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Diffuser or absorber behind listening position....and is it worth doing??

I am a relatively new to serious two channel listening so I don't have a lot of experience to rely on. However, from what I have read on this site I do feel pretty confident that improving my room acoustics via absorber and defusers panels will be the best way to improve SQ at this point. Unfortunately, because my listening room doubles as my living room the only place I can only use panels ( no base traps) and only behind my listening position.... hence my title question. What say you.....will I benefit from adding diffusers? Or should it be absorbers? or forget it and be happy with what I have. (which I am.... )

Here are some room and placement specifics:
Room 12 ft by 18ft 
Speakers (ribbon tweeter) on Long wall with large window with wood blinds on right and drywall on the left
Speakers baffle are 32 inches off front wall and 48 inches off both side wall and are 10 ft apart with a 6x9 rug.
Sitting position can be either against the wall or 2ft off the wall (just slide couch forward....which I do because sound stage and imaging is better).

My main goal is to improve imaging and stage. If it is worth doing, would there be any other benefits? Also,
could you recommend how large a space should the panels cover..... how thick panels should be?

Thanks in advance



 
mrpsync
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
My main goal is to improve imaging and stage.
There's much more effective ways to do this than room treatments.

Do you already have your speakers on Townshend Podiums? Are all your components on Pods? Are your components treated with Synergistic Research ECT? Are the speakers treated with HFT? Are you using any HFT room treatment? Orange Fuses? FEQ?

All these will improve imaging and stage far more than any room treatments you will be able to get WAF for. Deservedly so. No one should put up with tube traps when putting the speakers on Podiums will clean up the bass just as much and improve imaging and detail more than any acoustic treatment you could do in your room.

Actually any one of these will be about as good as all the panels, while being essentially invisible in terms of decor. 
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,017 posts
 
Owens Corning 703 make it yourself  see( hear ) You already know what 2’ got you.....the anti science crowd does not understand the attenuation those 2’ provided AND how to get more....

can you post a few pictures in the virtual systems page also please.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,017 posts
 
do you have an ipad ? You might want to run an app inside Studio Six digital tools, PM for free help. Pretty much every recording studio has glass...and of course there are excellent acoustic curtain companies.in your room.the issue is balance w drywall opposite. Carpet good but not a broadband absorber, it will help.

Don't dismay many a dedicated audio room lags far behind the natural diffraction, diffusion , etc in a well lived in room.
mrpsync OP
31 posts
 
MC
Appreciate the respond and I probably should have mentioned I have bookshelf monitors and that they are on isolation stands. So I think I got that covered. Unfortunately I don't recognize the acronyms ....so pretty sure I haven't tried them. I have some homework to do.


mrpsync OP
31 posts
 
601 -  sounds like you think absorption is the way to go. Do you have dimension to recommend?

I'll try and post images tomorrow.

thanks
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