10x18 long room with echo.

[SoCal626]

Hi all,
I'm new to this forum and recommended by a friend.

I have a some what a question to ask you audio geeks
I have a room which has bamboo flooring, my 3.1 system is located in my "small" bed room which sounds great to my ears.
When i first moved in the room it echo's so bad even with bed room funiture, i did install a rug in the middle of the floor and it help a lot but it still echo's. Iv been recommend to get some ats acoustic panels for my room,but there prices are so cheap i can get 5 panels. has anyone here used ats acoustic panels? and do you recommend them?

thanks

 

[Pyrrho]

I have not used acoustic panels. I have always used furniture and decorations sufficient to get rid of echos. I mention this as another option for you. Curtains, tapestries, paintings, couches, comfortable stuffed chairs, etc., all help rid a room of echos.

 

[sawzalot]

quote SoCal626 Hi all,
I'm new to this forum and recommended by a friend.

I have a some what a question to ask you audio geeks


One does not have to be a "geek" to enjoy audio and or even have some knowledge in the audio video fields, now computers that's totally different

 

[STRONGBADF1]

I'm with Pyrrho, at least for starters, make sure you have window coverings and lots of decoration (the softer the better) to cut down on the amount of hard flat surfaces in your room.



I'm confused...am I a geek or a nerd???

 

[Pyrrho]

I'm with Pyrrho, at least for starters, make sure you have window coverings and lots of decoration (the softer the better) to cut down on the amount of hard flat surfaces in your room.



I'm confused...am I a geek or a nerd???

Yes, soft things especially, but even hard things break up the parallel surfaces, and thus reduce echos. Basically, with an empty rectangular room, sound bounces back and forth between the opposing surfaces (between opposing walls, and between floor and ceiling), but with things in the way, the sound is deflected (or absorbed) and cannot simply bounce back and forth. Bookcases help, and so does almost anything one puts in the room. People who have too much stuff rarely have problems with echos, which is why some people never run into this particular problem.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Yes, soft things especially, but even hard things break up the parallel surfaces, and thus reduce echos. Basically, with an empty rectangular room, sound bounces back and forth between the opposing surfaces (between opposing walls, and between floor and ceiling), but with things in the way, the sound is deflected (or absorbed) and cannot simply bounce back and forth. Bookcases help, and so does almost anything one puts in the room. People who have too much stuff rarely have problems with echos, which is why some people never run into this particular problem.

Yup...hard, flat & parallel is the problem. Break up the flat on the walls put down a area rug and put soft furniture in the room.

 

[SoCal626]

thanks for the response,i should of said "home theater geek".
I'll just have to move things around etc see what gives. I just miss carpet flooring,but waf wants hard wood floors!! i guess i have to make her happy.

 

[sholling]

I use ATS treatment panels and bass traps in my family room and they helped a lot. But you'll want to plan out where to put them for best effect and how to make them not look industrial. But I agree with the others in that you should make sure that you have covered all of your other bases first. Start with things like isolating the speakers and subwoofer from the floor and furniture. Cabinet resonance that transfers to the floor can give an echo like sound. Auralex Mopads or SpeakerDudes are a couple of options for the speakers and a SubDude or the larger Gramma/Great Gramma for a down-firing subwoofer. For a front-firing sub you may want something a bit firmer than a subdude. If Auralex products are a but too expensive you can find something cheaper and more basic. Auralex offers a free room evaluation with the purchase of some of their products, but I'm not sure that I'd use their treatments - too industrial looking.

 

[Pyrrho]

thanks for the response,i should of said "home theater geek".
I'll just have to move things around etc see what gives. I just miss carpet flooring,but waf wants hard wood floors!! i guess i have to make her happy.

Get your wife to pick out some paintings and things for the walls, with your input, of course (as you live there too), and it may work out well for both of you. Heavy curtains are good acoustically for absorption of sound, so that is something to remember when considering what to do about windows.

Hardwood floors make it more difficult, but the addition of the rug you mentioned is a good start, as you observed yourself.

If, after you have all the furniture and things in the room that you and your wife want, then consider the acoustic panels if you still have a problem, though she might not like the look of them. (For echos, the primary culprit are hard opposing parallel surfaces, and so breaking up that is generally the primary concern in the placement of the panels to get rid of echos.)

In life, compromises are almost always necessary, as few have the money and space for a custom built room for their audio system. And, of course, with two people, there are two who need to be pleased, and so even more compromises are often necessary. But one can still have good sound even if one cannot have ideal sound.

 

[SoCal626]

Will,i talk to my wife and she said i have a go on getting a few acoustic panels,i didn't know they had subdudes. i learn some thing new every day. And thanks for the links,i'll take a look. Women are sure hard to work with.

 

[ChunkyDark]

Sholling, I literal laughed out loud when I saw you had edited the naughty bits on the sculpture.

OP, don't think of it as a choir, have fun with it.
I recently bought some burlap coffee bags that will get a sheet of styrofoam inserted. This will absorbed some sound and break on contour of wall. It also personalizes my stark house with a little personality.

 

[sholling]

Sholling, I literal laughed out loud when I saw you had edited the naughty bits on the sculpture.

It's respect for this site's family friendly policy.

I recently bought some burlap coffee bags that will get a sheet of styrofoam inserted. This will absorbed some sound and break on contour of wall.

Styrofoam as a sound absorbent? I haven't heard of that before. I would think it would reflect. Wouldn't you be better off using some cheap Roxul rockboard?