reflection points. Since you seem to have your echo problems under control then that's one less thing to worry about. If bass is tight. Don't worry about traps in the corners.

to sum up:

Do treat first reflection points (critical)
Treat Echo (critical) unless room eliminates naturally
Bass traps (critical) unless room eliminates naturally

other treatment is just tweaking

Don't overdampen a room either. It will sound as bad as an untreated room or worse.
slipknot1
1,423 posts
 
hey Slappy!
How's the new house treating you? I'll add my 2 cents to the discussion here as my setup is in my living room as well.

I did have Rives Audio do the treatment planning and measurements for my living room with the idea in mind of making it sound good but also keeping in mind that it IS my living room. Richard Bird did a tremendous job, and is great to work with. I followed his recommendations and the room sounds great, looks great and, although I did not intend it to, has evolved into a dedicated 2 channel listening space that works as a sitting room too. Most of the time the family is in the family room for TV, movies, etc anyway.

Rives Audio level one service was the best value upgrade I did for my listening pleasure. Regular AudiogoN member Rushton has been over to hear the results and posted some comments under my system here at the 'goN.

Whatever you decide to do, do what's right for you and don't let anyone tell you what to do or badmouth what you decide. Congrats on the new digs and keep up the great posts!
slappy OP
903 posts
 
Nrchy, define a "Good System"
If you take an audiophile system and put it in a normal room without tweaks, would you say it sounds BAD?

I fully believe a good system will sound like a good system anywhere.

an Excellent system may only sound like an excellent system under optimal conditions, but even an excellent system will sound good in less than optimal.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
Slappy, a good system is the one you spent your hard-earned money on and decided after weighing the options that you wanted to buy. How's that for a deflection.

I will contend that a good system will not sound good in a bad room. It is possible for a system to sound good in an untreated room just like it is possible for you to get the best parking space at Goodwill the next time you a re shopping for new gear : ). It is just a coincidence that a system sometimes works in a room without any treatment, but the majority of systems, mine included need help with the room.

Why handicap a system capable of excellent sound? Put it in the best environment you can justify!
slappy OP
903 posts
 
That was a hell of a deflection.

I think my ears must be more forgiving.
For me, having a dedicated listening room just wont cut it. Ill never use it.
Some day when i get a good rig going again, i will probaably have Rives help me out and do what i can to treat the room tastfully and effectivly.
As far as the natural room accoustics go, they arent bad at all, and im pretty thankful for that!
Optimal? Not a chance.
Better than alot? Yeah i think so.

Man, i shouldnt have eaten that burrito
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