Room Treatments and WAF? Long

What are you hearing that makes you think that you need room treatment? Given the size of your room, I'd be surprised if you had first-reflection problems. Generally two-channel speakers should be well away from the end walls.

If you could post a Virtual System for us to see it would really help us get specific. Also you need to tell us what's sounding bad in what way. We're shooting in the dark right now.

Given the large room, well stuffed couch, carpeting and high ceilings I'd guess that almost any problem would be related to fine tuning the speaker placement rather than changing the room. Oh, yeah, what speakers do you have?

Dave

Shadorne,
Thanks for the explanation. Just trying to learn a bit.
Destep,
System:
Denon 2802 Pre outs for mains to
B&K Ref 20 (recently ran the cd player direct to the B&K)
Bryston 3bst (Mains)
Arcam Alpha 8Se cd player
B&K 5 channel amp for rear surrounds and outside
Gallo Ref 3.1 mains
Velodyne sub
Regarding what's sounding bad. Soundstage seems constrained to a small window between the speakers and a bit toward the right speaker. No depth. There are times I feel like I hear sound from one speaker and just an instant later same sound from the other speaker. Like an echo. Thought this might be due to left wall being solid while the right is open.
Hope this gives something to work with. Any more questions, just ask. Love getting this kind of support.
Steve

Check out:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?rspkr&1197744079&openusid&zzDcstep&4&5#Dcstep

Try full height vertical blinds to cover the entire rear window when you want to do super serious listening. You can get these in a variety of materials from vinyl to fabrics. Forget dealing with the open area (too costly-not WAF I suspect) just position the speakers imaging the best you can.

Good luck

As you wished Mr.Herman,
there you go:

"Unless the glass rattles it probably doesn't reflect much if any more than any other type of wall."

Herman (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers)

Mr.Herman glass does have different reflective or absorptive properties then any other common material used in constructing a listening room.

I will agree with you on ONE matter dou,
not all reflections are bad.
Matter of fact is that some are even beneficial.

It never fails to amazed me seeing fellow audiophiles buying into some idiotic tweak or gadget but are reluctant to realize the importance of acoustics and speakers & room interaction...............So sad to see great gear in the rooms that aren't acousticly optimize.

Yes, it is true, that misinterpretation can lead to overdamped room that can loose the soul and character.
And I do realize that, but it is NOT my intention to lead someone in that direction.
I have always advised on taking a small steps while attempting to retrieve balance and proportion of ones' system with acoustic treatments.

We might not agree on this matter and it is not of any importance to the author of this thread. What is important on the other hand is to find the solution to ones' problem.

Mariusz Stark
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scoly1,

I totally understand and feel your flustration,
but not everything is lost and some improvement can be made to improve the situation.

Actually, some of the above advices are good or very good:

*slat wood shutters, drapes, plants, speakers adj.*

It will take some trial & error to get some kind of results that will make you & your wife happy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

If possible:
It would make sanse to try few thinks first, before addressing the problem with some kind of acoustic treatments (natural materials or dedicated treatments).

Try pulling the speakers out into the room and away from the rooms' boundaries (especialy the right spk).
Also, toeing-in the speakers inwards can help somewhat in reduction of the side wall(s) interaction and reflections.

If that won't give you the effect that you are looking for there are some ways to help your room acousticly but with use of natural materials.

FRONT WALL
*bookshelf in the corrner or between the speakers.
-(bookshelf in the corrner can greatly reduce the reinforcement of lower frequencies)
-(bookshelf between the speakers can act as a diffuser/absorber, and can have a very positive effect. I think it is impractical in your case, because of the video display between L & R speaker)
*oriental or art decco wall rug(but natural wool)can & will also work but that is a big (?) with the wife.
PRO-TREATMENT
@. Diffusers/absorbers - between spks.
@. Bass traps right corrner & to the left of the L-speaker
(there are some bass traps that have one side that is more absorbent and the other side that is more like a diffusor)
@. Subwoofer base. The SubDude Sound Isolation riser is an incredibly effective device that's used to float a subwoofer and decoupling it from the floor. It is also inexpensive sub-base made by Auralex.

I strongly believe that your imbalance between L&R speaker is caused by your speakers setup. Due to your present arrangement one of the speakers is very near the corrner and the other has no corrner at all. Frequencies of the right speaker are reinforced and amplify by the corrner + the right wall also bounce reflections back at you. This might create fuller, louder but in the same time diffuse, colored, busy sound that is not in sync. with the left channel.

Beside treating the front wall, you can also try (if it is OK with the "W") placing bookshelf on the right wall and if possible the left wall. If bookshelf could be placed as high as your listening (ear)level at 1st reflection points - great. That would be a big step forward.

Back wall:
Like some already suggested, blinds, shades, shatters or drapes.
My favorite window treatments are (shatters too) heavy drapes with extra thick backing. Motorized option is great and "W" might like it to. It costs around $500 but it might be the answer to your window treatment problem.

Ceiling is maybe too much for now & might not be the best idea to pursuit..........if you want to keep the same address.

I know it might not solve your problems but it is a start.

Best of luck
&
Heppy listening