Bout time I spoke up.
Yes, it is science. No, there is no perfect room. Yes there is a method to the madness. Finally, there is always a trial and error period based on what the individual likes to hear.
Everything is based on reflected sound. Early reflections are always bad. They interfere with localization and detail. They "smear" everything and can alter frequency response. Late reflections can be used to advantage. You can generate "echos" that will give you the sense of a larger space.
Sound bounces of boundaries just light light off a mirror. You are only interested in what sounds get to your ears at the listening position. So, you work in reverse. Sit in you listening position and have a friend hold a large mirror against the walls around the speakers. Have him move the mirror at your head level across the wall slowly. When you see the reflection of the speaker in the mirror, mark the wall. That is one early reflection point. Continue around the three walls adjacent to the speakers until you find them all. With point source speakers you have to worry about the floor and ceiling. Those who have line source speakers only have to worry about the walls. Those of you lucky enough to have Line source dipoles only have to worry about the wall behind the speakers. You can also find secondary and tertiary reflection points this way. I use acoustic foam tiles at the early reflection points because it is cheap and easy to use. Once you get below about 150 Hz things get way more difficult. Bass has a lot on energy. Any of you heard sonic boom? Impressive to say the least. In a room bass just keeps bouncing around and everything has a resonant frequency, the walls, the cabinets and that picture you have hanging on the wall. It took me 6 months to finally get my picture screen quiet. Still if I turn my satellites off and just run the subs the whole house sings. Fortunately the satellites mask the symphony. There are ways to deal with the bass problem to a point but all of them are imperfect. Most important is using multiple subwoofers then comes digital room control. IMHO everything else is wishful thinking.
My best advice is buy some of these https://www.parts-express.com/sonic-barrier-fwp121-sawtooth-foam-sound-damping-for-enclosures-and-studios-12-x-12-x-1---260-546 , find your early reflection points and have at it. Never buy fewer than two sub woofers. One sub just is not worth it. You are better off without.
Best of luck,
Mike
Yes, it is science. No, there is no perfect room. Yes there is a method to the madness. Finally, there is always a trial and error period based on what the individual likes to hear.
Everything is based on reflected sound. Early reflections are always bad. They interfere with localization and detail. They "smear" everything and can alter frequency response. Late reflections can be used to advantage. You can generate "echos" that will give you the sense of a larger space.
Sound bounces of boundaries just light light off a mirror. You are only interested in what sounds get to your ears at the listening position. So, you work in reverse. Sit in you listening position and have a friend hold a large mirror against the walls around the speakers. Have him move the mirror at your head level across the wall slowly. When you see the reflection of the speaker in the mirror, mark the wall. That is one early reflection point. Continue around the three walls adjacent to the speakers until you find them all. With point source speakers you have to worry about the floor and ceiling. Those who have line source speakers only have to worry about the walls. Those of you lucky enough to have Line source dipoles only have to worry about the wall behind the speakers. You can also find secondary and tertiary reflection points this way. I use acoustic foam tiles at the early reflection points because it is cheap and easy to use. Once you get below about 150 Hz things get way more difficult. Bass has a lot on energy. Any of you heard sonic boom? Impressive to say the least. In a room bass just keeps bouncing around and everything has a resonant frequency, the walls, the cabinets and that picture you have hanging on the wall. It took me 6 months to finally get my picture screen quiet. Still if I turn my satellites off and just run the subs the whole house sings. Fortunately the satellites mask the symphony. There are ways to deal with the bass problem to a point but all of them are imperfect. Most important is using multiple subwoofers then comes digital room control. IMHO everything else is wishful thinking.
My best advice is buy some of these https://www.parts-express.com/sonic-barrier-fwp121-sawtooth-foam-sound-damping-for-enclosures-and-studios-12-x-12-x-1---260-546 , find your early reflection points and have at it. Never buy fewer than two sub woofers. One sub just is not worth it. You are better off without.
Best of luck,
Mike