I heard today the Soulution 330 integrated with streaming Dac inside ( 24 k), with Magico A3 . The room was around 4X 8 m and 2,50 m high.
The corners had bass traps and absorbing panels at the back of the listener.
The sound was well resolved and with nice soundstage. However a bit clinical, cold for my tastes.
The problem was the bass , which was resonant, not clean and overwhelming. These speakers were not a good match for the room.
The dealer agreeded but get me understand he has a demand for Magico speakers.
He told me that another solution would be to treat completely the room, but he said he doesn’t like generally the results. He finds, like me, that the sound is not completely natural and lively with too much treatment.
We listened to other speakers, Magico A1 and Penaudio ( floorstanders at 8k). There was no bass problem.
Morality here: choose first the right speakers for your room. It’s the most important. Then optimize with acoustic treatment.
This is the result of 2 years learning, testing, making mistakes, learning again and finally obtaining the desired result
It is far from being perfect (compromises…) but it is hugely better.
Apart from being enjoyable for music, the room also became more peaceful. That relaxed atmosphere is quite pleasant when reading or playing with my daughter.
This was my discovery too when I treated my room , never seems to be mentioned , but a great bi-product of correct room treatment. Relaxing just sums it up , you can just sit and meditate/contemplate/etc in the stillness and quiet.
I moved into a new home recently and found the new, smaller room quite unacceptable whereas the previous room was perfect.
Initial listening was done with very little items in the room (sofa, rack, speakers). Bass wasn’t very good…far too much bass and muddy.
Certain variables improved the performance and these changes were carefully isolated to understand their affect (painstaking process and not how I wish to spend my time):
Changing amplifiers (I have several).
Adding record shelves behind the speakers similar to Joaquin’s room.
Changing speaker positioning (duh).
Changing speakers. I have three speakers. All three perform differently. I have been unexpectedly delighted with one of these speakers in this room, which was not my first option.
All of these changes provided improvements to my problem.
While I might agree that record shelving technically doesn’t diffuse, the shelving must be doing something else to address the problem. Insistence that record shelving can’t help a problem is proven incorrect in my case. For my room, I know this because I have just isolated this variable and its effect.
I would also disagree about buying new speakers. This can also solve a problem but of course, often hard to audition speakers in home. Same for amplifiers. Room treatments are one solution but don’t lose sight of other ways to solve a problem.
Speakers should, of course, be chosen carefully. The larger the drivers the more pressure is put into the room. The S3 MkII were not my first choice, but after having listened to them I simply fell in love. Those speakers fit perfectly my tastes and the music I enjoy (mostly classical). The perfect speakers, for me, could have been the Magico M2, but these are out of reach.
Of course they do. It might scatter sound marginally and within a narrow frequency range. What it does mostly is absorbing within a range from ~2kHz to ~4kHz which makes a significant difference. Just like a rug or curtains. Furniture helps, of course.
Well finally…
Thomas, your room looks every bit as cool, as I thought it would- great job and like my room glad to see, that you still get some daylight in there.
It is very interesting that both you and Folkman have commented on, how it has changed the atmosphere in the rooms. I find myself sitting in there not even necessarily listening to music, pondering over every day life or with my IPad looking out into the garden. There is a really serine atmosphere in the room now.All good Peter
This was a concern when I ordered the Monster Bass Traps. Despite their size, 170cm x 60cm, daylight comes in sufficiently. These “traps” made an immediate and significant difference.
Back wall and ceiling treatment made the biggest improvement. I have some regrets regarding the front wall. Not sure diffusion was the best choice considering the distance between the front wall and the back wall
Indeed, serene is the appropriate description.
My wife and daughter appreciate it very much, mostly just for sitting there and reading.
Hi Thomas.
Interesting observation which I can very much relate to. I put 2 QRD diffusers up on top of my big floor absorber resting against my front wall middle glass door equivalent of 1mtr. square ie. listening height. Thankfully I came to the conclusion ( view to the outside retained) that the difference was virtually inaudible. I have however managed rear wall well for 1st reflection. I am now using my QRDs for sidewall reflections purely determining location, if I can actually hear it makes a difference, thankfully having now reached a place with my room, where it boils down to fine tuning. Enjoy your Sunday Peter
The magic of light.
These eyes and mouth are 4 Vicoustic Cinema Round Premium absorbers staring at the listener and eating the unwanted reflected sound… if not the listener
Seriously for moment. My speakers were oriented on the side wall and after a couple of years, I wasn’t satisfied. Wilson position are very critical. Had by dealer come to set them up on the short wall firing down the length of the room. I think the repositioning provided more space for the speakers. Really made a difference, much better. I’ve learned speaker positioning can make a huge difference.
Not funny of course Dan. But I thought you were playing with words , between room treatment and acoustic room treatment…
Anyway sorry if you thought I was thinking your incident is funny.
Peter
Enjoy your Sunday Peter
Time for some room treatment.