Build a system, don’t just buy equipment

[EJ3]

I get it. Most people can’t do it. Have a stereo in your living room. I did that for a long time and it’s nice, but once I could record (under limited circumstances) and mix my own music at home with results that were as good as almost any studio in the world, my view changed.

I have tried several designs for a LEDE room design and found that you can make a very effective solution so long as you give up about 4 inches of space on each wall.

The great thing about using heavy curtains in front of the blankets is that they are also incredibly sound absorptive.

I’ve always rented and never owned a home. I’ve found a way to cheaply effect a LEDE room in these residences.

Hey, you want images on the wall? Hang them from the ceiling with monofilament line in front of the curtains. It looks really cool.

Again, nothing wrong with just having a stereo in your living room. I’ve done that most of my life. I’ve found something better.

Not saying everyone can do it.

I constantly move my gear (that which is at my mother's home) onto the patio and blast it to the folks cooking out in between the patio and my dock. So have vastly different considerations than you.
Even, indoors, hard and soft furniture are strategically placed, angled 1/2 cathedral ceiling, stairs, curved bay windows big enough to be used as a seat for 3 people, 1/4 length crossing walls, carpets and all kinds of things to beak up standing waves, carpets, etc. And other stuff that mutes sounds
Speak for yourself regarding dedicated room treatments.

I think it's more a matter of "work with what you have" rather than "the ideal" for room treatments where most people are concerned.

I'm all analog gear, so no DSP, parametric eq, etc.

My "dedicated audio room" was my home office before I retired. It was great as a small home office, but the same properties make it less than ideal as an audio room:

(not to scale, it's far more "tighter" than the diagram looks)

It's small and asymmetrical, large windows and not much choice other than to sit in a 50/51Hz "null" point.

I used REW and an EM-01 to get it as good as I could with positioning. The imaging is fantastic. Delicate, nuanced and extremely detailed...and it even sounds pretty good to me as it currently sits, even with a measured 130hz SBIR issue and a 50/51Hz null. The 130hz is pretty deep, but it's a smooth transition in and out of it and the 50/51Hz null has a smooth entry and a rapid/strong recovery at 52-55Hz. The SBIR goes away with the tower speakers within 3" of hte rear wall, but that introduces too many other issues that just can't be dealt with (imagin, soundstage, etc).

The rest I'm planning to deal with by some absorption and a second sub to try and excite that 50hz null a bit more.

As I still have to enjoy living in the space, I want it to look decent and not feel closed in. That means no heavy curtains on the windows, so I have to live with that.

The SBIR I can't really make "go away", but I can smooth it out a little bit. That will be bass traps sized to the room limitations:

and the ceiling will get a cloud treatment, trying to keep with the style of the room as well as look "aesthetically pleasing":

that cloud covers pretty much all of the ceiling reflection areas.

The current 8" sub is located near field to the listening position (26 inches from rear wall), which was the best compromise in the room for the physics of it. A second sub will be in the 12" cone range and located off axis to try and excite that 50-51Hz null a bit more and add a little extra "depth" to the bass. Final location of the subs will be REW measurement driven and of course, the limitation of the rooms available spaces.

At that point, I'll have to be satisfied with what results I get because there's only so much you can do in a small, compromised room that you're only willing to make so many tradeoffs for SQ. As mentioned, I have to enjoy being in the space as much as listening to it.

Obviously, my space is just for listening, not mixing/recording.

So I'm back to me earlier statement: "You work with what you've got"...

And it appears "mostly acceptable" (and possibly 'artistic') to the non-audiophile family and friends.

 

[KikoKentaurus]

ask any scientist who is used to operating with all kinds of objective data, about how he deals with the inevitable "subjective" part of his life (not just job, life). how he decides what to do, where to go, who to be with, and all kinds of different tiny details which make most of what we call "life". for me the humanity is unbearably boring, and most of the answers, with or without scientists, will fit into one of two categories: either one is guided by his "mind", or by his "heart".

someone said the word "proselytize", and I can't really argue, probably because I know exactly that I do agree with OP's position on this topic. but this is my life. I had the experience, the wonderful experience of living one full year in a place far from any neighbours and that was somewhat acoustically treated (even though with huge, fatal flaws, which later forced me to move out). I basically squatted in a rented office, which was turned into kind of a recording+monitoring studio, and I had the whole year to be with myself alone and find out why is that these kind of places attract me so much. I came there with a dream of recordin an album, becoming famous, a rap-star. And I came out obsessive, nevrotic, I couldn't stand any noise, so I always wear my closed-back headphones even when they're not playing, as an attenuation, to this day. But I couldn't be more happy, because I found out that this kind of place is exactly for me, and as soon as my fate brings me to some place similar, I will try to stay there forever, and enjoy myself all the time.

but that's my life. nobody will have my life, as well as I can't have anyone other's life. for me, this "system" which the OP is talking about - is Life. but for someone else it's just a tiny moment, perhaps a place to visit. I don't want to change them. I want to be the "change", or rather the "usual", in a sense of what's usual for me

 

[Jaxx1138]

From an engineering perspective, the proper implementation of a sound system is entirely application dependent. Outdoors, indoors, small rooms, large rooms, absorptive and reflective coefficients (RT60) all alter the consideration of linear displacement , directivity and overall sensitivity. Getting really good sound really requires a good acoustics engineer. Although not required, it speeds things up and makes the process easier. Having said that, this hobby is really not about that and about exploring equipment, listening to music and getting others advice. Most people listen very passively to music (in the car or hanging out with friends). Audiophiles/ music/audio enthusiast take a more active and passionate approach. Usually with strong opinions and an adamant dogma for much of their positions. Therein lies the fun, as long as we don't get too identified with our positions. There are basic principles (as laid out in the OP) that we can follow. But almost everyone drives a car, few of them are mechanics,

 

[wadude]

But almost everyone drives a car, few of them are mechanics,

Duct tape, my friend.

 

[EJ3]

Duct tape, my friend.

And make sure that (if you have a spare tire) that it is not more than 6 years old AND that you have a proper amount of air in it.
Same goes if you have the "mini" spare and a canister (which also should not be more than 6 years old) to fill it up with whatever is in the pressurized canister. I would not know what those canisters contain, as I, so far, have been able to get a real spare for my cars that have had the "compact" spare, to carry in (or on) the car some how.