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Help! Looking for acoustics specialist

es.klopfte

es.klopfte

pfm Member
Hi,

I’m looking for an acoustics specialist with experience and measuring kit to look at issues that seem to plague my listening room: balance keeps veering to the left, the soundstage is muddled and the stereo image is difficult to focus on.

These issues appear to be room-specific rather than kit-specific, because I experienced them with other speakers, amps, etc. Before anyone asks, the system is not out of phase, and I did try swapping the amps and leads over.

What I think I need to do is have each of the speakers, its response and interaction with the room properly measured, then get some advice on how to fix any issues. I already have a variety of absorbers, diffusers and acoustic curtains to play with and keep us busy for a couple of hours.

Moving speakers, however, is not an option since they are huge, but on the positive side they have HF and MF tone controls!

I’m based in Reading, so within easy reach from London, Oxford, etc.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.
 
Get Dirac , Acourate or if you can afford ,a Trinnov , these will solve your issues and more.
Rather do it yourself and learn than rely on someone elses version of whats "right"
 
es.klopfte said:
Hi,

I’m looking for an acoustics specialist with experience and measuring kit to look at issues that seem to plague my listening room: balance keeps veering to the left, the soundstage is muddled and the stereo image is difficult to focus on.

These issues appear to be room-specific rather than kit-specific, because I experienced them with other speakers, amps, etc. Before anyone asks, the system is not out of phase, and I did try swapping the amps and leads over.

What I think I need to do is have each of the speakers, its response and interaction with the room properly measured, then get some advice on how to fix any issues. I already have a variety of absorbers, diffusers and acoustic curtains to play with and keep us busy for a couple of hours.

Moving speakers, however, is not an option since they are huge, but on the positive side they have HF and MF tone controls!

I’m based in Reading, so within easy reach from London, Oxford, etc.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Your first step is to acoustically measure from your listening position.
REW ( room EQ wizard) is free, I can lend you a microphone, it really helps to see exactly what is happening.
Keith
 
Many thanks for your thoughts and advice, guys. I guess I could try and learn how to measure the room acoustically, but I thought I'd hire someone who would know what they are doing - you know, a professional who does this kind of thing for a living?

Keith, many thanks for your kind offer - I may well take you up on it.

Just FYI, my speakers are JBL 4435s, and my source is a Linn DS, which has "room optimisation" built in. The problem with it is that it applies to both channels only, while I seem to have a balance/soundstage problem.
 
I am no specialist but I suggest to switch off room optimisation and play a mono signal. If the balance is to the left, push back the left speaker one inch at the time until you get the signal centered.
 
Purité Audio said:
Surely it can adjust left and right channels independently?
Keith
Click to expand...

Just checked Konfig - looks like space optimisation applies to both channels only.

TLS said:
I am no specialist but I suggest to switch off room optimisation and play a mono signal. If the balance is to the left, push back the left speaker one inch at the time until you get the signal centered.
Click to expand...

There's only so much pushing of the 4435s you can do! :)
 
es.klopfte said:
Hi,

I’m looking for an acoustics specialist with experience and measuring kit to look at issues that seem to plague my listening room: balance keeps veering to the left, the soundstage is muddled and the stereo image is difficult to focus on.

These issues appear to be room-specific rather than kit-specific, because I experienced them with other speakers, amps, etc. Before anyone asks, the system is not out of phase, and I did try swapping the amps and leads over.

What I think I need to do is have each of the speakers, its response and interaction with the room properly measured, then get some advice on how to fix any issues. I already have a variety of absorbers, diffusers and acoustic curtains to play with and keep us busy for a couple of hours.

Moving speakers, however, is not an option since they are huge, but on the positive side they have HF and MF tone controls!

I’m based in Reading, so within easy reach from London, Oxford, etc.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Is the room, speaker and listening position symmetrical? If not, imaging will be less than optimum but there are things that can be done to help.

Are you addressing known issues in the room response with your absorbers and diffusers?

Are you using distributed subwoofers?

Is changing the speakers an option?
 
Dirac will do both chans independently , it will also work in the time domain and not amplitude only , you will get better bass and matched left and right for much better imaging.
There is a free trial..but you will need a mic .. the minidsp umik1 is what I suggest its about 70 quid and works with REW as well
 
There's only so much pushing of the 4435s you can do! :)[/QUOTE]

I'm sure you could find a way... I got this trick from ''The Audiophile Speaker Setup'' and it worked for me!
 
Thanks for your thoughts again - I've got plenty of treatment already. The point of this whole exercise is to identify the issues that cause the imbalance and apply the treatment accordingly.
 
es.klopfte said:
Just FYI, my speakers are JBL 4435s, and my source is a Linn DS, which has "room optimisation" built in. The problem with it is that it applies to both channels only, while I seem to have a balance/soundstage problem.
Click to expand...
Not sure what version of Konfig and DS firmaware you have but the latest versions of Linn's Space Optimisation will give you results for both channels. Here's a screen shot of mine from an Linn Akurate DSM
40062272055_010eb45376_b.jpg


Not all the room modes will show two channels, it depends a lot on the symmetry or otherwise of the room. If yours does not display two channels then perhaps an update of Konfig and firmware would be a good idea.
 
You can adjust the Gain to whatever negative value you like or zero but the Frequency and bandwidth can anly be altered by 5%. Custom filters will apply to both channels.
 
es.klopfte said:
Thanks for your thoughts again - I've got plenty of treatment already. The point of this whole exercise is to identify the issues that cause the imbalance and apply the treatment accordingly.
Click to expand...
Have you tried removing it & starting over, if you have room treatment I would suggest the problem lies elsewhere.
Best checking every avenue before splashing out hard earned cash.

It becomes easy to get bogged down with all this technical stuff.
 
Honestly, I can't think of anything I haven't done with treatment at this stage. It's time to call the man with the mike.
 
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