I admit I may have missed out some options when creating the poll but it’s not to be taken seriously. I don’t think I can make any changes to the poll now but if I could, I can add the missing options.
I have a dedicated music room that is furnished with regular furniture but also with floor-standing acoustic panels to bring the reverberation down Into the room and break initial reflections from the side walls, a mix to fully enjoy the music that suits me well.
1 Like
Regular furnishings.
I once heard a fully treated room, according to measurements and such. It sounded dead and lifeless. No thanks. My room sounds great. The joy of music trumps compliance to numbers.
2 Likes
As I said there should be a third option to select which I would be a balanced mixture of the two approaches and I think this would be close to 100%
But they can be part of professional sound treatments… well perhaps not the leafy plants.
Professional sound treatment specialists cover a variety of scenarios… it’s not all about consumer Hi-Fi.listening rooms. A relatively popular source of professional sound treatments are in restaurants or hotels where treatment is required to reduce mid frequency reflections from walls, ceilings, floors and furniture which adds to the background reverb, which can make speech intelligibility more difficult resulting in people speaking more loudly and causing non conjovial or relaxing environment . These techniques equally apply to a music room in say a domestic environment… and soft furnishings would be a part of that treatment.
1 Like
Yes I am aware of that. For the purpose of this thread, I’m going to separate them as my intention is to find out the acceptance level of people who are willing to use some of these professional sound treatment products in their listening rooms, dedicated, non dedicated or living room. For example, can people accept acoustic panels as shown below in their living room or dedicated room, stuck on the walls and possibly ceiling too?
FWIW I used to have these RPG Skyline diffusors in my dedicated room about 15 years ago, combined with huge absorption panels on the side walls. They are all gone now. I don’t think I"ll consider these panels anymore even if I have a dedicated room solely for the hifi in the future. I’ll just furnish the room with appropriate furniture. That’s about it.
2 Likes
Ok I see, perhaps the title is mis leading, it would be better to assess people’s experiences of purpose made sound absorption products, such as your mid band diffusers on your wall… because sound treatments can be done in a multitude of ways - professionally.
1 Like
I need to apologise for answering the question then as the room is not dedicated solely to hifi (though there is another living room with the tv in and also a cinema room in the garage building). I kind of skated over the word “dedicated”. Sorry!
1 Like
I don’t think it matters anymore. Perhaps I"ll just remove the word “dedicated”.
1 Like
My Listening Room is my living room. In it I have some furniture and artwork on the walls. I also maintain quite a few plants of various sizes. All together this gives a nice vibe to the room. I’m a man that loves comfort while listening to my music.
1 Like
Does that mean you are more interested in how many people accept visually challenging acoustic modifications/treatments to the room (as your first pics, and these diffusers), vs discreet treatments such as if these diffusers were covered with art printed fabric, looking like stretched canvas prints with a relatively deep frame? Or is it more that your interest is in people using significant amounts of treatment rather than minimal?
Nice looking space TabooKahuna. I like the art, but now curious. Are they glazed, or acoustically absorbent? I have been wondering about ‘acoustic art’ as MOH isn’t too keen on the panels of absorbent stuff I leave leaning against walls from time-to-time (i.e. meaning I don’t have a dedicated room).
1 Like
Thanks for that Ryder, much appreciated! I’ve been enjoying reading the thread, and the few of us posting about the intent have done so amicably I think 
Voted for normal furnishings.
I’m sure room treatments would let my system reach its full potential. For me, and I’m sure the same phrase should apply to all as all our circumstances are different, my system is installed in a home shared with others. I don’t want to install treatments.
I do use a rug on the tiled floor. Which we were going to put down anyway. I was glad when a sofa replaced a single arm chair (which reduced perceived echo/reverberation). And I get other posters who say that could well be part of professional treatment. But I would not install specific diffusers/absorbers.
Not having overt room treatment wouldn’t stop me upgrading boxes should the budget opportunity arise though. I’d be very happy with a 500 system in my room. The statement would look too big 
My fantasy rationale there would be that it would present the best sound within the constraints I’m happy to live with. I know for some people that would be silly, and that’s fine, it’s my fantasy world of 500 level ownership, not theirs 
I think even with that lottery win I’d have a “normal” room with top end HiFi gear, rather than any overt treatment products.
3 Likes
It’s getting more complicated now. 
Anyway, my interest is to the former. I’m not really interested in people using significant amount of treatment. From the numbers in the poll (total 119 who voted), there are 13 people who voted for professional room treatment products and I presume these would be people who accept visually challenging acoustic modifications/treatments to the room. It’s not exactly a small number.
There are many videos on the subject of room optimisation. Not really sure which ones are useful but it was of course said that a lesser system in a good room should put perform a very good system in a bad room. Makes sense I suppose. In the end there are many constraints in a living room/space not dedicated to a hifi/home cinema system. Not doubt there are purists who would not accept a home cinema integrated with a 2 channel hifi system. I at least intend to try this out with the new room and see what is possible with greatly reduced constraints. The tiles are going down today and they look fabulous.
Shame to put a rug on them but it will be necessary I think.
Ok it’s important that’s it’s a nice comfortable room to be in and filled with normal things to absorb/diffuse etc. Only one small window with a view of the forest from the couch but not many views.
Tiles nearly finished and looking good together with the scratch rendering
2 Likes
Ah, that is clear now, thanks!
1 Like
Oh I missed that. Then discount my posts. No room of mine is “dedicated”, even the one I had treated by Daiken. That’s a normal living room in function where the family spend most of their doing all sorts of things.
I don’t like dedicated rooms for that. The feel and comfort level of the environment, including how it looks all contribute to my musical enjoyment. As music is a profoundly emotional experience, I strongly disagree with the “the sound is all that matters” argument. The environment plays a big role.
1 Like
It’s alright. I have changed the title of the thread. Any room is perfectly fine now. The focus is more towards the use or acceptance of acoustic treatment products that turn your cosy homes to look something like a recording studio.
I would say, if the room sounded dead & lifeless it wasn’t treated properly, more often then not this is caused from people using the wrong treatments. Adding a few proper broadband treatments at first reflection points & some proper bass trapping, should have a fundamental shift in performance for most typical listening rooms we see posted on here (ie not massive rooms where bass is less of an issues as is wall reflections). Rooms don’t need to be “fully” treated, adding a few treatments can be game changers.
Hello Artoly - no, the art is not acoustic treatment. The room is a compromise between adding the relatively light acoustic treatment we wanted and decorating it the way we wanted. We are both very happy with the results. The only acoustic panels are the 4 on the ceiling and the 3 on the back wall. All the best to you.
1 Like