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Right-sizing the system / room treatment evangelist

I spent some time looking through a lot of the system photos yesterday. I was really struck by how much beautiful high end equipment is out there… usually very tastefully added / integrated with an existing living room, den, or some other existing room. But also how incredibly compromising these rooms have to be to the sound. There are a few with extensive room treatments, but the vast majority are nestled in with open doors, fireplaces, windows… and huge speakers in small spaces, some untreated boxy reflective rooms.

There are a few room treatment evangelists around here. I see why. There are tremendous opportunities to radically improve the sound. I am really lucky to have accidentally bought a large house with a really excellent large acoustic space. My dealer friend of over 20 years sell and installs high end systems an is very cognizant of right-sizing the system for the sound space. We have been carefull to right size my speakers. There is an optimum size system for a space.

I remember hearing one of the most incredible systems in a tiny room / large closet. It was at a dealer who had carefully chosen the equipment / size to be room appropriate… and the added benefit was it was less expensive… smaller speakers, less powerful amp.

So, I think if I was faced with putting my system in the living room (like I did when starting out) with all sorts of compromises, vs a smaller extra bedroom where I could control the space and right size the system. I would now choose the smaller space.

ghdprentice
golfsh00ter's avatar
golfsh00ter
7 posts
 

Hey folks, I don’t post often but read plenty. I have a small square dedicated listening room - roughly 13 x 13 - so I’ve been a big fan of room treatments out of necessity.  My current speakers (Aerial Acoustic 6t’s) are probably a little too big for the space, but I’ve got them dialed in pretty good with the treatments and bass traps. Although I still have that 40-60Hz bloat that comes along with a square space.  I’ve had the 6t almost 3 years and I’m researching upgrades now, being very cautious not to overload the room while still getting some nice punch from tight low end.  So I’ll likely still end up with small towers again (vs monitors), but I’m not ruling anything out in the $10-15K range.  Candidates are Joseph Audio Perspective 2, SF Olympica Nova II, QLN Prestige 3, Wilson Sabrina X (stretch), TAD ME1. We’ll see what I can demo at home and how they play w, current my system.  

 

kingharold
304 posts
 

Comprehensive room correction such as that provided by my DEQX HDP4 can go a very long way toward correcting room problems.  Of course it works best in a room that is already pretty good.  I have also tried Audyssey room correction in in a HT rig, and it is a weak joke compared to the DEQX.

soix
9,779 posts
 

I completely disagree.  If you want to maximize your enjoyment, use the larger room.  Better systems need space to breathe and show what they can do.  Unless you’re planning on buying small bookshelf speakers, IMHO you’re limiting your system performance with a smaller room.  And even with smaller monitors I could easily make the argument that those with two good subs in the larger room would provide much more engaging sound than listening in a shoebox.  Best of luck. 

b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,288 posts
 

Agree.  I look at sizing a speaker in a room just like sizing an enclosure size for a driver.  

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 

It's not the size of the loudspeaker its radiation pattern that has the most effect on sound quality in a room. Large speakers can be a great option for smaller spaces if you take care of the setup. It's not just all small rooms require small speakers. Not one way or the highway.

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