Featured Room Acoustics Reviews & Articles

For those looking to gain a deeper understanding of how audio works, whether to make better-informed decisions or simply for the sake of curiosity, it's useful to lay down some ground rules that govern how audio systems behave relating to loudness and the decibel. One of the most important concepts in audio is the decibel, the unit of measure denoting the ratio of a change in level, whether that level is acoustic Sound Pressure Level (SPL) or electrical signal level. It’s abbreviated dB. As you may or may not be aware, the decibel (dB) scale is a logarithmic system, as opposed to a linear scale. Being aware of the relationships inherent in this scale is important for a variety of reasons, which will hopefully become clear by the time you reach the end of this article. We also discuss how the human hear perceives double loudness differently depending on frequency so +6dB increase in SPL may not seem like such a big deal at 1kHz but at 20-30Hz it certainly is. Read on to find out why.

If you are a Home Theater Specialist I urge you to take HAA Level II training. If you are a theater enthusiast and want your system to sound better, don’t throw money at the equipment, put it into an HAA certified professional. The same goes if you are a two-channel stereo audiophile. Audiophiles always seem ready to purchase better and better equipment to perfect their sound system, which I am not trying to discourage, but they tend to disregard the proper room setup and calibration. Whatever place you take in this ever-changing audio world the one thing that stays the same is the physics of acoustics and HAA is the avenue for optimizing small rooms.

Room modes cause standing waves that can cause three acoustical problems: a level boost at some frequencies, an extent of the duration of sound at those same frequencies (resonance) and some profound dips at other frequencies. This article explores methods of reducing the problems of standing waves in your home theater room and also works real world examples for greater clarity. Don’t settle for acoustical compromises. Learn the facts, and arm yourself with the right tools to enhance your movie watching and music listening experiences.

Bass traps control low frequency issues in rooms. Simply, they are the single most effective investment toward a quality audio experience that is rarely made by the home theater enthusiast. The information contained within this article may not allow you to unleash your own plan for optimal bass trapping, but it may point you towards that result. Proper bass trapping is a 100% guaranteed investment and is worth a close look for those serious about achieving the best bass response their home theater systems have to offer.

Unfortunately, where sound quality is concerned, the acoustics of the listening room is rarely taken into account. Indeed, most people opt for expensive, top of the range sound systems in an attempt to reach the best-possible sound quality. But they often ignore one essential thing: the acoustics of the listening room itself. As a sound system is used in an enclosed space ‘a listening room’, the acoustical conditions of that room will inevitably take control over the sound quality. This article focuses on the main acoustical problems of the listening room and how they can deteriorate the perceived sound.

Let’s get right to it. You love audio, are passionate about your system and are always searching for a better experience, a more accurate response. You’ve heard the term “room correction”. You’ve heard speakers in various rooms, you are aware of acoustical treatments and active room correction systems (ARC). You know that your dedicated audio system is not in a purpose built room. You would like to make the room as “correct” as possible; however you have no clear idea what approach is best for your room. This article explores the 20 questions you should ask yourself towards building a great room along with feedback from leading industry experts within their own respected disciplines on this topic.

If you are searching for the utmost listening experience in your room with your system it is time you consider how your space is constructed. It is the purpose of this article to show you how the construction relates to your audio experience. There is an inverse relation between sound isolation (STC) and sound absorption (NRC). The greater the isolation of a surface the more sound energy is going to remain in that space. This applies directly below 200 Hz where the resonance of room modes is a primary factor of your systems character. It becomes compounded when you add multiple sound sources with low frequency information…you got it, your room.

Early reflections may or may not be major problems in home theaters. Addressing them through the use of heavy absorption should be pursued with caution. I believe the issue of early reflections and their relative merits (or lack thereof) in any home theater should never be ignored. This article opens a dialog on how to best deal with them and how they differ from large listening spaces.

Audyssey's Sound Equalizer is the company's first branded, flagship statement product. In working with the MultEQ Pro software over the last couple of months it has become apparent to this author that the ASE's power and flexibility can be best exploited, as far as overall system sound quality and balance are concerned, if careful attention is first paid to speaker selection, placement, and positioning. Often, passive room treatments, themselves carefully selected and placed are also recommended.