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Does the first reflection point actually matter??

Hello my friends,

So please read the whole post before commenting. The question is nuanced.

First, as you probably know I’m a huge fan of the well treated room, and a fan boy of GIK acoustics as a result, so what I am _not_ arguing is against proper room treatment. I remember many years ago, perhaps in Audio magazine (dating myself?) the concept of treating the first reflection points came up, and it seems really logical, and quickly adopted. Mirrors, flashlights and lasers and paying the neighbor’s kid (because we don’t have real friends) to come and hold them while marking the wall became common.

However!! In my experience, I have not actually been able to tell the difference between panels on and off that first reflection point. Of course, I can hear the difference between panels and not, but after all these years, I want to ask if any of you personally know that the first reflection point really matters more than other similar locations. Were we scammed? By knowing I mean, did you experiment? Did you find it the night and day difference that was uttered, or was it a subtle thing, and if those panels were moved 6" off, would you hear it?


Best,


Erik
erik_squires
newbee
4,775 posts
 
Not exactly on point, but close 

For those of you who want to have the greatest clarity from your speakers and have decided to put 1st point reflection killers on the outer sides of your speakers already, try putting an identical pair on the inside of your speakers. This will effectively give you as sharp/clear signal as you will ever get. If you want that kind of signal - If you have no wife - If your not anal about the physical appearance.  

Many years ago I had a product called Echo Muffs which was, in essence a 5' high U shaped heavy latex pad wrapped around and close the sides and rear of the speaker and projecting forward about 6 inches in front of the speaker. Boy, did it work! Sort of like a poor man's LE/DE room.
Then I got married! :-)
steve59's avatar
steve59
1,789 posts
 
Speakers that can lean towards bright will sound less sibilant with the first reflection points treated if you can’t place them as far from the sidewall as your listening chair.
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,539 posts
 
I am using Stillpoints Aperture 2's at first reflection point but they really clicked into place when I added another set of Apertures in the center, between the speakers that is.

ozzy
tony1954's avatar
tony1954
1,124 posts
 
Personally I never quite understood the idea of the "first reflection point", but simply deferred to popular opinion. If speakers generate sound in a cone-shaped pattern in both horizontal and vertical planes, then why is the first reflection on the adjacent wall any more impactful on SQ than the first reflection point anywhere along the edge of the sound wave.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,196 posts
 
Because acoustic equations ask for some origin point in space and time...

But sound is not reducible to physical linear waves equations only, like many other phenomenon....

« The ears speak» -Groucho Marx

then why is the first reflection on the adjacent wall any more impactful on SQ than the first reflection point anywhere along the edge of the sound wave.
Because of the timing aspect.....

But i created my room acoustic without being slave to  an equation, on the contrary not obeying to the sound wave, i decide to command to the sound wave... This is active device controls of the room....
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