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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!psivax!tommie
From: tommie@psivax.UUCP (Tom Levin)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: a new topic
Message-ID: <737@psivax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 16:49:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: psivax.737
Posted: Tue Sep 17 16:49:15 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Sep-85 00:17:20 EDT
References: <748@charm.UUCP>
Reply-To: tommie@psivax.UUCP (Tom Levin)
Organization: Pacesetter Systems Inc., Sylmar, CA
Lines: 66
Keywords: Live end, dead end
Summary: Sound rooms (kind of long)

In article <748@charm.UUCP> prk@charm.UUCP (Paul Kolodner) writes:
>I would like to introduce a new topic:  arranging a listening room
>for best sound.

Good topic.

>So now the questions.  Does one want the speakers to be coupled or
>decoupled from the floor?  

One wants the speakers to be rigidly coupled to the ground, preferably on
very sturdy speaker stands.  Speaker stands are important to "clean" up
the bass.  For best stereo imaging, it is also important that the stands 
don't move.  People in this group have suggested "tip toes" which are metal 
pyramids that you put under your stands with the point down.  This "digs"
them into your carpet making them very sturdy.  Of course, driving nails
through your speaker stands will also get a nice sharp tip to dig into
the carpet.

>Does one want reflections from the side and the rear?
>Does one want a reflector or absorber behind the speakers?

The "hot" listening set-up is what's commonly called a "live end, dead end"
room.  The area behind and directly in front of the speakers should be as
acoustically "dead" as possible.  The area behind the listening position
should be "live" (i.e. glass, walls, etc.)  One company that advertises in 
many stereo magazines (Audio for one) sells foam pads called Sonex.  They
should be put on the wall directly behind the speakers.  They cost
$40.00 for a package of 4 pads (I think they are 2 ft. squares).  They
do look pretty ugly though.  You might want to just put up real thick 
curtains or even a large tapestry with fiberglass stuffed behind it.

>Suppose I do what my wife wants me to do: put the speakers on either side
>of the brick fireplace on the right wall and sit on the sofa on the left wall.
>This would put a 40-ft deep empty space on my right and a wall on my left.
>Is such an asymmetric arrangement a bad idea?

While this might make your room more attractive, it would be disastrous
acoustically.  You should *never* listen to your wife! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

>I have spent some time describing the details of one room that most of you
>will never see.

If you invite us all over for a "listening" party then we can see your room.
(-: PARTY AT PAULS!!! :-)


      =========================================
      |                LIVE       DEAD        |   S - Speaker
      |                               D   S  D|   * - Your listening Position
      |LOTS OF REFLECTIONS L          E      E|    
      |ARE DESIRABLE OVER  I *        A      A|  
      |ON THIS END OF THE  V          D      D|
      |ROOM!               E              S   |
      |                LIVE        DEAD       |
      =========================================
-- 
__________________________________________________________________________
Tom Levin {ttidca|sdcrdcf|logico|scgvaxd|bellcore}!psivax!tommie

You've seen those car stickers that say "Baby on Board"???
				_________
I want one that says:	       /         \
			      / Psychotic \
			     /	   On      \
			     \	  Board    /
			      \___________/


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