OK to use curtain to obtain the optimum room size?


short version:

Is it possible to use a large curtain (stage curtain or sth like that) to adjust the room size? If so any side effect?

long version:

I am building a house and will devote one room for listening and working room. As part of it is a working area, there will be lots of stuffs (table, computer, moniter, printer, bookshelf etc.) that would make the listening room not perfect.

So I got the idea that if I build the room larger than the optimum listening room size and put my working stuff on one end of the room and put the curtain where the size is perfect for a listening room. This way I can listen to music as a background while I work. Then when I want to do a serious listening, I can close the curtain (from ceiling to floor long) and have aperfect listening room size.

Has anyone done this before? Any pro/con doing this way? I guess a curtain may make the room less reflective (deadier), but not sure about diffraction along the edge of the curtain.

Also as it will be my personal room so I can decorate anyway I want and do not have to worry much about its look.

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

Ake
ake

Showing 1 response by rives

Sidssp is right. However, you can use the curtain to change certain aspects, but for bass modes you have to consider solid walls that re-enforce bass. If you go to our website for Rives Audio and click on the listening room there is a tutorial on listening room anamolies including modes amoung other things. There are also a variety of good references such as Alton Everest's books that can be very helpful in designing a listening room. We of course design listening rooms as a business and would certainly want you to look at the services we offer, but even if you don't use us, please look at the free resources on our website.