Would it be worthwhile to experiment with cheap sound absorbing panels?

[mtaz]

Can I expect a noticeable improvement by just guessing where to place some inexpensive panels?

This is my listening area. The speakers are Ascend Sierra-LX. I've added a Rythmik L12 sub since the pic was taken.

I'm using a Wiim Ultra for DSP, which has helped a lot, but I'm hoping for some more improvement.

Last question: if you think it's worth trying, are there any inexpensive panels you can recommend?

 

[TimF]

might be easier to use a couple thick padded blankets used by movers. Easy to drape.

 

[mtaz]

might be easier to use a couple thick padded blankets used by movers. Easy to drape.

I saw a video where someone tested a few materials and found that a towel absorbed sound better than a foam acoustic panel. But I'd like to have it look nice.

And I just realized that I posted this in the wrong forum; should have been in Room Acoustics.

Can a mod move it?

 

[Haint]

Sounds absorption panels are all cheap in terms of materials, they're just insulation in rudimentary wood frames wrapped in fabric. If you want to test them, just go to your local hardware store and buy the 3" or 3.5" thick panels of mineral/stone wool insulation, a big package will be $60 - $80, which will be the equivalent of at least 8 large "bass trap" absorption panels (i.e. 3" x 24" x 48").

The foam panels are no good as they only affect high frequencies, only genuine use for them would maybe be the ceiling to fix like a bad 2Khz+ ceiling bounce or something

 

[Chrispy]

Have you measured as a start?

 

[kyuu]

I would recommend that you first find out if you actually have a problem and what that problem is before you start trying to apply treatments. You can spend a lot of time and money on room treatments and accomplish nothing or even cause problems you didn't have before. Room treatments are effectively EQ, as they never simply attenuate all frequencies equally.

That room does appear to be sparsely furnished and have a lot of hard surfaces, so you may in fact need room treatments (or you can just get rugs and other normal room furnishings).

 

[jmdesignz2]

Definitely your first investment should be a UMIK / calibrated microphone of some sort, then assuming you have a compatible laptop, run REW software which is free.

I moved my towers 24" from the front wall in an effort to raise the WAF.
I was hearing very weak, almost non existent slam from kick drums etc.
REW found a huge suckout / cancellation of around 20-30dB

the better spot was 44" which was too far into the room confirmed by measurements.

I built 6" thick acoustic panels 2x4ft to place between the speakers and front wall

I can now locate the towers 30" from the front wall.

Also I added a roll made of three 2" thick denim acoustic material and placed that in the only corner that had room. Immediate improvement

I need to run another 10x REW sweep and see the changes but the sound is much more balanced, incredible really.

 

[tineared]

That's a very challenging room. If that flooring is tile, I would cover all of it first thing.

 

[mtaz]

Have you measured as a start?

All I've done so far in terms of room acoustics is to experiment with speaker and subwoofer placement (which I probably should spend some more time on) and run the Wiim DSP using my cell phone mic. This actually resulted in a much greater improvement than I had expected.

 

[mtaz]

Definitely your first investment should be a UMIK / calibrated microphone of some sort, then assuming you have a compatible laptop, run REW software which is free.

I moved my towers 24" from the front wall in an effort to raise the WAF.
I was hearing very weak, almost non existent slam from kick drums etc.
REW found a huge suckout / cancellation of around 20-30dB

the better spot was 44" which was too far into the room confirmed by measurements.

I built 6" thick acoustic panels 2x4ft to place between the speakers and front wall

I can now locate the towers 30" from the front wall.

Also I added a roll made of three 2" thick denim acoustic material and placed that in the only corner that had room. Immediate improvement

I need to run another 10x REW sweep and see the changes but the sound is much more balanced, incredible really.

Hard as it may be to believe, I don't own a laptop. I've just never needed one. Also see my reply to tineared below; based on this feedback, which several people have expressed, I think it may be easier to start over in another room.

 

[mtaz]

That's a very challenging room. If that flooring is tile, I would cover all of it first thing.

Yeah I may decide to move everything to the adjacent room, which is more conventionally shaped, with all carpet and a 9' ceiling. However, behind that room is the kitchen, which obviously has a lot of hard surfaces.

 

[Chrispy]

All I've done so far in terms of room acoustics is to experiment with speaker and subwoofer placement (which I probably should spend some more time on) and run the Wiim DSP using my cell phone mic. This actually resulted in a much greater improvement than I had expected.

Per some comments wonder if the room is even fully furbished yet? Meh on the measurement with that gear before going to the acoustic panels....

 

[sceptical1]

Can I expect a noticeable improvement by just guessing where to place some inexpensive panels?

This is my listening area. The speakers are Ascend Sierra-LX. I've added a Rythmik L12 sub since the pic was taken.

View attachment 493851

I'm using a Wiim Ultra for DSP, which has helped a lot, but I'm hoping for some more improvement.

Last question: if you think it's worth trying, are there any inexpensive panels you can recommend?

Put the couch against the wall niche and setup the speakers using the top left corner, where the left lamp is now, as the center point.

 

[HiMu]

Put the couch against the wall niche and setup the speakers using the top left corner, where the left lamp is now, as the center point.

I was about to suggest the something similar.

 

[mtaz]

I was about to suggest the something similar.
View attachment 494184

I don't know why it never occurred to me to try this arrangement. I may need a longer speaker cable though.

 

[sceptical1]

I don't know why it never occurred to me to try this arrangement. I may need a longer speaker cable though.

Tell us how it sounds when you get back from the hardware store.
What are the room dimensions?