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What order?

All, I am pretty sure I know what direction to go, looking for some additional input. 

I am look at making 2 improvements to my living/man cave/ entertaining room.  
- Dirac
- acoustic panels.  

I am running b&w 800s and a pair of rythmik f15hp subs for "2" channel, for HT includes htm1d and sides/rears in the ceiling. 

Thru the normal home improvement jouney, I recently purchased some added seating that happen to get setup as a buffer in first reflection point along the left and right side of the room and i was BLOWN away by the difference in response and impact. The chairs really cut down on reflections and the experience was much more powerful.  For reference, the rooom is 10k ft^3 (yes i know not optimal) just means using more gear.  

Next step in the journey, which comes first?  Dirac then additional acoustic panels or panels followed by dirac.  Even though it will be itteratice, what would "you" start with and why?  
robert_gi
goose
669 posts
 

Hmmm,  I would work on the room acoustics first.  That doesn't necessarily mean buying all the acoustic treatments (panels).  Lets face it most of the sites what to sell you panels.  I would get some corner bass traps and treat the first reflection points on the walls.  I think you can overdo it with acoustic panels and the room gets too dead.  I like diffusion rather than an overabundance of panels.  After the room is as good as you can get it, Dirac may be applied.  Just my two cents.

brotw
103 posts
 
I've had really good luck with Dirac. Incredible improvements in focus, imaging and tightening up the bass. All this for $500 with mic.

My next project is buying a few aborber traps, panels for first reflection and some diffusers. My guess is that Dirac goes to another level when the most extreme room modes are quelled. Think limited taps (fourier coefficients) on the Dirac FIR filter generator. A smoother correction transfer function target much easier to closely match with non-infinite tap filters.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
I think one needs to distinguish between frequencies above the Schroeder frequency and those below, since the methods will have to be different. For frequencies above, damping material is essential, but such damping can hopefully be achieved by less visually invase means. For those below the Schroeder frequency I have found that equalization works very well in larger rooms. I for one do not want huge bass traps in my interior. I have had great success with an Antimode 8033 equalizing my sub, and will add a second sub for even smoother results.
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