2. speakers
  3. 1025664850

Best Acoustically Untreated Room You Have Heard?

I have been researching room acoustics again in an effort to improve the sound of my system. Most webites give general information on the basics (resonance and reflection control) and some examples of properly treated rooms. The problem is that most of these rooms are just plain ugly (room with eleven tube traps) and involve too many compromises.

I'm curious to know if anybody has heard a stereo system in a room that did not have any (or very little) acoustic treatment that sounded fantastic. And more importantly, what factors contributed to that sound? I suppose that the furnishings acted as diffusers and absorbers, but what were they? Or maybe it was the shape/composition of the room and or ceiling?

Thank you in advance for any input.
ultrakaz

Showing 1 response by stehno

stehno
1,453 posts
 
It just so happens that my forty-two year old family room is among the best I've heard acoustically. We bought the house 4 years ago and I've had 4 completely different systems in that room ranging from about $4k to $32k retail. Each system had a special sound characteristic that in some ways are not reproduceable with the more current and expensive system upgrades, i.e. a certain mid-bass, etc..

Room description:
o 18'L x 13'W x 8'H
o 3 large ceiling beams going parallel with
the front of the speakers.
o Real wormwood paneling with recessed joinery
every 6 inches or so.
o Built-in book cases behind each speaker.
o Few windows
o Thick berber carpeting with thick pad underneath.
o Large cloth pillowed sofa and large cloth ottoman

The only two things I've done in the room was install 3 dedicated circuits/lines for each component and I installed recessed lighting and dimmer (on opposing phase at the service panel) so that there'd be no floor or table lighting.

They say that room acoustics can make upwards of about 80% of the sound characteristics. I believe that to be true as some of my much cheaper systems in some ways sounded so much better than some $20k, $30k, and higher systems I've heard in dealers shops.

Luck of the draw.
More to discover