I've been doing a little house remodeling and it's finally time to do my dedicated library, and listening area! 12x15' 180 sqft of slam packed literary and auditory bliss.
Walls have a fresh coat of paint, floor is newly carpeted. Doorway is open but can easily be covered with some heavy-duty window treatments, same as the 9Lx6H' window. The mother-in-law does custom drapes and sewing for a living and can make me some nice 3 layer heavy duty drapes at materials cost.
This space should be able to at a minimum comfortably seat two adults and preferably four with an emphasis on comfort. Not really "critical listening" but do like to enjoy high quality audio. I'm a part time cabinet maker/woodworker so shelves, component stands and vinyl storage will all likely be custom built to maximize space.
My first thought was speakers along wall B, seating position 3 feet off of wall D. This limits me to a roughly 80" couch or a few wide chair's, enough seating for two adults. I'm now leaning with larger sectional back 12-15" off of C wall with extremely heavy duty drapes covering the windows. This way I can get four to five adults seated comfortably. This configuration puts the listener five to six feet away from the speaker, is this borderline near field listening?
Anyway that's enough for tonight, I feel like I've written a damn novel. Any and all ideas are greatly welcome and highly appreciated. This will be a slow project, and I'll try and keep some pictures and updates coming as it happens.
Thanks,
ndp
Walls have a fresh coat of paint, floor is newly carpeted. Doorway is open but can easily be covered with some heavy-duty window treatments, same as the 9Lx6H' window. The mother-in-law does custom drapes and sewing for a living and can make me some nice 3 layer heavy duty drapes at materials cost.
This space should be able to at a minimum comfortably seat two adults and preferably four with an emphasis on comfort. Not really "critical listening" but do like to enjoy high quality audio. I'm a part time cabinet maker/woodworker so shelves, component stands and vinyl storage will all likely be custom built to maximize space.
My first thought was speakers along wall B, seating position 3 feet off of wall D. This limits me to a roughly 80" couch or a few wide chair's, enough seating for two adults. I'm now leaning with larger sectional back 12-15" off of C wall with extremely heavy duty drapes covering the windows. This way I can get four to five adults seated comfortably. This configuration puts the listener five to six feet away from the speaker, is this borderline near field listening?
Anyway that's enough for tonight, I feel like I've written a damn novel. Any and all ideas are greatly welcome and highly appreciated. This will be a slow project, and I'll try and keep some pictures and updates coming as it happens.
Thanks,
ndp
I've got an A26 kit from Madisound that I need to get put together, I've been listening to an older pair of home theater oriented SVS MTM speakers in my small den. A friend of mine is going to let me borrow a few different pairs of speakers to see what I like, some L-100's and he's got a pair of Borea BRO3 that he's willing to sell me well below MSRP.
The idea is to get more into diy. Really want to start playing around with some full range drivers. My father and I have built quite a few cabinets for people locally but I don't really have a good place to take advantage of higher priced gear. Until now.
Right now my stereo is a Toshiba unit, SC-336 amp and SY-335 preamp. They've both been gone through, recapped, all the bells and whistles.
As a child of the 80's raised by hippies my musical interest cover the whole damn gambit.
A decent 40w Class AB amp.
There are some pretty standard things that can be done.
1/ caps. Replace critical caps. Including enhancing the PS.
2/ simplify. For instance, loose the AB speaker switch and wire the output directly to a set of proper 5-way posts on the back. Maybe swap teh RCAs as well.
3/ beyond that i lack the experience & skill to do more but a competent tech. Things like turned up the bias for a higher power output before exiting Class A and adding CCSs in appropriate places (like the LTP at the front-end?). Maybe upgrading some of the other components.
dave
There are some pretty standard things that can be done.
1/ caps. Replace critical caps. Including enhancing the PS.
2/ simplify. For instance, loose the AB speaker switch and wire the output directly to a set of proper 5-way posts on the back. Maybe swap teh RCAs as well.
3/ beyond that i lack the experience & skill to do more but a competent tech. Things like turned up the bias for a higher power output before exiting Class A and adding CCSs in appropriate places (like the LTP at the front-end?). Maybe upgrading some of the other components.
dave
Attachments
"Help me design a room!"
