Room Layout and Acoustic Improvements on a Limited Budget

You need to control reflective surfaces. I wouldn’t start writing checks for treatment until you have dealt with the fundamentals of your room, what position the speakers should be in given the equipment and room, where you are creating problems that you can solve by removing things or using common furnishings like rugs, sofas, chairs, window treatment and other things before you get down to acoustic treatments. Jim Smith, known for his personal visits to set up systems for a fee, has a book. I’d read it. Cost you far less than the acoustic panels. And give you big picture. I use bass traps, diffusers and some higher frequency absorption, but none of that is a panacea until you address the problems of the room and set up.

There’s a ton of information about measuring rooms electronically. That can give you information if you know how to read it-- but it is not the entire answer either in my view. (A system that is absolutely linear in a room may still not sound like live music).

This stuff isn’t easy and does not depend on one view. Perhaps you need some help. Jim’s book is a starting point that will get you thinking.

Good luck,

@ingenear 

While listening in your home office are you always seated at the desk or is there other seating in the room for just relaxing?

It’s probable that you’re hearing the reflections from the wall surface behind you (as well as others depending on speaker placement) because your seated at the desk. Not sure moving to the long wall is the answer.

A dense area rug is always a plus- the padding won’t make a noticeable change in sound but will when it comes to the finish of your floors. Use wool padding, not the expanded rubber type.

There are companies that make absorption/diffusion panels in colors of your choice and many will do prints if you prefer. 

@whart, "Get Better Sound" by Jim Smith, I presume is the book? Thanks for the tip. I'll go and get myself a copy - or does someone on the forum want to sell theirs?

@designfx, Up until now I have always being listening at my desk, but now that you mention it, I could bring a sofa from the basement up into the room to help. I could do heavy drapes on the short wall. And will look at prints on acoustic panels, if I get to that stage in the future. 

The reverberance, as I call it, seems to be caused by the cathedral ceiling. My bedroom has the same ceiling but is carpeted and has a king bed and the same ringing is noticeable in that room too.

I remember having a quick play with an online room acoustics tool, but it was limited to level ceilings, and it gave a constant fundamental frequency because the room dimensions are fixed, so it seemed of limited value. Any recommendations on software out there?

A few years back we built an elevator shaft (3 floors) in an office building renovation.

I noticed the offices where about that size (10’ x 14’ but with 11’ ceilings) and the GC was installing one 2’ x 4’ x4” thick panel in each office ceiling (centered). About 2’ down so at approximately 9’ high.

I was quite astounded at the difference it made when I walked from office to office to compare with and without these panels. Just a single hand clap was all it took to hear the stark difference.

@ingenear 

Per your post above-

If you go to the members systems page you can look up my listening space under my user name. That room is 10’ W x 16’ L x 8’ H. In the photo you’ll see two panels on the side walls that are 4’ x 4’ square, there is a ceiling panel directly above the sofa that is 3’ x 5’ and a 8’ x 12’ Persian rug covering the tiled floor. Just an example of my panel placement in a small room. I believe the total cost of those (including mounting) was just under $1K (ten years ago or so).