Tile Ceiling and Imaging
Cpyder
Posts: 514
I've got a new listening room with sound dampening panels in it but I'm not happy with the soundstage imaging. And I'm quite sure it has to do with the ceiling's thin foam-like panels. What would you guys recommend doing to remedy this? Right now, I'm thinking that putting carpet squares on the ceiling would be the cheapest and easiest but does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks!
Post edited by Cpyder on
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You said it's cheap and easy, so why not try it? If you go for the more $$ route and it doesn't work out, you'll probably wonder if your original idea would have worked, which you'll probably end up trying;).
This is just IMHO, but I don't think it's your ceiling. You said it's thin foam like panels. This should do quite a bit of absorbtion. What's behind the panels?
A lot of times treating the front wall can really help with soundstaging. This would absorb the sound that just finished bouncing off the back wall and going to hit the front wall again, where they're absorbed. You can place layers of thick blankets on the wall between the speakers and see what happens. Just a thought. My soundstage always improves when I put thick blankets over my 46" lcd. -
If you color the edges of the panels green with a magic marker, they'll sound a lot better.
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First, the tiles are probably acting as a bass vent. They may also be making the ceiling too dead at higher frequencies. I'd be more inclined to yank the dropped ceiling entirely.Turntable: Empire 208
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If you feel you have to put treatment to your cieling,If it were me i would cut a piece of 1/2" plywood then cut the middle out leaving about a 4" frame with a square hole in the middle,then staple some insulation to the backside and cover the front or bottom side with a fabric of your choice of color.nad t175 processor
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How do you have your treatment positioned?
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How do you have your treatment positioned?
I have 6 wall panels that are made out of the thickest fiberglass insulation I could find and lose canvas. Now I have four 3'x4' carpet squares on the ceiling. The ceiling was definitely acting as a bass trap. It's better but not amazing. I don't really have the option of tearing down the ceiling. -
I recommend an equally cheap alternative, just alternate your tiles with non-acoustic tiles. You don't have to create a perfect room, or an acoustically inert ala anechoic chamber room....keep some life in it.
Don't overthink it yet, play with the room a little and keep it simple.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. -
I would replace the canvas with a more accoustically transparent material. They are probably working on the bass but the higher frequencies are probably just reflecting off the canvas and contributing to smearing your imaging.
As for placement, there are guides available, but I would shoot for the first reflection points on the side walls, in between the speakers up front, and directly behind your sweet spot.
