Describe The Listening Room of Your Dreams...

The problem with spheres and weird domes is it'll get into some weird acoustics where you'll be on the only one to hear the speakers depending on placement. There's some church or something somewhere in a dome that the way the acoustics are-- someone can stand 15 ft in front of you and you two can converse, but people standing five feet off to the sides can't hear what beings said. I think an ovoid would be better for asymmetry. The point brought up on non-parallel walls is a good one. Designing a room is similiar to designing and loudspeaker cabinet itself although still with major differences (obvioulsy you don't put internal damping in you room though-stuff it full of wool). But picking "golden" ratios to at least have standing waves at three different frequencies v. three identical ones that sum to one huge evil is a good starting point (along with having the room large enough so that there is a good 5ms delay from the sidewalls and the listener). The non-parallel walls tapering out towards the listening position by only 3-4% can have a very positive effect (the room looks like a slight trapezoid from above). And then wisely choosing materials based on there energy storage as it pertains to the low frequencies can make a difference. Its really hard to control deep bass in listening rooms and I know one dealer/contractor talks of making/constructing rooms to be a little "leaky" down belew 30hz to usually smooth things out-because there aren't many acoustic treatments that can do much down low. I'm certianly for a dedicated line/power system like alot recommend, just for piece of mind and protection. But I remember seeing one guy wire up his listening room with 5 different brands of power cord behind the wall: Kimber, Siltech, and a bunch more. So he could audition each. I thought it a waste of money. His room was poured concrete, although I thought a little smallish. I'll stick with classic UL approved electrician wire.