How To Acoustics?

[mynameiswag]

Building a home theater, 15x20 feet. Getting a dope 7.1 system, just need some advice on acoustics, e.g. materials and layout. Also heard to not have any parallel surfaces, is that true?

[Enderman]

http://www.atsacoustics.com/home-theater-acoustics.html

[W-L]

 

Building a home theater, 15x20 feet. Getting a dope 7.1 system, just need some advice on acoustics, e.g. materials and layout. Also heard to not have any parallel surfaces, is that true?

 

Well in general you want to make sure it's not in an empty room with all hard surfaces like walls and ceilings, usually things like acoustic panels or having a drop ceiling depending where you have it helps prevent sound from just bouncing around or echoing.

[mynameiswag]

 

 

 

Well in general you want to make sure it's not in an empty room with all hard surfaces like walls and ceilings, usually things like acoustic panels or having a drop ceiling depending where you have it helps prevent sound from just bouncing around or echoing.

 

 

http://www.atsacoustics.com/home-theater-acoustics.html

So carpets and cover reflection points with acoustic panels? Does the parallel surfaces thing have any truth? 

[W-L]

So carpets and cover reflection points with acoustic panels? Does the parallel surfaces thing have any truth? 

 

Well it helps if you have angled surfaces to direct sound and prevent it from bouncing between the two surfaces.

[mynameiswag]

Well it helps if you have angled surfaces to direct sound and prevent it from bouncing between the two surfaces.

But that doesn't matter if the sound is being absorbed?

[W-L]

But that doesn't matter if the sound is being absorbed?

 

Well materials can only absorb so much and there still will be a little bit coming off of it, so in theory angling can help but it can't be done in all situations due to room or cost limitations.

[SSL]

But that doesn't matter if the sound is being absorbed?

 

No. In reality, a room without parallel surfaces is going to be hard to come by in a home environment.

[mynameiswag]

No. In reality, a room without parallel surfaces is going to be hard to come by in a home environment.

I could just cover the walls with curtains.

[SSL]

I could just cover the walls with curtains.

 

What would that achieve.

[mynameiswag]

What would that achieve.

 

Don't they absorb sound as well?

[W-L]

What would that achieve.

Don't they absorb sound as well?

 

If you wanted to isolate noise from the surrounding rooms or have a dead silent space but in general preventing echo from occurring inside an empty room is the top priority. After it's the design/layout of the room with the sound system itself. 

[mynameiswag]

If you wanted to isolate noise from the surrounding rooms or have a dead silent space but in general preventing echo from occurring inside an empty room is the top priority. After it's the design/layout of the room with the sound system itself. 

 

Yeah the doors are sealed and my walls are soundproofed

[W-L]

Yeah the doors are sealed and my walls are soundproofed

 

Sounds like things are done for the main part, I would see how your setup sounds in the space first if you notice lots of echo adding some sections of curtains along the walls or acoustic panels probably be the best thing to do. 

[SSL]

Don't they absorb sound as well?

 

Not really. You'd need to get special curtains for that, and at that point it's better to just get purpose-made acoustic panels.

 

One of the chief pitfalls of home acoustic treatment is making the space too dead, which curtains will do without actually improving the overall response.