Should Room Acoustics be an Audiogon ‘topic’?

@billstevenson, surely you see the advantage of having a single “topic” heading for those wanting to ask or see what others have done in terms of dealing with the acoustics in their homes or other listening spaces?  For most, it may be as you say a question of how to make the most of existing spaces with no (or little) ability to add specialized absorption or diffusers; for others it maybe getting into that next level of hobbyist understanding (e.g., the basics of speaker placement, reflection points, room nodes, REW measurements, etc.); and for some it might get even deeper (e.g., actual design choices in absorption or diffuser panel and other equipment). There is such a wealth of technical knowledge and empirical experience; i think it would be great to have it easier to find and to tap into.

Conversely, for those who don’t want to read about such things, they could more easily avoid the topic altogether if most of the discussions were gathered under a single topic.

But to suggest, as you have, that technical details have no place in discussions here, is also saying, as @hilde45 has noted, that posts like those by @richardbrand , @erik_squires or @atmasphere (just to name a few) when they get into technical detail on topics of networking, computing, electrical power, circuitry or speaker specs, etc. are beyond what a forum like this should contain. I think it would horribly impoverish this forum if we lost discussions like those.   

Yes

@billstevenson 

"Rearranging the furnishings in our rooms, and deciding how to place our speakers are within the scope of the forum as it is currently structured.  These and similar topics fall well outside the field of acoustics."

I don’t think you understand what room acoustics is. It can start and end with where to place speakers, where to sit and if you have the option, where to hang drapery, tapestries, and place stuffed furniture based on pretty straightforward principles. Others may be able to do more and some far more. And many would rather discuss and ask questions here than ASR or other forums. 

When I had a shared listening space, and you can see it in my systems, I moved the furniture, had the listening position and speakers arranged properly, and towards the end started placing 2 x 4 absorbers at the first reflection points; I stored them in the basement when I wasn’t listening, which was most of the time since my wife was typically home. But when she was gone, it was nice to have that sound and it convinced me that more would be better if I ever got a dedicated room.

I can understand why you may not want to do this, but I question why you’re so opposed to others discussing it on this forum. Just ignore the topics posted. I have never ventured into Tech Talk,  Headphones, or PC Audio, but I do not begrudge their inclusion. 

I firmly think Acoustics is an excellent topic. More information is nearly always better than less. Even if one chooses to not treat a room (passively or actively), better information will help one to listen critically and to position speakers and  furnishings in more optimal locations for good sound.

And it is not rocket science. 

I have a recording studio and when starting out an acoustically  treated room is the first issue to solve. You can be using the best mics in the world, the best mic pres and speakers and it’s pretty much all irrelevant  and  a waste of money without first treating the room.

If you want to know what the mixing and mastering engineer were hearing  and intended in any recording,  then your room must be treated. 

On the other hand, I’ve met people who listen to music who don’t care about that and actually prefer plenty of close reflections and reverb in the listening environement.

But one thing is for certain: all the money spent on expensive equipment is, in many  cases, a waste without addressing the room because you’re not hearing the equipment nearly as much as the sound of what it’s sitting in.