Improving Stereo performance in my HT setup

[Raj22]

Usually the offending frequencies lie between 80-120 Hz. Absorbers for these frequencies is not practical.
Easiest treatment would be to move the speakers away from the walls.

Haha that’s tricky, I’ve an option to move the setup to the other side of the room, but all internal wiring needs to be done which is time consuming.

As of now, I just want to enjoy the setup as is. Maybe I’ll swap the sub for a Rel, last time I auditioned Rel S series in my home, I didn’t like that much in movies and music felt too bass heavy. Maybe a smaller Rel T5x might do it for music and my svs can do heavy lifting for movies. I’ll think about it I ever get an audition in my room with the product which is extremely difficult.

 

[Raj22]

I did consider room treatment and I see some mixed reviews on it, I’ll not worry about these for now. Main issue with these room treatment is it looks off on the living room setup.

 

[Raj22]

I don't think SA 30 has Tone / Balance controls but I believe, it has Dirac Live

Arcam SA30 Network Attached Amp Dirac Live

Dirac Live For the SA30, Arcam has borrowed a feature from its home cinema AV receiver lineup. Dirac Live, from Swedish company Dirac Research, is a versatile room acoustics optimisation tool that, unlike rival 'onboard' room EQ systems such as Audyssey, uses an external PC or Mac for all the...

www.hifinews.com

Hope this could help to a greater extent

Yeah I m yet to run Dirac. I did try to run it last weekend but it kept saying ambient noise is too much. I stay very close to a main road in the city and it’s almost impossible to have perfectly silent room! This happened at 12-1 in the midnight!

 

[skumar]

Yeah I m yet to run Dirac. I did try to run it last weekend but it kept saying ambient noise is too much. I stay very close to a main road in the city and it’s almost impossible to have perfectly silent room! This happened at 12-1 in the midnight!

Try around 5am Phani, switch off all ac/fans/LED/Tubelights and fridge as well.

 

[aeroash]

Haha that’s tricky, I’ve an option to move the setup to the other side of the room, but all internal wiring needs to be done which is time consuming.

As of now, I just want to enjoy the setup as is. Maybe I’ll swap the sub for a Rel, last time I auditioned Rel S series in my home, I didn’t like that much in movies and music felt too bass heavy. Maybe a smaller Rel T5x might do it for music and my svs can do heavy lifting for movies. I’ll think about it I ever get an audition in my room with the product which is extremely difficult.

You have spent good money for good equipment for a good audio experience! If you have an option to improve your audio experience further by just making a few placement adjustments, you should consider it. It'll take time to get the speaker placement and the seating position just right. But, once it's done, you'll enjoy your audio even more.

It took me almost two years to get out of my laziness and rearrange the placement of my speakers and the seating. Now it's been so enjoyable that my listening sessions have lengthened. I keep kicking myself for not doing it earlier!

 

[Raj22]

Try around 5am Phani, switch off all ac/fans/LED/Tubelights and fridge as well.

Yeah, I need to try that.

 

[Raj22]

You have spent good money for good equipment for a good audio experience! If you have an option to improve your audio experience further by just making a few placement adjustments, you should consider it. It'll take time to get the speaker placement and the seating position just right. But, once it's done, you'll enjoy your audio even more.

It took me almost two years to get out of my laziness and rearrange the placement of my speakers and the seating. Now it's been so enjoyable that my listening sessions have lengthened. I keep kicking myself for not doing it earlier!

Haha yeah, it took me sometime to get here and it has been a great journey.

Yes, I’ll try moving it to the other side of the room. Just the wiring work makes me feel lazy to take it up.

 

[mbhangui]

You have spent good money for good equipment for a good audio experience! If you have an option to improve your audio experience further by just making a few placement adjustments, you should consider it. It'll take time to get the speaker placement and the seating position just right. But, once it's done, you'll enjoy your audio even more.

Try around 5am Phani, switch off all ac/fans/LED/Tubelights and fridge as well.

Some sane advice. It took me also few years to reach and it has been the advice of few members. Laziness was the key to not achieving proper placement. It was not until @amrutmhatre90 mentioned that I need to adjust my speakers. I had to redo my cables so that I had the freedom of moving my speakers around the room. Later when I posted about not achieving depth, there were many FMs who guided me and I achieved depth. It is unbelievable how much just minor inches away from the wall can do. In this process I discovered every speaker behaves differently wrt to distance from reflecting surfaces. I discovered that my polk speakers are forgiving and my electrostats with a very wide sound generating surface are stubborn beings who don't like being close to objects.

One of the primary reason was my speakers were close to the side walls and close to the large reflecting glass of my 65" plasma tv. The tv played so much havoc that you won't believe it. Your right speakers definitely deserves a better position away from the wall. In doing that you will have to move your left speakers too.

My experience has been that the biggest bang from the buck you get from having a good room, good low capacitance interconnects and proper placement of the speakers. Things like the make of the DAC, using audiophile power cords have played a zero role. I even discovered snake oil like the usb regenerating device usbregen, vam den hul revolution speaker cable and few audiophile interconnects.

 

[ssf]

I too have the same issue with my right speaker being close to both the side and the back walls. When I had placed my Quad 12L2's closer to the wall, they were almost unlistenable. Pulling them a good feet and a half away from the rear wall and moving them a bit away from the right wall did help things but I still feel that they need more space around them.

My Quad S2's are more forgiving with placement. It does not boom when placed close to the walls but soundstage is almost non-existent. On a few occasions when I had them pulled into the room, they were sounding wonderful with quite a good soundstage.

So, pulling speakers away from walls will benefit all speakers but some speakers more than others.

