My life as a mole... (Upgrading my basement)

[Pariah Zero]

So, I'm about to start on my next major project: finishing my basement, which is currently a poured concrete slab basement: Really, I'm putting in walls (and critically, insulation), a suspension ceiling, and electrical. Nothing too fancy.

In the center of the room is a pool table - the room is a game room. It'll have a TV hanging on the wall, but really, the room isn't set up for TV/movies. It's a room for playing pool and games - not sitting down, but being active and around the table.

The room does, however, have (and will) have some mini-tower speakers, a subwoofer, and amp hooked up to it. It'll then be able to play whatever comes through the TOSLINK from the TV. The speakers are on the (top) wall, a few feet from the corners.

Here is where I'm asking for thoughts: the audio system is currently not exactly the best - and of course, neither is the room. Right now, the walls are concrete, there's some indoor/outdoor carpet unrolled on the floor (but nothing nice that has actual carpet padding). Sonically, it's just hard concrete, with the exception of the fiberglass insulation above (covered by plastic sheet).

The speakers are fairly bottom-tier: Dayton T652-AIR, with the Dayton DTA-PRO Amp. The T652-AIR sounds quite a bit better than the B652-AIR (which I also have). I'd wager the Panther might just keep his head...

Anyway: I've got a few questions:

• Given the maximum height of the speakers (30" tall - shorter than the pool table that fills the room), I imagine I'd want to prioritize putting the speakers on stands that would put the tweeters somewhere between the player's height when bending over to shoot (at the pool table), and standing up?
• I imagine I need to be patient and finish construction & see what the finished room sounds like before deciding on what (if any) system upgrades to prioritize?
• My wife likes to make elaborate quilts, and I think they could be part of room treatment - like a tapestry on the wall to reduce reflections - does that sound feasible?

In the mean time, I'm just thinking of things I'd like to upgrade when I'm done. I've got experience with (IIR) DSP from car audio, and I'm thinking something like the MiniDSP Flex could both takeover the input duties from the DTA-PRO, and could be used to EQ the system.

There are other options for how to upgrade, but it seems that a DSP (besides being fun & flexible to tune) would let me maximize what I have now as well as carry over to anything I would get in the future.

Any thoughts/advice?

Thanks.

 

[amirm]

My wife likes to make elaborate quilts, and I think they could be part of room treatment - like a tapestry on the wall to reduce reflections - does that sound feasible?

So is my wife and we use them that way. Alas, they are thin so the only provide high-frequency absorption. If you can space them away from the wall that helps a bit.

 

[amirm]

I've got experience with (IIR) DSP from car audio, and I'm thinking something like the MiniDSP Flex could both takeover the input duties from the DTA-PRO, and could be used to EQ the system.

DSP and equalization is the best thing you can do for good sound (that and having nice speakers).

 

[ZolaIII]

You might try with something like this:

Measurements for speaker JBL Control HST V2

www.spinorama.org

regrading speakers (they are about 300 $ or a little more each now), I am sure it's error regarding sensitivity (it's average 87 dB in specs) and keep in mind woffer is 5.5" so it won't go very loud even crossed with sub/sub's which is recommended anyway (of course).
Have fun and good luck with your basement project.

 

[Pariah Zero]

DSP and equalization is the best thing you can do for good sound (that and having nice speakers).

When I'm done with the basement, and after getting a DSP...

Given the cost of something like the FOSI Audio v3 amps... I may make a (minor) project of a weekend or two of converting the T652-AIR speakers to a bi-amp/active crossover configuration, and learn to make the quasi-anechoic measurements with REW / VituixCAD. (Both before and after).

It's well within my skill reach, and could be interesting. (I DIY microphones; I've laid out & stuffed my own SMT circuit boards, built out the rest of the large diameter condenser mics, airbrushed the bodies....)

I guess after spending the pandemic staring at a mic, I couldn't resist whatever kept saying:

It's interesting working on the side of sound where I've got a tiny signal, and unacceptable noise is truly miniscule.