Diffusion/Ficus Trees behind Spires

I have always had ficus trees or some kind of diffusion between the back of my speakers and the front wall. The trees seemed to work well with my Quad 2805's. So when I set up my Spires I didn't think twice about it and the trees stayed in place. There is some absorption foam in the front corners. The speakers are 5 feet out from the front wall. (see the picture)

Recently I've started to think more seriously about room treatments and tried my system with the trees removed. While the differences are not great, they are noticeable and repeatable.

With the ficus trees in place, the system is a little softer overall, less leading edge etch and no glare, but the soundstage and imaging is a little smeared especially in the back corners. Instruments in the far back corners of the stage are just not as clear or have as much depth as in the center of the stage.

Without the ficus trees the system has a little more edge, more sharp attack and more depth and better imaging in the corners of the stage. When the trees are gone, the soundstage just opens up.

I was just wondering if anyone else has tried using ficus trees as diffusors in their system and what your experiences have been. I haven't decided which trade-off I want to live with yet.

Next steps are to check out some of the Ready Acoustics. I have heard good things about them from a friend, and there is a brief write-up in Stereophile Music in the Round.

Regards,

Dave

How about removing a few of the branches and maybe get the best of both worlds. Another words tweeking the trees a bit.

I previously used ficus (or similar) silk trees in the same fashion. Overall, I preferred their "soft" diffusion effect, but ultimately built "acoustic" bookcases (see my system pic) which improved the imaging and soundstage depth even more. Others on this forum swear that absorption panels are the way to go, especially if the speakers must be <4 ft from the front wall. Since your speakers are already 5 ft out, IMHO, you might be better off by just adding some corner bass-traps to the room, and not using ficus trees or absorption panels at all. Your picture doesn't show the whole room, but it looks like your listening chair is not backed up against a wall. If it is, you might consider adding absorption (or possibly diffusion) to the rear wall. Please post more info about your room dimensions, listening location, etc. and I'm sure others will chime in.

Thanks Sleepysurf...

You characterize the effect of the ficus trees well by referring to their "soft diffusion effect". To answer your question about my room, it measures 12' X 23' X 8' so I have about 10 feet behind my listening chair. (see the picture)

Longer term I hope to move into my finished basement which is a much larger room (20 X 36 X 9)...but that's a whole other story involving my 20 year old daughter, college, and some jerk in Canada. Enough said.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I have five major plants plus acoustic panels to diffuse and absorb. I'm very happy with the results.

I will try to get my system posted next week. I say try because I'm a bit technologically challenged.

GG

Thanks Gordon...

How do you have the plants arranged? Are they behind the speakers, off to the sides, etc?

Where have you found the best placement for the asborption panels?

Thanks.

I have been looking at cotton tapestries on the front, side and rear walls and using bass traps in the front corners. Simply because you are getting better artwork.

Is this a bad idea or just a so/so idea?

The reason the ficus trees seem to take the edge off, is that they absorb/diffuse some of the highest frequencies, which would otherwise be reflected and result in an edgy sound. The problem is that they do not really diffuse or absorb midrange or bass frequencies, resulting in reflections, comb filtering and resonance nodes which impair your soundstage, imaging, and detail retrieval.

If you can get your speakers at least five feet out from the front wall, and if your side walls aren't too close, then the effect of the rear wave reflection from your speakers will be minimized. Diffusion behind the speakers isn't really going to help that much except in a large room. For diffusion to work properly, you need a lot of space for the sound to be diffused before it reaches the listener's ears. This is just not possible in most normal-sized listening rooms. Jonathan's measurements show that diffusers behind the speakers may not really help that much even in a large room.

But if you don't have a large room, then diffusion, and especially ficus trees, aren't going to help much at all. Full range (250 Hz. up to 20,000 Hz.) absorption panels placed on the front wall directly behind your speaker's electrostatic panel will absorb enough of the rear wave to minimize the negative effects of those reflections.

If there is an "edge" to the sound that the ficus trees help eliminate, that is a pretty good indication that you have too much reflectivity off the front and side walls, and need some absorption behind your speakers.

Hi Dave,

5 Plants (5 - 8' tall) are behind and between the speakers. Have two large windows behind the ML's.

Placed 4 - 2' X 2' X 2" ATS panels on the windows positioned "vertically", to match the center of the panel. Also have 3 smaller panels mounted between the window sill and floor. Also have 2 - 2' X 2' X 4" panels on the floor behind each speaker, which are located against the wall in each corner, just outside of the outer edge of each speaker.

Hopefully I'll get some photos posted, which should clarify all of the above.

Gordon