Custom Build Listening Room

Our company does these types of designs. And you may consider working with us. However, in the meantime, there are some valuable resources that you can take advantage of. First, please take a look at our website, specifically go to the listening room there. This is a tutorial section and provides tips on acoustical issues that need to be dealt with. In addition to this I can recommend Alton Everest's books. The forth edition Master Handbook of Acoustics is one of the best. It's clearly written, well organized, and easy to understand. Another resource you might consider is the CARA software package (we sell this as well so I am biased, but we sell it because I do think it is one of the best values out there). This package allows you to simulate room conditions and their affects. It takes some time to navigate through the package--but it is extremely powerful and worthwhile. Our website is www.rivesaudio.com. If you choose to hire an acoustical engineering group, you will probably be impressed with what can be done to a room to make it right. If you don't go this route, though, do get the resources mentioned and take your time in learning the material and doing it right--it's a great opportunity, and you have excellent equipment, so it pays to get the room right and get the most out of it.

Rives has proved to me to be extremely knowledgeable and has devoted a great deal of time to this site helping people like yourself. I would look at his site as a start and consider using his services. You have a good size space to start with, the biggest issue I expect you'll confront is the height. Given a basement room, I expect the height is plus or minus 8 feet. This means the "perfect size room is 15.2' x 11.2'. The largest "preferred" size with 8' ceilings would be 17.6' x 12'. Given this information, Rives my prove to be even more valuable than first thought. The good news is you will more than likely have extra space where you could create a base trap and an equipment room. The other good news is you will not be short on size, so given the right design you should be able to create a great listening environment.
Now if you want to go a little further, one thing I've done for clients in your situation is to excavate the basement floor down a few steps. A ten foot ceiling would give you a 19' x 14' or 21' x 15' room, still leaving ample room for steps and a base trap.

Another good place to start is with F. Alton Everest's "Sound Studio Construction on a Budget", which goes into all kinds of listening/recording rooms. You'd get the basics of room nodes there, and better understand the specific advice you can get elsewhere. If you're a DIY type at all, the book also goes into a lot of devices you can make to work for you above roughly 300 Hz. (I have DIY designs--please contact me if interested.) Rives, in a post today, suggests that some people--maybe all but hard case audiophiles--regard these, or at least most of them, as "ugly". I should mention that people who see mine and don't even know that they're in a listening room sometimes take them to be sculptures. I was amazed at this totally unexpected benefit, but won't turn it down. My versions of the RPG Skyline two-dimensional diffusors, in particular, seem to elicit this response. I'd have them however "ugly" they seemed to others, but happily this response is either nonexistent or suppressed out of politeness.