New listening room!!

[Mikeandvan]

Hello all, been ages since I been on here, rising rents in Brighton have forced me to move along the coast to Eastbourne, where for the price of a studio in Brighton I'm renting this rather grand 2 bed flat (yes 2 bed! Never had a spare room before). So this is my new lounge, hence listening room, about 18ft long I think, with high ceilings, what make you of its acoustic properties? it's on the second floor of an old building.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55408990311_1ea1845c61.jpg

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[Macca]

Looks like a lot of potential there Mikey.

[Barry]

Yes, a lot of potential there.

Difficult to comment on the acoustics until you have a few sticks of furniture in place. When you have decided where you are going to place the speakers, and where you listening position will be, you can do the hand-clap test: moving around the room clapping your hands to hear how the room's reverberation changes. Then you will have some idea of what to do to deaden them.

[gninnam]

Room looks like a good base to achieve good acoustics.

[Pigmy Pony]

Good move Mike :) I would have thought the ideal would be to have your Lintons firing down the length of the room, but... who put that bloody door there? You could bring the speakers further into the room, or even have them against the long wall. A large blank canvas, no WAF to concern yourself with, exciting times ahead.

[Mikeandvan]

Gonna be interesting, haven't had a rectangular shaped room in ages, aren't they supposed to be the ideal shape? And yes having no WAF certainly leaves me a lot of freedom. Furniture wise I only got a sofa and the hifi stuff, oh and a shelf, lol, gonna be a bit bare. I'll get some curtains up.

[Mikeandvan]

Yes, a lot of potential there.

Difficult to comment on the acoustics until you have a few sticks of furniture in place. When you have decided where you are going to place the speakers, and where you listening position will be, you can do the hand-clap test: moving around the room clapping your hands to hear how the room's reverberation changes. Then you will have some idea of what to do to deaden them.

How does this hand clap thing work again?

[Mikeandvan]

I've gone for putting the stereo along one of the long walls due to access and aesthetic issues (door, window), sounds ok, but hard to tell, keeping it quiet at the mo so as to not piss off neighbours. Doesn't help that's there's a generator all bloody day and evening every day booming across the square, complaint to the council already lodged! Hopefully its only temporary, its for a food stand.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55426146441_98ca067f30.jpg

[Macca]

Looks great!

[Mikeandvan]

Looks great!

Amazing what one can afford just 25 miles out of Brighton, for the same money you'd only get a cramped studio there. There are a few minor repairs I have to carry out though, it's not all positive, but yeh the lounge was why I took the flat.

[Barry]

I like the LP record case used as a support for the audio equipment - I use something similar myself.

Peter J Comeau, one time reviewer and now running IAG in Taiwan, always suggested arranging the speakers to 'fire' across a narrow room rather than down its length as you have done.

Have you done the 'hand clap' test yet, or are you waiting for things to settle down? Looking good so far. :)

[Pigmy Pony]

Room looks great Mike, you've done well there :) Are they sliding sash windows? And is that a balcony outside? Is there room to sit outside? That would be perfect, glass of vino in the evening, watching the world go by with a bit of Bob Marley drifting out through the open window, or your morning coffee to set you up for the day...

But before you know it winter will be here, so you really will need some heavy curtains - that huge window will lose heat like a good 'un. They will also help calm down the inevitable reflections you'll get from the right hand speaker.

[Alex_UK]

But before you know it winter will be here, so you really will need some heavy curtains - that huge window will lose heat like a good 'un. They will also help calm down the inevitable reflections you'll get from the right hand speaker.

Lilac ones are the best for absorbing room nodes and other things... :eyebrows:

Joking aside, that's about the optimum place to set everything up from trying in a similar flat a few years ago with a room of similar dimensions - looks good, Mike, and hope you enjoy your new home. :)

[Barry]

I realise that what I wrote in post 11 could be read as a little ambiguous. I want to make it clear that the arrangement of the equipment you have made is correct: having the speakers on the long wall and firing across to your listening position on the other side. This is exactly the arrangement as recommended by Peter J Comeau.

The only possible improvement might be to move the system a little to the left, away from the window. And of course, put up some heavy curtains for the window. :)

[Pigmy Pony]

Add some prints on the walls and a couple of healthy house plants (experiment with placement) and I reckon you'll be there... just one thing, where is your telly?

[Mikeandvan]

I like the LP record case used as a support for the audio equipment - I use something similar myself.

Peter J Comeau, one time reviewer and now running IAG in Taiwan, always suggested arranging the speakers to 'fire' across a narrow room rather than down its length as you have done.

Have you done the 'hand clap' test yet, or are you waiting for things to settle down? Looking good so far. :)

I thought it a pretty good space saving device.

[Mikeandvan]

Room looks great Mike, you've done well there :) Are they sliding sash windows? And is that a balcony outside? Is there room to sit outside? That would be perfect, glass of vino in the evening, watching the world go by with a bit of Bob Marley drifting out through the open window, or your morning coffee to set you up for the day...

But before you know it winter will be here, so you really will need some heavy curtains - that huge window will lose heat like a good 'un. They will also help calm down the inevitable reflections you'll get from the right hand speaker.

