"Stevie Boy" wrote in message
...

I find myself amazed that we're collectively prepared to spend thousands
on
new amplifiers, CD players etc, let alone silly money on cables or mains
conditioners, when we're not willing to put in some basic acoustic
treatment.

----------------

As important IMO as the equipment. I've had to make the best of a bad
situation, lashing out on wall papering all the walls, large carpet mat on
top of a floored carpet & some soft furnishings (not to mention myself!)
in the likes of cuddly animals & comfy chairs, the listening one being the
most comfy :-) In addition I've kept the speakers away from the corners &
slightly out into the room. Currently experimenting with marble base
plates (bread boards) to rest the speakers on.
Wallpaper will make a very small difference, unless it's 100mm thick! What
you're trying to achieve is a short reverberation time which means plenty of
soft furnishings, carpeted floor and so on. In "normal" sized listening
rooms you're also trying to suppress early reflections from side walls,
which requires some wide range absorption on the sides. Early reflections,
especially if there is some frequency dependant absorption, will confuse the
stereo image, and change the perceived frequency response. This is most
easily achieved by 75-100mm of rockwool positioned from ground level up to,
say, 150cm high up the walls. These can be in the form of free-standing
panels (gobos) or attached to the walls.

You also may need to suppress the echo from the ceiling , but provided the
room is reasonably symmetrical, this will affect both channels equally and
won't have too serious an effect on the stereo image. It *will* affect bass
resonance by allowing standing waves, but if the floor is very absorbent
(e.g. thick carpet and underlay), then resonances will be reduced somewhat.

Corners will cause a bass boom, so if you can, position some corner
absorbers, or move the 'speakers about to minimise the effect. You will
probably end up with conflicting requirements for 'speaker positioning, one
position gives good imaging but the bass booms, another minimises bass
problems, but early reflections affect the image and so on. Ultimately, some
rooms just aren't any good for stereo. However, if you are willing to
experiment, most rooms can be made usable.

My web site shows what I've done to my own listening room, there are also a
couple of useful links to acoustics web sites. Also, have a look at
www.acoustics101.com for more advanced ideas. It's aimed at the small
recording studio, but is equally valid domestically, albeit with more
attention to the cosmetics.

What do you think will be achieved by standing the 'speakers on breadboards?
If you have suspended wooden floors I would isolate the 'speakers by
mounting them on rubber. Alternatively, you could use mass, but you'll need
an awful lot more than a marble slab ( a couple of tombstones might work!
I'd like to hear the discussions with one's wife over than suggestion....)

Anyway, good luck.

S


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