 

[Raj22]

Soundstage is easy to achieve with the KEFs. The issue with this placement is on the left right next to the speaker is the bedroom door. So there’s absolutely no way to move it further. The best I can do is pull it forward for another feet or so forward but that didn’t do much. Currently both speakers are about 12-15 inches from the rear wall. The left is totally open — it’s open to dining and open kitchen.

This is how backside of my couch looks like, I did place the entire unit there, sound stage is definitely better. More than cables, what stops me is the ability to add another couch if there are any guests visiting. It’s tricky unless I replace my couch to L shape one. Even that won’t fully solve it. I’m pretty much stuck with this placement in this home.

I’ll see if there’s anything I can do in the future.

 

[ssf]

This is how backside of my couch looks like, I did place the entire unit there, sound stage is definitely better.

Funny that you mention it. I too was thinking of placing my speakers on the opposite side of the room, just to see how they will perform there. My wife and son will be away for a few weeks. Maybe, I will give it a go then.

 

[mbhangui]

Soundstage is easy to achieve with the KEFs. The issue with this placement is on the left right next to the speaker is the bedroom door. So there’s absolutely no way to move it further. The best I can do is pull it forward for another feet or so forward but that didn’t do much. Currently both speakers are about 12-15 inches from the rear wall. The left is totally open — it’s open to dining and open kitchen.

This is how backside of my couch looks like, I did place the entire unit there, sound stage is definitely better. More than cables, what stops me is the ability to add another couch if there are any guests visiting. It’s tricky unless I replace my couch to L shape one. Even that won’t fully solve it. I’m pretty much stuck with this placement in this home.

I’ll see if there’s anything I can do in the future.

I have exactly the same room issue. And when I placed my speakers on the opposite, I got the best sound. But it meant sitting at one end for stereo listening and the opposite end when watching TV. For me, the best sounding position is totally unpractical, but I haven't given up the idea. It will mean lot of changes to be done in the room. When I did the house, this room interiors were done with a particular position of the TV, which then dictated my seating position. So like you I'm in a fix. But I did the next best thing. Move the speakers for 2 channel listening much much closer to the sitting position. It has reduced my ability to move around freely. But this is my room and wifey has no jurisdiction in this room.

 

[mbhangui]

I’ll see if there’s anything I can do in the future.

You can do one thing. You can move the front speakers, tv and the cabinet to this end. Buy two speaker stands and put those wall mounted speakers on the stands.

Your room and my room are similar. I have a door on the left of the left speaker which opens to a lobby. The back is almost full height sliding glass doors. I have my rear speakers there on stands and a couch for sitting. The AC also is at the rear end where I sit. So If I reverse the back and the front, I will be moving further away from the AC air throw. Like I said below it is an idea that I haven't given up. It will be something I will have to do one day. But will have to sacrifice nice AC throw.

 

[Raj22]

Yeah there are challenges and need to figure out how to implement it. I have actually seen the improvements in the sound when I placed the speakers on the other side.
This will be a back burner for now. Having these setups in living room is challenging.

I can still wall mount those speakers on the other side too, that will be unobtrusive too. Main reason to get those Q150s wall mounts custom made is to free up the space.

When I move the entire unit other side I need to make sure I conceal the wires, I can’t stand the wires hanging. That’s the reason I have put those artificial creepers around those cables, though I hate plastic plants.

 

[raghupb]

I would like to ask FM's, should one consider an absorber or diffuser in the corner to prevent this ??

I'm curious to know because I too will have the same issue.
<snip>

If one or both speakers are near a corner, expect some amount of room boom.
How much depends on the speaker itself. Get the speakers first.
Then try EQ (if using AVR) or a bit of pull into the room (if using an IA)
Room treatment will be difficult in a living room scenario.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[SiR]

Speakers against front wall - can this be settled?

3m from each sidewall? I wish I had the space in my living room.

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[k-pad]

Yeah I m yet to run Dirac. I did try to run it last weekend but it kept saying ambient noise is too much. I stay very close to a main road in the city and it’s almost impossible to have perfectly silent room! This happened at 12-1 in the midnight!

+1
I too currently live on a main road, and to boot, heavy truck traffic begins by around 2 am... and, don't stop till 6 am...

Funnily, till the time I ran Audyssey for the first time, these noises never registered.

And from that day on, i haven't been able to ignore those noises..

Also, it's almost become a norm that the heaviest trucks roll when the feeblest dialogue is playing super annoying.

Crazy what all happens once the brain takes note of certain things...

PS: Great speaker-equipment choice, and a beautiful set up. Enjoy it.

 

[Raj22]

+1
I too currently live on a main road, and to boot, heavy truck traffic begins by around 2 am... and, don't stop till 6 am...

Funnily, till the time I ran Audyssey for the first time, these noises never registered.

And from that day on, i haven't been able to ignore those noises..

Also, it's almost become a norm that the heaviest trucks roll when the feeblest dialogue is playing super annoying.

Crazy what all happens once the brain takes note of certain things...

PS: Great speaker-equipment choice, and a beautiful set up. Enjoy it.

Haha yeah it’s very annoying to live close to the main road. Funnily audessey never had issues running in the same conditions. Dirac just outright refuses to go on.

 

[k-pad]

Haha yeah it’s very annoying to live close to the main road. Funnily audessey never had issues running in the same conditions. Dirac just outright refuses to go on.

It is just DIRAC's way of saying I am a better program

 

[Raj22]

Try around 5am Phani, switch off all ac/fans/LED/Tubelights and fridge as well.

I did run Dirac at 5 AM few weeks back and it was a success. Dirac did it’s magic - the sound is much better with it. The boom from the right speaker almost disappeared. It’s perfect.

I have added the REL T9X few days back and I’ve achieved the Audio nirvana.