Indeed, I could never hope of renting a flat like this in Brighton, and after being in Eastbourne for just over a week now I don't miss the place one bit, overpriced and overcrowded. I will get some curtains, it's just the bloody size of the windows, gonna cost me a fortune!
The balcony's great, just finished cleaning it. No one else in the buidling seems to bother, I must be the poshest person here. :lol: I wasn't gonna drink tonight, but now you've mentioned wine.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438396770_ecd8140e13.jpg

[Mikeandvan]

Lilac ones are the best for absorbing room nodes and other things... :eyebrows:

Joking aside, that's about the optimum place to set everything up from trying in a similar flat a few years ago with a room of similar dimensions - looks good, Mike, and hope you enjoy your new home. :)

Cheers Alex, I did have to swap the sofa and hifi stuff to opposite sides of the room, as the neighbours have arrived (they seemed to be absent for my first week here), and with the sofa on the wall which connects to their flat I could hear their TV quite clearly, and I hate that, so I moved sofa to opposite wall, better now.

[Mikeandvan]

I realise that what I wrote in post 11 could be read as a little ambiguous. I want to make it clear that the arrangement of the equipment you have made is correct: having the speakers on the long wall and firing across to your listening position on the other side. This is exactly the arrangement as recommended by Peter J Comeau.

The only possible improvement might be to move the system a little to the left, away from the window. And of course, put up some heavy curtains for the window. :)

All change now, neighbours making an appearance has caused me to swap sofa and hifi to opposite sides of room, perhaps speakers are better placed now?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438181664_8ee07ed087.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438010516_e53f37829c.jpg

[Barry]

Now your neighbours might hear your records, which will no doubt be an improvement over what they hear on the TV.

So, tell me, what was the first record you played in your new abode? :)

[Mikeandvan]

Add some prints on the walls and a couple of healthy house plants (experiment with placement) and I reckon you'll be there... just one thing, where is your telly?

I can never decide which plants to buy, and if I do forget to water them. Telly I'm not so sure about, no wifi at the minute, so been watching DVDs, and just plonking TV in front of stereo when needed, but got my hands on a DVD of the Tudors yesterday for (20 pence!!) and I was dismayed at the jauntiness of the movement, that is when characters move , especially in a fast action scene, it looks to my eye unrealistic, I prefer the old tube TVs in that respect, and I'm thinking now of trying to get hold of one again. I know they're big and bulky but I might give it a try, does it still work with wifi though?

[Mikeandvan]

Now your neighbours might hear your records, which will no doubt be an improvement over what they hear on the TV.

So, tell me, what was the first record you played in your new abode? :)

I can't remember, but I guess it was probably something from the ECM label, cos that's practically all I listen to these days.

[Firebottle]

Check out the charity shops for curtains, they usually have some.
Note down the size of the window first.

[Lawrence001]

Check out the charity shops for curtains, they usually have some.
Note down the size of the window first.Good call this, have done the same many a time. You can pick up good quality ones for peanuts but if you don't carry the dimensions around with you at all times you don't know if they will fit. (I had them saved in a note in my phone and got a pair of c. 8' tall and 5' wide ones for the new loft for £3, they looked brand new and had the dark room lining stuff so were perfect.)

[Mikeandvan]

Check out the charity shops for curtains, they usually have some.
Note down the size of the window first.

Every other shop in Eastbourne is a charity shop so I should be in luck!!!

[rep]

Does moving to Eastbourne now mean you are officially old ??? :lol:

[Idlewithnodrive]

That’s a really nice space Mike. Enjoy !

[Mikeandvan]

Does moving to Eastbourne now mean you are officially old ??? :lol:

There are a lot of oldies here, but officially I could no longer afford Brighton, not unless I'd be happy living in one room.

[Mikeandvan]

That’s a really nice space Mike. Enjoy !

Thanks, it's really decent lounge, rest of the flat is a bit shit, but I'm working on it.

[Macca]

There are a lot of oldies here, but officially I could no longer afford Brighton, not unless I'd be happy living in one room.

Should have moved up here bet you could rent a 3 bed detached for the same as that flat. Although it does look like a good flat.

[Pigmy Pony]

There are a lot of oldies here, but officially I could no longer afford Brighton, not unless I'd be happy living in one room.

If the rent was the same, I'd still choose Eastbourne over Brighton, which to me looks like a cross between Club 18-30 and Ripley's Believe it or Not.

[Lawrence001]

Brighton is ridiculous now I could just about manage a day trip there but I'm not sure I could stay a few nights without being driven round the bend. And I used to hang around in Camden and Soho most of the time when I moved to London after school.

[Mikeandvan]

If the rent was the same, I'd still choose Eastbourne over Brighton, which to me looks like a cross between Club 18-30 and Ripley's Believe it or Not.

Believe it or not, yeah, they're well through the looking glass. TBH Eastbourne's a bit dead, all the cafes close at 3pm, but I wasn't doing anything in Brighton anyway, just going to the same places everyday, here I've got better access to coastal walks and Hastings down the road, which is a bit livelier.

