101 ways to make the speakers disappeared into the room

[Guest BadEnglish]

The acoustic of the room we use for listening is one of the important, if not the most important, part in reproducing the sound as close to the original recording. To best use of the acoustic of the room whether treated or not, we have to well integrate the speakers with the room. Good achievement to aim at is to have the speakers disappeared into the room (i.e. a holographic sound-stage).

 

When you listen to a holographic sound-stage, you able to pin point musical instruments and feel that vocal is at dead centre, because it has well define width and depth sound stage that is beyond your speakers and wall behind the speakers. Your speakers appear very quiet and unrelated to the pervasive soundscape although you stare at the speakers, they are the only place the sound is not coming from.

 

And it is the part that most of us, well of those who cannot afford a million dollar system, disregard, ignore or neglect. Most of the time, we are abstracted.

Integrating the speakers to the room is the most cheapest we could get in improving in reproduction the music. There are so many ways to achieve it: some are original, controversial, and contentious. But who cares, as long as we hit the target whichever ways we chose.

 

 

One of the method

 

Try to get hold of the Sheffield/XLO Test & Burn-in CD, the first three tracks are the most important. After setting up your speakers and your sweet spot as an equilateral triangle ( try not to toe-in yet even if your speaker manual said so ), play the 2nd track titled "relative phase test". Move your speakers ( one at the time and distance of 2 cm ), then listen again. Repeat until you have the illusion that voice is coming from around the room not like in the first part of the track. Verify the result with track no. 3 titled "Walkaround". Then time to enjoy your music.

 

 

Sound stage* test tracks

 

Artist  : Jennifer Warnes

Album : The Hunter

Song  : Somewhere, Somebody

It has very low bass, clear and wide sound stage. There are two harmony singers, one behind and one in front of Jennifer. Check whether your system can reproduce it.

 

 

Artist  : Sting

Album : Scared Love

Song  : Whenever I say your name

In intro, whenever sound come out, try to point out where the source of the sound is. On a good system, it's between 90 deg on your left and 90 deg on your right.

 

More coming soon.

 

 

Definition

Soundstaging, Soundstage presentation*

The accuracy with which a reproducing system conveys audible information about the size, shape, and acoustical characteristics of the original recording space and the placement of the performers within it.

 

 

 

To benefit the forum members, I would like to start this thread so we could share how we have achieved, what are the tools we used in hitting the target.

 

 

* Stereophile: Sounds Like? An Audio Glossary

[Guest BadEnglish]

 

6 "Do's" When Setting Up Your Hi-Fi System

Acoustic principles

 

 

Learn the language of good sound

[Guest BadEnglish]

My speakers are DALI Ikon 7 MKII which are front and back ported, and required not toe-in. And parallel line (space between two speakers) is fixed, owing to fixed TV console. I have therefore no choice have to go room treatment route. To make my speakers disappeared into the room; I have to trial and error moving treatment panels.

 

I relied heavily on the Sheffield Lab’s relative phase test track, channel balance track, and walk around track. To verify the result, I listen to “Bird on the wire” and “Somewhere, Somebody” of Jennifer Warnes, “Whenever I say your name” of Sting.

 

It took me almost 2 years as some of the treatment panels are DIY and having very challenging living room.

 

[Juventino1624706654]

Let us know more of the type of treatment used and where it was placed to achieve your goal.

Also possibly more detail on your room.

 

For most limited space is an issue but there are some that have odd shaped rooms or rooms with large openings leading on to other rooms.

 

Thanks

[Guest BadEnglish]

Let us know more of the type of treatment used and where it was placed to achieve your goal.

Also possibly more detail on your room.

 

For most limited space is an issue but there are some that have odd shaped rooms or rooms with large openings leading on to other rooms.

 

Thanks

 

 

Welcome on board Juventino.

 

I live in an apartment and my system is set up in the living room that is L shaped, has 10 corners, one side is open to kitchen. If that is not challenging enough, right side of the wall is plaster wall that vibrate even at low volume. The walls are treated with mixture of DIY Rockwool absorbers, foam bass-traps, and Primacoustic Broadway Panels. You could have more on my thread I will open my cave to share and learn from other members.

[titactoh]

 

Have you experimented with sound blocking curtain to reduce sound travelling into other bedrooms so as not to disturb occupants when listening in the night ?

[Juventino1624706654]

Welcome on board Juventino.

 

I live in an apartment and my system is set up in the living room that is L shaped, has 10 corners, one side is open to kitchen. If that is not challenging enough, right side of the wall is plaster wall that vibrate even at low volume. The walls are treated with mixture of DIY Rockwool absorbers, foam bass-traps, and Primacoustic Broadway Panels. You could have more on my thread I will open my cave to share and learn from other members.

 

Hi BadEnglish, thanks for the welcome.

 

I have a room that is 4m wide 8m long with an opening on the immediate right to an entrance that is 4m x 4m and further down also on the right to the dining room which is 4m x 6m.

Unfortunately treating the room will be difficult as behind the audio system is a large window with blinds and on the left across from the opening to the entrance area a full wall bookshelf. so no wall treatment can be done.

The one thin i am thinking about is block out curtains like Titactoh suggested below

 

Have you experimented with sound blocking curtain to reduce sound travelling into other bedrooms so as not to disturb occupants when listening in the night ?

 

[Guest BadEnglish]

Hi BadEnglish, thanks for the welcome.

 

I have a room that is 4m wide 8m long with an opening on the immediate right to an entrance that is 4m x 4m and further down also on the right to the dining room which is 4m x 6m.

Unfortunately treating the room will be difficult as behind the audio system is a large window with blinds and on the left across from the opening to the entrance area a full wall bookshelf. so no wall treatment can be done.

The one thin i am thinking about is block out curtains like Titactoh suggested below

 

I would suggest you start a new thread about your room's situation. Providing some drawings, photos will attract help from other experienced members.

[Fatalethal]

Hi BadEnglish, thanks for the welcome.

 

I have a room that is 4m wide 8m long with an opening on the immediate right to an entrance that is 4m x 4m and further down also on the right to the dining room which is 4m x 6m.

Unfortunately treating the room will be difficult as behind the audio system is a large window with blinds and on the left across from the opening to the entrance area a full wall bookshelf. so no wall treatment can be done.

The one thin i am thinking about is block out curtains like Titactoh suggested below

 

May I request for a detailed floorplan with descriptors

[Guest BadEnglish]

Have you experimented with sound blocking curtain to reduce sound travelling into other bedrooms so as not to disturb occupants when listening in the night ?

 

I have not tried what you called sound blocking curtain. Since my living room/listening room is treated, playing music at 70-80 db, I could barely hear the sounds at master bed room.