Speaker quality in an "Acoustically challenging environment"

[Feltran]

In a room that has somewhere between mediocre and bad acoustics and no room treatments will help much, what's your opinion on the jump from good equipment to great equipment?

Do speakers like Spires become a waste of money because they won't reach their potential? Or are they still worth the upgrade over speakers like Sources, because with neither speaker reaching its potential, the superior speaker is still going to produce superior sound?

What do you guys think?

 

[robertawillisjr]

Why do you think that the room acoustics can't be corrected or made much better? I have seen a few "basket cases" rooms made into very listenable environments.

 

[Ethan Winer]

Why do you think that the room acoustics can't be corrected or made much better? I have seen a few "basket cases" rooms made into very listenable environments.

That's what I'd have said if you didn't beat me to it. Indeed, upgrading electronics and speakers is pretty much pointless until the room is treated.

--Ethan

 

[Tifosi]

The comments re: room treatments are certainly valid because so much of your sound is room dependent. But, the others didn't respond to your question. My opinion: better equipment sounds better. You may get a fraction of its true potential in a lousy room but, for example, 20% of fabulous is better than 20% of mediocre. Also, if the possibility of moving w/i the next few years exists, why not buy now...you can always use the stuff elsewhere, which will hopefully have better acoustics (or be more amenable to treatment). And, finally, if new stuff will enhance your happiness, life's too short; seek that which will yield joy.

 

[C.A.P]

Any room can be made to sound better! Forget the equipment ! Naturally if you have better gear it will sound better but the room is the starting point. Poor untreated room can make anything sound bad.

 

[VanDaRo]

It should be noted that I have never met anyone who had regrets about treating or otherwise improving their listening room. The money invested in acoustic enhancement usually pays off big time -- often equivalent to buying new equipment at several times the cost.

Don't give up. Work with Mr Winer (RealTraps) or Mr Kuras (GIK acoustic). They can and will be happy to help you.

~VDR

 

[JonFo]

I can attest to the fact that even a room specifically engineered and built for my MartinLogan set benefited from serious room treatments.

Treating the room, even a good one, is still a much better investment than any equipment.

Please read these two threads for plenty of detail as to why and some great recommendations:

http://67.19.167.226/~tdacquis/forum/showthread.php?t=5435

http://67.19.167.226/~tdacquis/forum/showthread.php?t=6931

 

[Feltran]

The acoustics in my room aren't absolutely terrible, but they definitely aren't good, either. It is not a dedicated listening room (I have no room that could serve that purpose), and it is a very unusual space. We're talking diagonal walls, pony walls, part of the ceiling being 9' and part of the ceiling being 17', etc. Anything except the most subtle room treatments are really out of the question, because to properly treat this room would destroy the entire aesthetic of my home.

 

[nsgarch]

The acoustics in my room aren't absolutely terrible, but they definitely aren't good, either. It is not a dedicated listening room (I have no room that could serve that purpose), and it is a very unusual space. We're talking diagonal walls, pony walls, part of the ceiling being 9' and part of the ceiling being 17', etc. Anything except the most subtle room treatments are really out of the question, because to properly treat this room would destroy the entire aesthetic of my home.

What you see as liabilities may in fact be assets. A few of us here are architects, and I bet the others would tell you the same thing. Don't try and figure it out by yourself, but no one can help you from a verbal description alone. Take lots of photographs and make some measurements, if you can, draw some floor plans, crude is better than nothing ;-) Then send them to some of the room treatment folks and together it'll become a win-win relationship

 

[tonepub]

I would fix as much of the room as possible first, because if you have some nagging room anomalies, no matter how much you change your system, they will still be there.

i.e. if you have a big bass suckout in your room, adding a subwoofer or getting a bigger one, won't make that much of a difference. You may even be able to change the response characteristics of your room by eliminating a coffee table or experimenting a lot with speaker positioning as well.

Then add some good room treatments and you will be amazed at how much more sound you will get from the gear you have.

A well dialed in room will also make it better to hear minor tweaks and adjustments too.

I ended up spending a little under $2000 on room treatment and it has been the biggest performance gain for the money I've ever encountered yet. Seeing Ethan is on this forum, he makes great stuff that is reasonably priced. Take advantage of that....

I'll bet you will be pleasantly surprised!

 

[VanDaRo]

Feltran-

Acoustic panels marketed today are actually quite good-looking and can almost become conversation pieces in their own right. Visitors in my home who are unfamiliar with the nature or need for such things often ask what they are -- then they put their ears near to them and comment how quiet they make the room.

The colors and style options out there almost guarantee that you'll find something acceptable to you and/or your spouse.

Like nsgarch said, go to RealTraps.com and upload those fellas some pictures. They provide that service for free !!

~VDR

 

[FISH_MAN]

he said it best

What you see as liabilities may in fact be assets. A few of us here are architects, and I bet the others would tell you the same thing. Don't try and figure it out by yourself, but no one can help you from a verbal description alone. Take lots of photographs and make some measurements, if you can, draw some floor plans, crude is better than nothing ;-) Then send them to some of the room treatment folks and together it'll become a win-win relationship

I think your room is better than you think! also room treatments can look good
check out my livingroom fresco i with depth i. I still need to get pics of my home theatre room for you guys in the members systems area.
the panels are from gik.
oh and belive it or not the sub sounds good in that spot.