[Mikeandvan]

Brighton is ridiculous now I could just about manage a day trip there but I'm not sure I could stay a few nights without being driven round the bend. And I used to hang around in Camden and Soho most of the time when I moved to London after school.

It's way too busy these days, a victim of its own success, and that's just killed the vibe, now its full of dickheads in uber expensive cars blasting down the roads, its noisy as hell. And apart from a plethora of cafes, restaurants and pubs, it doesn't really have any major draws like a decent public art gallery or museum, unlike some of the seaside towns on the south coast.

[hifinutt]

fantastic view from those windows mike

[Mikeandvan]

fantastic view from those windows mike

Cheers Phil, happily the flats sits opposite an art gallery/theatre/dance space, a nice vibe.

[Mikeandvan]

Just got around to measuring my room - Google says:
A room measuring 20 feet long by 14 feet wide by 10 feet high has a volume of 2,800 cubic feet and a total surface area of 1,240 square feet.Acoustically, this room has a highly favorable volume-to-surface-area ratio, classifying it as a medium-sized "treatable" space. It avoids the massive, destructive low-frequency buildups typical of small square rooms. However, because the length (20') is an exact multiple of the height (10'), you will encounter specific harmonic mode overlaps that require strategic management.

[Macca]

I put your room dimensions into Amroc https://amcoustics.com/tools/amroc?l=20&w=14&h=10&slf=0&swf=0&shf=0&tlf=1&twf=1&thf=1&rt60=0.21&ft=true

and it looks pretty good, your main modes are too low in frequency to be an issue (28Hz and 40Hz). As long as you don't sit right against a wall or have the speakers right against the wall I think you should get good low frequencies with no boom. How's that in reality?

[Mikeandvan]

I put your room dimensions into Amroc https://amcoustics.com/tools/amroc?l=20&w=14&h=10&slf=0&swf=0&shf=0&tlf=1&twf=1&thf=1&rt60=0.21&ft=true

and it looks pretty good, your main modes are too low in frequency to be an issue (28Hz and 40Hz). As long as you don't sit right against a wall or have the speakers right against the wall I think you should get good low frequencies with no boom. How's that in reality?

Thanks, I couldn't make much sense of that link, but my sofa is actually right against the back wall, how far out should it be? The way I've configured the room is with stereo cited on the long wall with sofa across from it, not ideal, but keeps things tidy. I don't think there's much bass boom, hard to tell as neighbours never seem to bloody go out, not sure yet, think they're layabouts.

[Macca]

Thanks, I couldn't make much sense of that link, but my sofa is actually right against the back wall, how far out should it be? The way I've configured the room is with stereo cited on the long wall with sofa across from it, not ideal, but keeps things tidy. I don't think there's much bass boom, hard to tell as neighbours never seem to bloody go out, not sure yet, think they're layabouts.

You'd need to experiment but I'd start with about 12 inches between wall and back of couch. If you already have even bass with no boom then I wouldn't worry about it.

With that Amroc thing you have to play around with it to learn what it does. If you hover the pointer over the various options it explains what they show but essentially it tells you what frequencies the main modes are at and where in the room they might be a problem if you or the speakers are placed in them.

[Mikeandvan]

Cheers Martin, I can't really tell whether the bass is booming just yet as trying to be careful with new neighbours, but I think it's ok so far, will have to play some of my test records!

[Macca]

Cheers Martin, I can't really tell whether the bass is booming just yet as trying to be careful with new neighbours, but I think it's ok so far, will have to play some of my test records!

With my neighbours I'll play as loud as I want on a weekday afternoon - if they're not out at work like they should be at their age then that's not my problem and there's no law against it.

[Lawrence001]

With my neighbours I'll play as loud as I want on a weekday afternoon - if they're not out at work like they should be at their age then that's not my problem and there's no law against it.If they're benefit scroungers I would agree but they might be working from home and making a valuable contribution to the economy.

[Macca]

If they're benefit scroungers I would agree but they might be working from home and making a valuable contribution to the economy.

They might be but I somehow doubt it. In any case on one side they only moved in few months back and they asked the neighbour on the other side if my house was empty because they'd not heard any noise from me at all. I now know them well enough to say hello to and that so I'm sure that if they were working from home and I was disturbing them then they'd mention it.

Any place I've lived, if I've asked the neighbour if the music is a problem the response has always been either 'No' or 'What music?'.

I don't crank it up very often though I should point out. A few fellow enthusiasts I know, when they come round I let them set the levels and they listen much louder than I do. Marco, for example.

[Lawrence001]

Some reviewers say that every recording has a "natural" volume level where the realism kicks in. I assume it usually means played at the volume level it would be "in real life".

I guess that means if you listen to rock or large scale symphonies it has to be played loud. Sitting closer and playing at the same relative volume at the shorter distance doesn't quite seem to work as well. Unfortunately I don't get much chance to play at realistic levels given the size of my room and the neighbours.

[Barry]

Yes, I agree - each recording has a natural replay volume level. Playing rock music, or symphonic orchestral music too quietly sounds as 'wrong' as does playing a solo folk artist(e) too loudly.