Leave it Open or Close it Off: A Listening/ Living Room Dilemma


We are doing a bit of remodeling and I have the option to add a pocket door to close off an open hallway in the rear left of the room. My setup is 2qty floor standers and 2qty REL S/510 subs. The room is 15x20 with an 8' ceiling. My speakers aim down the long wall. The room has a TV but it's mostly a listening room with minimal furnishings: 1 normal sofa and 1 end table behind the listening position. 

Here's what I'm thinking: if a 40hz soundwave is 28ft, wouldn't it be better to leave the hallway open so that the soundwave has more room to do its thing?

On the other hand I'm thinking having a decently sealed 3' wide solid-wood pocket door there instead of an open hallway might pressurize the room better?

Has anyone been in this situation or have enough knowledge about acoustics/ physics to know which would be the better choice? 

 

 

veerossi

I'm a big fan of pocket doors, but there's a couple things to remember. 1) Get the good pocket door hardware. The cheap stuff will haunt and vex you. 2) Do bot use hollow core doors. They're made from hardboard in a cheap perimeter frame with strips of cardboard in between two layers of masonite. Use heavy exterior grade doors - much better acostically. 3) Pocket doors work best as default open doors. Close them as needed.

Install the door. I went through the very same thing. The opening to my theater room had no door. I had a glass panel door installed (hung curtains as well on the door) and just love that I can close the room off or leave open if I so choose. Do the door!

With a door, you can experiment both ways. Without a door, you're stuck one way. Easy choice. I also recommend an exterior thick solid wood door over a hollow interior door.

There are more reasons to install the pocket door than not. You really won't know if there will be acoustic benefits until it is done, but if not you can just open the door during listening sessions. But you gain the ability to close off the room, a benefit to both you during sessions and to others in different parts of the house. Remember what works acoustically for someone else's room may or may not hold true for yours.