Help for listening room open on one side

[Naturelover]

Hi,

I have a living room with walls on three sides and a bit with one side open.
This is also my main listening room. The wall configuration causes the right speaker to have no side wall but only a curtain.
This is not very good for a good stereo setup. Would like to have suggestions for possible correction to this but without changing the room furniture setup. Can something, which will be acceptable in a living room, be done here to provide some correction? Maybe even something temporary while listening?

Thanks

 

[cyber_cat]

Can you be more specific what problem are you facing ?

Would suggest moving the speakers closer towards each other, to your liking, and moving the recliner closer to the speakers and taking the glass table away from between you and the speakers when you are listening.

Cheers.

 

[ranjeetrain]

If I were in your shoes I will sacrifice a thing or two but reverse the sitting plan. I will place the equipment rack where the recliners are and recliner where the equipment rack is. That way sonics will be much easier to manage.

 

[Naturelover]

Can you be more specific what problem are you facing ?

I am uncertain of that. You see, it is by reading only that I learnt that this causes SQ issues. Now what issues, I don't know by experience. I confess I am quite a novice here. So, unless I can try something different, I would not know what I am missing. That is the help I need to start with. I need to check this out before I start with my plan of an upgrade (HiFi only for now).

Would suggest moving the speakers closer towards each other, to your liking, and moving the recliner closer to the speakers and taking the glass table away from between you and the speakers when you are listening.

Cheers.

Yes, I do that whenever I have an extended session.

If I were in your shoes I will sacrifice a thing or two but reverse the sitting plan. I will place the equipment rack where the recliners are and recliner where the equipment rack is. That way sonics will be much easier to manage.

Couldn't agree with you more! I've been advice that earlier too and regretted having done that renovation so recently :sad:. Now, why ever did I not think of that! The HT is also in the same area. The speaker wiring, the projector are all in place. So, sonics, yes but logistics, no. Much as I agree with you, it is well nigh impossible. For the present, in any case.
Here's a pic of the opposite wall showing the pj and surround speakers. But, hey, this gives me an idea. I will at least check things out by shifting the HiFi gear to the other side. Let me see if I can hear any difference.

 

[prem]

Hi Naturelover

I dont see any reason for room treatment. Your speaker is 4 ft from the open wall. At most full absorption will happen on that side. On the other side if possible pull speaker a little more away from side wall. Maybe a foot.

Work on speaker placement first. The speakers need to come out from the front wall by at least 2 feet. Then do necessary toe in. After that see what problem, if any, is there. I seriously doubt, if speakers are correctly set up, there will be any room problems. I couldnt see a rug on the floor. If its not there you will need one. Thats about it.

 

[cyber_cat]

Try the long wall placement also and stick to the one you like.

There is nothing like room treatment.

Since you asked for a temp solution take a look at this, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jileMT6WYRU.

Cheers.

 

[mpw]

naturelover,

if you look at the pics of my setup on the merlin thread i started.. my room is open on one side too.

Not much to do here.. if you with you can have a collasable wooden partition ( artistic ) on the open side but i doubt the ears will discern the change too much.

Prem is correct in his observations.

sit back, have a small drink and enjoy and get alladin to get you a nice arabian rug :lol:

mpw

 

[Naturelover]

On the other side if possible pull speaker a little more away from side wall. Maybe a foot.

Work on speaker placement first. The speakers need to come out from the front wall by at least 2 feet. Then do necessary toe in. After that see what problem, if any, is there. I seriously doubt, if speakers are correctly set up, there will be any room problems. I couldnt see a rug on the floor. If its not there you will need one. Thats about it.

Thanks Prem. Will try these.

naturelover,
if you with you can have a collasable wooden partition ( artistic ) on the open side but i doubt the ears will discern the change too much.

Now that's a good idea. Have one. Will try.

sit back, have a small drink and enjoy and get alladin to get you a nice arabian rug :lol:
mpw

And that's an even better one :clapping: hyeah:

No permanent rug here but I get one from another room when listening. A bit of a bother but nothing much.

 

[Naturelover]

After a weekend outing, finally shifted the hifi gear to the other side and back a couple of times. Changes in speaker positioning did get the sound to almost the same as when on the "walled" side. Only the bass, especially with bassy numbers, was just a tad better in the "walled" side but hardly enough to warrant a room redo.
This issue had been worrying me since I am planning a change of gear. Was wondering if it would be worth it at all with a rather imperfect room. Now, I think, I can go ahead without much room worries .
Thanks guys :thumbsup:.

On the other side if possible pull speaker a little more away from side wall. Maybe a foot.

Yes, that worked. Did not need more than six inches.

I couldnt see a rug on the floor. If its not there you will need one.

What is the best placement of rugs? Is it between the speakers or in front of each or both of these?

if you with you can have a collasable wooden partition ( artistic ) on the open side but i doubt the ears will discern the change too much.

My partition, unfortunately, is more cloth and less wood so that did not really work.

 

[Naturelover]

During my search on the net I came across an excerpt from a book by Robert Harley where he also said the pulling the speakers away from the walls would solve the issues.

Another suggestion (the "No Easy Solution" question) on the cardas site was the use of capacitors on one channel. Would anyone like to comment on this? Could not really understand it.

 

[prem]

Rug should be between the speakers and your listening chair

 

[Deleted member 45006]

What about adding an acoustic panel to the left, so reflections on that wall are lightned? Know the bass suffers a bit, but your left will sound more like left then, I guess.. Now left should have a resonance bass advantage, if I m not wrong. And right should be sounding more open( which is more pleasant?!)