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Is the "improvement" real or imnagined?

This thread may be of interest to no one, but I was inspired by @inna post to start a thread. I had a recent experience that may touch on broader unresolved (unresolvable?) questions. I'm mostly happy with my system and my room has been professionally treated. I don't have an ideal listening chair-the back comes up to ear level, maybe a little above. Concessions have to be made to old and crumbling neck vertebra that need support.

I know that high back seating can in theory affect the sound through reflections. So, I got the bright idea to try to mitigate that-I'm sure its not original.

I bought a weighted blanket-quite thick and covered the chair. I put an Afghan blanket over that, the last one my mom crocheted, so its magical already. I perceive improved detail and better imaging -certainly not huge, but a subtle improvement that I hear, or at least think I hear.

So, maybe there is some science behind this, makes sense the blanket would reduce reflections. On the other hand, maybe its simply expectation bias, placebo effect, whatever, at work because there is science behind that as well, and its hard to imagine this is a big thing.

So, how do I know if its real or imagined? Its not a big deal, no real investment and only a very subtle perceived change, but it does relate to other issues that are often debated, sometimes heatedly, on this forum. How do you account for, or eliminate expectation bias, other than a proper double blind test which I'm guessing most of us are not going to do when auditioning equipment? 

I found this interesting, maybe no one else does. Thoughts?

 

kerrybh
immatthewj
3,300 posts
 

it never ends

Agreed, @kerrybh .  But playing with chairs is relatively affordable and easy to do.  Unlike other things audio that I can think of . . . not easy to make a definitive A/B decision and not relatively affordable.

What I will say right now for sure is it did make a difference.  What I am unsure about right now is whether the difference is altogether good with all source material.  I've been doing some googles this evening, and as @ghdprentice stated, it seems to be a well known fact (that I did not know) that a chair with a back above shoulder height  does not yield favorable effects.

The soft upholstered chair I was using was comfortable, and I think that in my untreated room (except for the rugs that I have put down)  and with a couple of my components (specifically my speakers and my preamp) some of my digital source material may benefit from interacting with that upholstery which I am assuming is acting to absorb as opposed to reflecting.  

But this is something I can play around with and not break the bank.  It is also making me think that I need to quit putting off doing some treating of the front wall.  

dekay's avatar
dekay
6,212 posts
 

I listen from a special sofa.

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/484014988_978079361092145_3053837413270007150_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=y4OSq3K-qycQ7kNvgHXZrf0&_nc_oc=AdjchUxpMTAmknuiPjGozTETny4JQ9QnJefWyJu2guqvhXSA9BdzC3kKYmOC2Axq5fUFYjKULKaAKj58IPH9yugk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.xx&_nc_gid=y-G9v2uxr28qXZUr_gC3LA&oh=00_AYEiC0kpcXdTik6trGEPO5umxrQuaXxb3YPEoGiOkjmCgg&oe=67DCB704

 

DeKay

immatthewj
3,300 posts
 

Your mom made the blanket. You love your mom. Of course it is better sitting on mom’s blanket.

I have read posts from members who have stated that they had a large TV between their speakers (I assume this would be a HT combined with a music system) and that by covering the large TV with a heavy blanket (obviously while listening to music as this would kill the HT experience) they were able to improve sound stage and imaging and what not.  Given that, I can easily believe that a blanket covering the high back of a chair would make a sonic difference.

deep_333
2,440 posts
 

One can get an acoustically transparent projector screen and put treatment behind. There is no acoustically transparent TV in existence, of course, but it is not too much of an issue if it is a few feet behind the speakers, i.e. speakers are pulled into the room...

 

asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
5,194 posts
 

The quickest way to verify if your hi-back effects what you're listening to, regardless of a blanket or pillow...

...is to trap a piece of cardboard as wide as the back with your head.

The difference is obvious even the dead would notice.

Works outdoors at concerts, indoors @ walls.

PZ microphones were made to do that, kinda nifty... ;)

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