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Room Treatments added, with negative effects..

Hi Folks:
I purchased a set of foam acoustic room treatments and set them up in my listening room. It now seems that the soundstage has collapsed somewhat, and the sound is less ambient, filling the room less. I'm wondering have I overdone the treatments, or placed them incorrectly or maybe I really just didn't need them to begin with. Can anyone offer any advice or thoughts?

I purchased 12 24inch by 24inch panels of ProFoam treatments from Audioadvisor.com which were pretty reasonable at about $150 for the set. I set up four panels behind the speaker position going from left to right at about 20 inches above the floor, and seven panels behind the listening position (three from left to right about 10 inches above the floor and the other four above those from left to right). Side positioning wasn't really possible because I have glass doors on one side and a corridor on the other.

My system is Audio Physic Virgo, Supratek Syrah pre, Blue Circle BC2 monos, Teres 135/OL Silver/Shelter 501mk2 vinyl rig.

I'm keen to hear any comments or advice on how I can improve my use of the room treatments, or whether I just need to scrap them. Thanks!
Outlier.
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outlier OP
381 posts
 
Thanks folks for the comments so far. Some interesting possibilities. Just to mention, while I can put some absorbtion material on one of the side walls, it won't be symetrical with the listening position and the speakers (they will need to be closer to the listening position, as there is a corridor in that area of the side wall). Also, the other wall is all glass door, with curtains between. I could attach the material to the appropriate part of the curtains, but that seems like stretching things a little. I guess I could try the ceiling as well.

Overall, from what I've heard it really seems like the panels have only deadened the sound - I somehow have my doubts about any benefit they're going to offer. I'll try removing them from behind the speaker, and then maybe try the opposite as well. I'll also try removing them and adding more to certain areas. It still seems like a big confusing mystery though. I wonder would the addition of some highly reflective surfaces (rather than absorbant surfaces) made a positive difference. Cheers,
Outlier
theaudiotweak
2,801 posts
 
I have used many types of sound treatment over the years from many different manufacturers. All have their problems. Using nothing is better than most. Redirecting the air flow geometrically in my room, mostly on the ceiling and atop the speakers has greatly enhanced the sound of my system. These are my latest acoustic adventures. All the dampening crap is long gone.. Want to know more..Tom
newbee
4,775 posts
 
I can't think of anything good coming out of reflective surfaces - it will just cause you to hear a signal at about the same intensity arriving slightly later than the original signal - this will cause brightness and a loss of transparency. Just the opposite of what you did with sound absorption panels and just as bad, if not worse. What you can also do with the set up you now have is to try changing the toe-in of your speakers, radically at first, from say 30 degrees from pointed straight at you to pointed straight ahead and crossed well in front of you. This latter could help you avoid the potentially negative effect of the glass doors. If space allows, I would put in well stocked bookcases behind the listening position as a cheap method of diffusion. (in my room I use them on both side walls and the rear wall. I use large plants on the wall behind the speakers). Keep the faith, this is all done empirically. What ever works is good and every room is different (as are your expectations.
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
Rives: Yes, you are correct about the LEDE setup that I tried to describe. I didn't go into enough detail to mention that my "inverted LEDE" setup was actually the opposite of the original studio arrangement. Thanks for catching that. And since I've making a second post, let me mention that I used a modified reverse "LEDE" acoustic treatment in a small, dedicated audio room back in the late 1980's. At the time, I owned a pair of Acoustat 2's, and I had a bad echo/reverb problem. I placed a pair of Tube Traps in the corners behind the speakers, and also put a pair of 2'x2' Sonex panels on the wall directly behind each speaker (to tame the rear sound wave). The majority of the sound treatment was directly behind my listening couch, however, with several 4'x8' panels of Sonex (varying thicknesses). This combo of materials did an excellent job of taming the room problems, and yielded very satisfying sound reproduction.
theaudiotweak
2,801 posts
 
Have you read a discussion about increasing the air flow of an intake manifold? Redirecting what is traped by right angles is more science than art.. Dampening is not frequency selective, it will kill the dynamics as well as the music..Think outside of a box then maybe it won't sound like one..Oldie Tom
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