Best room treatment

OP:

Room EQ Wizard is free software. I’m not sure how much it has been extended, but originally it was free _measurement_ software, not EQ changes.

And no, it’s not the same. Regardless of the system, Dirac, Audessey, JL Audio, etc. all make different choices about what the final solution should be. I like some a lot more than I like others.

There is no absolute standard about what automatic room correction should do to any given system.  While there are publicly available algorithms that can measure and feed a DSP, the judgment about the final result is i nthe hands and ears of the programmers. 

Having said all of this, what they do, generally, really well, is set the crossover points, and levels between subs and the rest of the system.

Best,

E

My large listening room, roughly 21x14, with a peak 12' cathedral ceiling, has a full wall of windows on one side, a floor to ceiling brick fireplace wall in the back, and a flimsy wallboard wall opposite the windows (due to pocket doors).  Wood floors, rough cedar ceiling. Floor to ceiling bookshelf on back wall. I knew my acoustics were severely limiting the quality of sound produced by my very expensive system but I wanted immediate gratification improvements.  Fortunately my listening room is off limits for aesthetic comment.  I intended to do a short term experiment on the cheap, and I did.  $200 in one inch acoustic foam squares from Walmart covered both side walls, floor to ceiling.  I hot glued them to windows, stapled them to wallboard so very easily undone.  Black egg crate 2" thick mattress pads cover critical parts of the brick wall.  They are easily shifted for maximum effect by drilling tiny holes in the brick grout and using finishing nails to hang.  Minimal throw rugs, again easily shifted, help final tuning.  I'll even move them depending on the recording quality of what I've got on.  That was a year ago.  Maybe some day I'll go for something more high brow, but this low buck solution had astounding results.  For bass I have twin raised REL G1 subs to pressurize and dig deeper than my YG Sonjas will go.  Thanks to friend Dick Diamond from YG, who happened to be in town.  He used his amazing ears to help me set the RELs for the most pleasing crossover points and volume - big benefit of the REL remote controls!  I could never have done that without sound measuring equipment.  With the money saved, I invested more in component suspension which is a bit harder to do on the super cheap but is super critical with my gear and suspended wood floor.  No better advice than to experiment and trust your ears!

Ronboco, no need for embarrassment!  We are all learners trying to help each other enjoy the music.  Eric's comments above with respect to REW are correct.  REW can be used to develop equalization files, but I are not advocating that use.  I'm advocating its use as a sophisticated measurement tool that allows you to understand what your speakers are doing in your room.   It allows you to make highly informed choices about the tradeoffs that result from positioning decisions, absorption and diffusion decisions, and other system changes including placement of subwoofers, phasing of those subwoofers, etc.   

I have nothing against digital room correction.  I use a Lyngdorf 2170 in my living room, where I don't want a bunch of subs and I don't want to install conventional absorption and diffusion panels.  I do not, and probably will not, use DRC in my dedicated listening room.  

If you plan on using a receiver that offers DRC, then there is no harm in trying it and seeing what it does.   The key word there is "see."  Seeing requires measuring.  Measuring requires REW.  As I said, every decision you make involves  tradeoffs.   

Hi, with this sort of thing, look to youtube, it shows how to make them and there are a shed full, of idea's , and will save you a packet,

Hello ronboco,

     I just want to clarify a few things that will hopefully help your understanding.  The distributed bass array (DBA) is a concept discovered virtually simultaneously through empirical scientific experiments performed by Dr. Earl Geddes and Dr. Floyd Toole.  Their basic results can be summarized as:  the more subs utilized in a given room, the better the bass response performance becomes.  They found there were significant performance gains up to 4 subs and only marginal performance gains beyond 4 subs.
      The empirical scientific methodology utilized is important because it means their experiments can be independently and reliably duplicated by others, while obtaining highly similar results, following the exact same methodology.  This is the process that establishes scientific truths or facts.
      Geddes told his protege, Duke LeJeune, about his discovery and generously gave Duke his permission to use the concept if he wanted to.  Duke said "thank you very much E.G.", proceeded to create a complete kit product based (bassed?) on this concept and named it The Audio Kinesis Swarm.
      In turn, Duke has also been generous with this DBA concept.  He readily admits that it performs equally well, along with it being scalable and likely performing even better,  if a custom 4-sub DBA is created by using larger and/or higher quality passive or self-amplified subs.  However, a custom 4-sub DBA will not only be more expensive, it will be more difficult to set up since the volume, crossover frequency and phase controls need to be optimally adjusted on each sub rather than just once for all 4 subs on the Swarm's amp/control unit.
     I have a lot of experience and knowledge with using 1-4 subs but mainly in my 23'x16' room with an 8' ceiling.  It may be best for you to first experiment with optimally positioning your 2 existing subs in your room, using either the REW or the sub crawl method, and evaluating the results.  If reasonably satisfied, you always have the option to add a 3rd and/or fourth sub.  You also have the option of buying a $200 Mini DSP unit  which makes connecting and adjusting up to 4 subs easier.
     Your choice should also be guided by whether you want very good bass performance throughout your entire room or just at a single designated listening seat.  At least 3 subs are required for good bass throughout the entire room.
     To answer some of your other questions, I wouldn't concern yourself with bass traps and other room treatments until you get the bass sounding right in your room.  I'm also confident that 2-4 subs, properly positioned and configured, will integrate well with any pair of main speakers.

Hang tough,
 Tim