question about my room

[Professor smith]

I have a difficult problem I need to solve. My room is almost a cube, and I cannot get very good imaging with my speakers in side this room.

Is there any solution to this problem in terms of using sound absorbent material?

I do not want to tamper with the electronics because it's the room which really ought to be of the correct dimensions.

Thanks

Professor Smith

[sdclc126]

What do you have in the room right now? How is everything set up?

[Ron E]

To improve imaging, you must first kill early reflections.

You can moderate standing waves somewhat with judicious placement. Placement of speakers 1/3 of the way along the diagonal is one approach, but with a square room you may be better off just trying to vary the distance to front/side/floor as much as possible.

[Professor smith]

Originally posted by sdclc126
What do you have in the room right now? How is everything set up?

I just have the hifi and a chair.

Originally posted by Ron E
To improve imaging, you must first kill early reflections.

You can moderate standing waves somewhat with judicious placement. Placement of speakers 1/3 of the way along the diagonal is one approach, but with a square room you may be better off just trying to vary the distance to front/side/floor as much as possible.

Basically I have experimented with this room over many years trying a number of different positions and what I have concluded is that I cannot achieve EVERYTHING I want in any given position. Some positions will give me deeper bass, while others fantastic midrange clarity but its never 'perfect.'

So other than building a new room from scartch is there any way out of this problem?

This is a very important problem because most of us here make do with whatever room we have available and have no choice over the dimensions, but it significantly affects the sound.

[sdclc126]

Well if you just have bare walls besides the system and the chair, I would say some sound treatment is in order. You probably have too many reflections going on all over the place, namely early reflections, as mentioned by Ron E.

Start with the floor in front of the speakers (carpet will do), and the walls behind and beside them. You can try anything from drapes on the budget side to commercial sound absorbing panels and everything in between. You can add to the arsenal until you are satidfied with the improvements, which should be significant.

[Cal Weldon]

I have the same problem in my dining room and to be honest the echo was so bad that there is no sound system in there now. Even voices are bad in there. The room is now cluttered with boxes etc and that's been the only cure. Sorry I don't have better news but it sounds like you would have to heavily dress the walls.

EDIT: Soft Dome and I posted at the same time.

[Professor smith]

but the problem is NOT early reflections which I have sorted out.

The problem lies in the lower frequency range from say 200hz downwards.

[sdclc126]

Well then you might try the multiple subwoofer approach, ala Earl Geddes - at least three small subwoofers placed randomly around the room. He says this tends to even out room modes for smoother bass.

[Andersonix]

Originally posted by Professor smith
but the problem is NOT early reflections which I have sorted out.

The problem lies in the lower frequency range from say 200hz downwards.

This doesn't sound like a poor imaging problem, but more likely standing waves creating boomy one-note bass? Is the imaging alright with no low frequency content? Can you describe the problem better?

My initial thought for a square room was to arrange the speakers around a diagonal axis (so the listener faces into a corner).

Maybe you need a subwoofer equalizer? Sub EQ

[Professor smith]

Originally posted by Tosh

This doesn't sound like a poor imaging problem, but more likely standing waves creating boomy one-note bass? Is the imaging alright with no low frequency content? Can you describe the problem better?

My initial thought for a square room was to arrange the speakers around a diagonal axis (so the listener faces into a corner).

Maybe you need a subwoofer equalizer? Sub EQ

I have tried every possible configuration as I said including the one you describe above. I also stated that I do not want to tamper with the electronics.

I have boomy bass yes but its not only one note, its many different notes. With no low frequency content I would imagine it would be alright but nearly all of my music contains the full spectrum. I mentioned earlier that the problem lies in the lower frequency range from say 200hz downwards. But it is actually alot higher say from 600hz downwards.