So you have your ideal set-up. You have your high-fidelity speakers set in their optimum position. You have your listening position just right. But there's a problem. It just doesn't sound like it did in the demo room. There are many things you might try to improve on your system, cables or isolation stands for your equipment for example. You might spend hundreds of pounds on new speaker cables but can the difference really be heard?
The only way you are going to be able to actually add focus to your system and improve clarity is by making your listening room in tune. No doubt the room your high-end audio equipment is installed in was not specifically designed for listening to music. If the room has parallel walls, if the room is square or rectangular you are going to suffer from room modes. Room modes are frequencies at which sound waves in a room resonate, based on the room dimensions. The acoustic modes will "colour" the sound, ie. enhance certain frequencies and dull others. This will in turn create peaks and troughs. These can be as much as 6dB in difference which is a discernible change.
In a room there are many surfaces that reflect sound. This will clutter and colour the music you listen to and make it sound clouded and distorted. There will be the direct sound from your speaker and after that there will be indirect sound starting from the speakers and reflecting on the walls, the ceiling and even the floor and finally reaching you. The most influential reflection is called the first reflection. This is at the mirror point between you and the speakers. The reflection points are on the side walls, the ceiling and the floor. It is called the first reflection because after the direct sound it is the next sound you hear, like an echo.
You need to take the room out of the picture and stop the effects of the room from having a negative effect on the quality and enjoyment of the listening experience. It is not until the room is working to its optimum will your audio equipment perform to its full potential. The only acceptable, truly proficient and cost effective solution is the high end audio solution offered here at Advanced Acoustics.
It has been said that High-End Audio equipment is only as good as its weakest link. Have you thought that your room could be that weak link?
Below are two images showing in very simple form basic sound waves, the image on the left shows no acoustic treatment and lots of clutter from bouncing sound waves. The image on right shows the correct amount of acoustic treatment, with no clutter just the direct sound from the speakers with no detrimental room interferences.
