Acoustics of an open room

[fizzy_fozzy]

I have a living room 5.1 setup with large open spaces on both sides. I uploaded a photo of it.

I think I read with enclosed rooms you want to have objects which will absorb the sound so the waves don’t bounce of the wall and muddy the sound.

Does that mean open rooms like this one are good since it allows the waves to be diffused over a greater space?

It might be hard to see but there are surround speakers are on both sides of the recliners.

Recommendations are welcome.

 

[DVDdoug]

Does that mean open rooms like this one are good since it allows the waves to be diffused over a greater space?

Bigger rooms are usually better (and easier to deal with) and an opening like an open door or window is essentially a perfect absorber since there are no reflections.

Early reflections from the sides can be actually be beneficial if there is no center channel (per Floyd Toole). But with hard ceilings and floors it's probably better to minimize whatever reflections you can so you don't get multiple-extended reflections and reverb and standing waves.

 

[Blueprint]

I think if you’re willing to put some acoustic treatment on the wall behind you, you’ll have a very nice listening environment. Certainly the side wall distance is a great advantage, it increases the ratio of direct sound and reduces the impact of reflections. I’d recommend bass management always but particularly with the speakers against the front wall.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

I think if you’re willing to put some acoustic treatment on the wall behind you...

That would certainly help.

More toe in on the speakers (it won't take much) would also reduce the tv wall 2nd reflections, so I would try that. Basically get as much of the reflected sound to go out to the sides as possible.

A combination would be a good approach.

 

[fizzy_fozzy]

But with hard ceilings and floors it's probably better to minimize whatever reflections you can so you don't get multiple-extended reflections and reverb and standing waves.

I’m thinking a rug would help for the floor. I’ll look for something for the back wall and ceiling.

 

[olieb]

Does that mean open rooms like this one are good since it allows the waves to be diffused over a greater space?

Welcome to ASR!
It looks like you have highly reflective walls all over. This will create (among other things) a long decay time.

In (low) bass this will create strong (isolated) room modes that might produce a bumpy frequency response (FR). You might check that with the Room Sim tool of REW. The bumpiness can helped a lot with (bass management) and EQ.

Above the so called Schroeder frequency (≈150Hz) the room modes will not be isolated any more, but the long decay will still produce an uneven FR among other causes from the interaction of the direct sound of speakers (and similarly the listening position) with the strong reflections of the wall behind (SBIR).

From about 500-800Hz upwards the open sides and the nice big room will indeed have an advantage for spacious sound. The question whether lateral reflections are advantageous or detrimental is not clear and might depend on personal preference and the style of music you hear. In any case late and diffused reflections as in your room are not a bad thing.
But you will still get strong (specular) reflections from floor, ceiling, front and back wall and this might be a problem for timbre and imaging.
You might wanna think about some diffusers and absorbers (the thick kind to absorb broad band) on the walls.

 

[Blueprint]

Seating distance is way too close to walls to use diffusers IMO. Absorption on the rear wall certainly, and the front wall will be helpful too.

 

[fizzy_fozzy]

More toe in on the speakers (it won't take much) would also reduce the tv wall 2nd reflections, so I would try that. Basically get as much of the reflected sound to go out to the sides as

toe in would be a simple fix.

For the front wall there is space to the left I can add an absorber.

Back wall is very bare. I can try to add something.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

toe in would be a simple fix.

Just be careful, weird things can happen in irregular rooms. There is a specific angle in my room that if I point the sub along it, I basically set up a double bank shot 60' path from one corner of the main room to the back corner of my kitchen. Which causes more problems than it is worth. I have avoided it ever since I got a sub with decent power and extension.

I'll add my vote for a rug between tv and chairs. And a thick rug pad under it. The plain felt pads are easy to slide, if that matters. Rubber backed stay in place better, so usually a better way to go.

You might want something under the dining table, or not. I will say that blankets and such can be used to TEST before putting a rug somewhere. Just pile them up to rug depth, see what happens.

 

[1066]

You night like to measure with umik 1 microphone and free REW software to see what differences temporary changes make?

 

[Ciobi69]

I got an open space, prepare yourself to put a ton of pourous absorber