Not to rain on your parade, but it's clear that your room is already designed. All that you can do now is to add some acoustical treatment to mitigate problems.
Sorry, but you should have asked that question before deciding on the shape, size and floor treatment, etc.
Not to rain on your parade, but it's clear that your room is already designed. All that you can do now is to add some acoustical treatment to mitigate problems.
Sorry, but you should have asked that question before deciding on the shape, size and floor treatment, etc.
@Just Dave yeah I guess I was more looking on advice on how to extract decent sound through speaker placement, and acoustical treatments within the physical parameters I've been given to work with. Which is a 15x12' room, with a giant window on one side, and an open standard 30" door way on another wall. I've never had a dedicated listening space before.
@planet10 I don't think sloped ceilings are in the cards. Acoustical treatments on the ceiling should be possible. After doing a few days of reading, and video watching I think the first steps will be some corner bass traps and acoustical panels behind the speakers and listening position.
Using rule of thirds, 29%, long wall placement makes the most sense and frees up the most space.
Using Cardas short wall placement makes the most sense.
I'm personally leaning towards long wall placement and trying to get a good wide soundstage. With wall B being the main wall. Heavy triple layered drapes and wood blinds covering the window behind me.
@DonG See above
@rayma Yes I was planning on mirror imaging them with tweeters on the inside. I have a full cabinet shop at my disposal and will probably experiment with multiple stand heights placements and varying degrees of tilt until I build some nice permanent stands for them. Hell I've got to build the speaker cabinets first, and have a place to put them!
@planet10 I don't think sloped ceilings are in the cards. Acoustical treatments on the ceiling should be possible. After doing a few days of reading, and video watching I think the first steps will be some corner bass traps and acoustical panels behind the speakers and listening position.
Using rule of thirds, 29%, long wall placement makes the most sense and frees up the most space.
Using Cardas short wall placement makes the most sense.
I'm personally leaning towards long wall placement and trying to get a good wide soundstage. With wall B being the main wall. Heavy triple layered drapes and wood blinds covering the window behind me.
@DonG See above
@rayma Yes I was planning on mirror imaging them with tweeters on the inside. I have a full cabinet shop at my disposal and will probably experiment with multiple stand heights placements and varying degrees of tilt until I build some nice permanent stands for them. Hell I've got to build the speaker cabinets first, and have a place to put them!
Would you suggest starting with some stand mounted panels to place behind speakers as I try different main walls in the room?
Can corner bass traps be used to create an angled ceiling? Or is that a giant waste of time and money? That would possibly be within the realm of accepted modifications. I'm sure as hell not framing something out and hanging drywall. I hung drywall for a few years in my younger days and swore I'd never do it again.
It's easy as a novice to get caught up looking at all these different sites trying to sell you products and thinking if you don't have x,y, and z your space isn't maximized. This is where the first-hand knowledge and experience of others who have already traveled this path comes into play.
The two dedicated listening rooms I have access to are owned by friends who operate well above my income threshold. Both of those room owners basically suggested throwing piles of cash (that I don't have) at my small room to make it sound decent.
I am not the one to answer, the only room treatment sin my room are pictures on the walls, big bookshelves with books, furniture, that sloped ceiling, and a big convoluted volume. It sounds great.
FALL Listening Space - diyAudio
dave
Dave and Ray thanks a ton to you both. The guidance is greatly appreciated.
Hopefully next week I'll make it out to the lumber yard and grab a few sheets of BB and get started on the speaker cabinets.
I also need to knock together a something to hold the stereo and turntable. It's currently living on the spare bedroom dresser. Wife wants a midmod credenza style piece, I shall oblige her.
I've got a Modi and Loki on back order hopefully they'll get here sometime in the first week of February and I can get setup in the room and listening.
Hopefully next week I'll make it out to the lumber yard and grab a few sheets of BB and get started on the speaker cabinets.
I also need to knock together a something to hold the stereo and turntable. It's currently living on the spare bedroom dresser. Wife wants a midmod credenza style piece, I shall oblige her.
I've got a Modi and Loki on back order hopefully they'll get here sometime in the first week of February and I can get setup in the room and listening.
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