I've moved into a more permanent room where my stereo will reside for the next two years and I need help treating it. I don't want to spend anything crazy as I'm just renting this house and will eventually be moving on from here, but the dimensions are less then ideal and I want my rig to sing!
Here's the skinny.
I've got a square room that is approximately 12x12x8. I sit centered between the speakers approximately 7.5 feet away (more or less flat against the wall).
Your room is really too small for your speakers and the corner horn loading is going to really screw up the tonal balanced. You speakers should be farther apart as well. I would leave this room as soon as possible. The only speakers I could recommend for such a small room that would match the potential of what you already have are the Gradient Prelude. They aren't well known, but have a concentric tweeter/woofer made by Seas. The midrange is close to the famous Quad ESL-57 and there's no crossover so the purity and detail is exceptional. Your electronics will match well. They retail for about $800US. Or, as I said, move rooms as quickly as possible.
I have a cheap (less than 20.00)Wallmart sleeping bag,opened up hanging on one wall.doesnt look too bad and works,plus when overnite guest are over i have something for them to sleep on !!
I don't know if you have the time with Law School, but you can make enough professional level acoustic panels to completely treat your room for under $400, maybe even less. Check out Jon Risch's DIY Panels
They aren't technically difficult and all the parts are readily available at Home Depot. You just need some simple tools and a weekend.
Then again, my old roommate from college just left and he's in his 2nd year law. It's safe to say, the guy is a little stressed out - financially and academically.
I hear you Gopher. I'm on a budget as well. I don't know of any cheap rugs, but it can be anything that will absorb the back and forth reflections. That's why only 2 walls are necessary. Curtains could work, but won't absorb quite as much.
Thanks for the info so far guys--yeah the squarness of the room sucks, but the diagonal listening has helped s.s. and imaging considerably (also somehow sounds a little less congested).
I think the room is kind of echoey, and I'd like to try hanging rugs up--are there any cheap-o rugs from online dealers you guys recommend? I'm a zero income law student and can't exactly invest in high end rugs for the wall, but don't want exactly wanna ugly my room up with the crap I can afford at from walmart.
Actually with the diagonal set up the reflections won't be as much of a problem, But the room will be overloaded with them. Try a rug on 2 of the walls because you must be getting slap echo like mad. Try room tunes, it will take some of the energy out of the room.
It can work. I got some large speakers to work in a 10 x 12' room.
your on the right track. the diagonal room set up is probably the best direction for a small 12x12 room. i once had a system in a 12x12 room, i ended up with smaller two way monitors to get the most even bass response. anything with real bass output simply overloaded the room.
also, sit nearfield if your speakers will allow. sitting nearfield helps to remove the from the sonic picture. experiment with placement, its free and your learn while doing so.
just a thought but the turntable in the corner could be troublesome...as in negatively effected by bass energy.
