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New member Username: Hieu_phanPost Number: 10 Registered: 12-2003 | Please advise how far I can improve my system if I have $US300-400 to spend. BIG THANKS. My current system consists of: 1) Amplifier: Marantz SR-6300 AV receiver 2) Speaker A for movies: - 1 pair of JBL Control CM52 for front channels - 1 pair of JBL satellite SAT150 for rear channels - 1 Infinity Video 1 center speaker for center channel - 1 JBL center for surround center channel - 1 Wharfedale subwoofer 100w for LFE 3) Speaker B for music: 1 pair of Celestion SL6 speakers 4) CD player: Cambridge Audio D300SE 5) DVD player: Samsung 6) TV: Sony 21-inch 21TG80M 7) Cables: - QED and Audioquest speaker cables - QED coaxial cable - MIT5 audio cable 8) Ecoustic environment: Area: 3.5m(W)x2.5m(L)x3.2m(H). Brick walls, shiny floor tiles, system racks, cabinets, speaker stands, paintings on the walls... --------------------------------------- |
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New member Username: John_aPost Number: 135 Registered: 12-2003 | 1. Curtains behind the front speakers to absorb reflections. A rug on the floor. 2. A turntable! |
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New member Username: Hieu_phanPost Number: 11 Registered: 12-2003 | My front speakers have no air-hole in the back. Do they still have the reflection effect? Due to the room size limit I can only place the fronts 30cm from the back wall. |
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New member Username: Disco_stanPost Number: 52 Registered: 12-2003 | and....bookshelf behind the listening area!! |
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New member Username: Disco_stanPost Number: 53 Registered: 12-2003 | and....bookshelf behind the listening area..to cut down those mids a little bit. |
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New member Username: John_aPost Number: 136 Registered: 12-2003 | "My front speakers have no air-hole in the back. Do they still have the reflection effect?" YES. Try it. Do something temporary if you are sceptical. You will hear the effect. The hole is a bass reflex port. It makes no difference. |
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New member Username: Hieu_phanPost Number: 12 Registered: 12-2003 | Thanks Matt. Will try putting something behind the listening position. John - I can't find such a bass reflex port on my Celestion SL6 bookshelf speakers. I see only one tweeter, one woofer in front, binding posts in the back, the other 4 sides of it are all wood. I will try as advised but please help me understand how it works physically. |
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New member Username: John_aPost Number: 140 Registered: 12-2003 | Hieu Phan, Have to go to work. will come back later. The reflected sound does not come out of the reflex port, which works a bit like a passive sub, and is not directional, well not much. It is put at the back only for cosmetic reasons. |
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New member Username: ValeemPost Number: 62 Registered: 12-2003 | Hieu Phan, Looking at your current system I feel it would be best for you to save your money and put it towards a larger widescreen tv if possible. You have a nice setup soundwise but I personally think a larger monitor would increase your overall viewing pleasure. Just my two cents! |
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New member Username: GmanPost Number: 145 Registered: 12-2003 | I agree with John A. Outside of your speakers, the next most important aspect is the interaction of your speakers with their surroundings. Sounds like you have an acoustically bright room. A good sized nice throw rug would do wonders. And if you sit on a sofa or seating against a wall--an arty rug hanging or tapestry would help. It will give your room more of a concert hall sound than the sound of being ina high school gymnasium. And I also agree with Valeem. If you watch many dvd's saving for a widescreen HDTV will increase your viewing experience. But I would improve your room acoustics first, particularly since the price of HDTV's will always come down and the quality of HDTV's will improve in the future. |
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New member Username: Disco_stanPost Number: 54 Registered: 12-2003 | I agree with Gregory, John check out this site, I'm sure it will help. http://www.rivesaudio.com/listroom.html |
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New member Username: Hieu_phanPost Number: 13 Registered: 12-2003 | John, Greg, Matt, Valeem - Thanks for your valuable advice. |
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New member Username: John_aPost Number: 142 Registered: 12-2003 | Hieu, The hole is there in some speakers to give better bass - the woofer (bass driver) moves air on "push" and "pull". "Pull" on one side of the driver is the same as "push" on the other. So the reflex port is there to let out the other half of the sound waves. The extra distance they travel helps to bring them back into phase with the ones coming out of the front. It is a bit of a black art and some makers just miss out the bass reflex port - then the design (like yours) is called a "sealed cabinet". None of that makes any difference to the bad effects of reflections off smooth surfaces. They mix up the sound and give you a poor stereo image and sound stage. Curtains (aka "drapes" in US) make a world of difference. How much will depend a bit on the sort of brick your wall is made of, but they will certainly improve things. Try it! Matt, Great link. Thanks! |
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New member Username: ValeemPost Number: 66 Registered: 12-2003 | matt, Great link! I never realised room acoustics played such an important part in getting the most from a sound system. I have bookmarked the link and will use it to fine tune my setup. Thanks. |
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Unregistered guest | Heres a way U can save money and accomplish similar results at least 4 the distance of your speakers from the front wall and to also check 4 reflections anywhere in your room . U may be surprised. I used two forks and hit them together (walked around the room hitting them together) and listened 4 high frequency reflections bouncing off of the front and rear walls(it has to be quiet when U do this though)U can also clap your hands and walk around the room and U can tell where your reflections are comming from. when u hit the right spot there will be just about no reflection of high frequency sound when U hit the right spot. trust me that way U can find just about every peak and null in your listening room. when U hit that spot line up the very front of your speaker with that spot it does take some time but it's worth it once U line it up just take the forks or your hands about 5 inches above your speaker hit them together to make sure that the tweeters lined up with the exact position that U found of the least reflection( make sure that your eyes are closed as well u can hear a lot better this way). I call this the poor man's diffuser and trust me it works! You'll be able 2 get a pretty flat frequency response from any speaker with this method. I started to buy absorbtive panels myself but after that I didn't really need them , I won't say that they can't improve upon it somewhat but I definitely didn't think it was worth the investment afterward. I just got bored 1 day and figured what the heck i'll try something stupid and try to improve the sound of my system and it worked . U can also do the same thing 4 your seating position (4 even better sound) depending on your seating arrangement. I know it sounds a little silly but what do you have to lose. My listening room is my living room and my wife didn't think that panels would be very attractive in there , so I found a way around it .I've actually helped a couple my friends with this as well and it's worked 4 them 2. Try it most importantly don't feel to crunchy while u're doing it. I was actually going to be buy new speakers because I thought they weren't giving me everything I wanted. |
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Unregistered guest | Oh yeah forgot I switched to the forks because my hands started to hurt, plus it's easier 2 hear the high frequency sounds with forks or something similar. |
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New member Username: SnakeyesPost Number: 13 Registered: 12-2003 | Hey all, I was wondering if you guys knew of any acoustical wall curtains that could be used in a new home theater room im building. i ask for curtains to please my wife so that they can be slid to the sides to show off the room decorations when in regular viewing mode |
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New member Username: EdisonPost Number: 338 Registered: 12-2003 | If you can avoid blocking the space between the speakers, the sound will improve. Experiment with the distance from a wall. |