[Kery Givens]

Hello all,


I am about to complete the fur down in my new room and was wondering how much of a problem I am going to have with my sound based on the room dimensions.


My room is 18.5'(w) x 22' (L) x 8' 9" (h).


I am planning to surround the ceiling with a 12' soffit and build 45 degree walls into each corner.


I do not have much budget for real acoustic analysis or many expensive treatments. I do not expect it to be perfect, but I am hoping for just something good and keeping my bass.


Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences.


Many thanks to all who respond.


Kery

 

[marjen]

I don't see anythuing wrong with those dimensions. Good width and you should easily fit 2-3 rows. Mine is the same length but a little narrower (14') and I wish I had a little wider room to fit an extra seat in each row.

 

[Andrew Low]

Quote:

Originally posted by Kery Givens and build 45 degree walls into each corner.

I think you are trying to avoid having bass problems in the corners, but removing the corners will not really help IMHO -- they will simply cause the prediction of where your problems will be to be much harder.


Better to build it "square" and if you can -- fill the corners with insulation and use a fabric covering to make a 45 degree wall in the corner -- instant bass trap.


Roo

 

[Ethan Winer]

Kery,


> build 45 degree walls into each corner

 

[Kery Givens]

Ethan & Andrew,


Thanks for the reply's. I am scheduled to have my soffit and corners started this weekend and your thoughts are much apprieciated.


As far as my corners go, you are both correct I was looking to "help" my room by adding the 45's. I was originally looking to put outside corners in each corner, would this be any better? I could fill with insulation as well if these steps would offer any measurable benefit.


I am not opposed to eliminating them all together, but I was hoping to find something structural that would help break up the room for visual sake.


Thanks again for the advise.


Kery



ps......As far as the room length to width ratio should I expect difficulty getting the room to sound reasonably good? It has been hinted by a local HT designer that I will have many problems if I don't do something about it while I can and he is more than willing to assist me for the great low rate of $100/hour.


What do any of you think?

 

[Dennis Erskine]

Based *only* upon dimensions, your room would have a total of 366 modes below 300Hz, 23 of which are axial, 141 tangential, and 202 oblique. Below 300 Hz, 279 coincidence modes. Below 165Hz, five axial modes within 5% of each other. There are no 1/3 octave retros. Reducing the length of the room by 1' would make a significant improvement to predicted dimensional suitability. The modal areas that can be addressed with subwoofer positioning (or multiple subs) are, 25.6, 30.5, 51.36, 61, 63.4 and 77Hz.


None of this suggests the room is 'bad', nor does it suggest any of the potential problem areas will be audible. Do budget for some acoustical treatments. You will be better off with lower cost speakers and electronics plus acoustical treatments than with more expensive components and no treatments.

 

[Ethan Winer]

Kery,


What Dennis said.


> I was hoping to find something structural that would help break up the room for visual sake.

 

[Terry Montlick]

I agree with both Dennis and Ethan. Don't get hung up on room dimensions. Rooms with the "best" dimensions can still sound quite terrible.


And if you were planning to cut off the corners anyway, it's much better to reserve this space for corner bass absorbers to help smooth out the inevitably rocky low frequency response of a home theater-sized room.


Regards,

Terry