JBL Synthesis - Room Design and Treatment

[UreiCollector]

Here's the same shot with the lights on and using the flash. The wall and drapes fade to black.

Looking good!

[JBL 4645]

Now that last picture was just WICKED!

[[email protected]]

Very impressive indeed. Best of luck with finishing the project. You'll know we'll be here watching.

[Titanium Dome]

I did some searching for that DVD-A of Dark Side Of The Moon and can't seem to find it. Do you remember where you got it?

I do but I can't tell you.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=655946

[Titanium Dome]

Could you please drop some design thoughts for your room treatments, maybe a sketch? It could be useful, rather sooner than later I will change rooms here.
____________
Peter

Yes, I will.

Since I am so impressed with the surrounds, I'll start with the S4Ai placement in conjunction with the diffusers.

When you get right in front of one pair of the S4Ai's offset drivers, you see this.

[Titanium Dome]

Then, if you turn 180 degrees you see this on the adjacent wall directly in front of the drivers behind you.

[Titanium Dome]

If you walk over to the other side of the S4Ai and get in front of the other pair of offset speakers, it looks familiar. (But upside down!)

[Titanium Dome]

If you turn again 180 degrees this is what's opposite the speakers on the adjacent wall. (There would be a diffuser in the area marked in red, but I'm still waiting for the S4Ai bracket to show up before I can mount it.)

[MikeBrewster77]

Looking GREAT!!!

In terms of acoustical panels and diffusers, can you comment on how you decided how to put what where? Expert advice, or did you find that there are some basic rules one should follow? Probably showing my naiveté here, but I'm trying to treat my main listening room, and with such an impressive and professional setup anything you could share would be welcome!

Thank you!

- Mike

[Titanium Dome]

This crude diagram, not drawn to scale, shows how the diffusers break up the sound before it hits a reflection point. The two side surrounds' forward-most drivers go to the front wall and are absorbed in the acoustic panels.

The S4Ai is represented as the blue box and the green ovals are the diffusers. The two diffusers that seem to be left out are actually breaking up the sound from the front channels.

[Titanium Dome]

Stray high frequency gets captured by these el cheapo velour drapes, which also serve to create a very dark area surrounding the screen, and in one case cover up shelves full of media. Because of the control exercised by the SAM1HF's horns, we're not too concerned with first reflections except for the very high frequencies, and the drapes should handle that.

Just in case, I'll be installing a panel under each S4Ai, plus I have many in reserve in case we need to put one somewhere.

1st, right side over the shelves.

2nd, left side over the brighter wall.

I really cranked up the lights on these so they could be seen. The effect is much more subtle and inky in reality.

[Titanium Dome]

While I was cranking the light, I tried one more shot of the proscenium wall, aka the dead zone. This shows a little better the pattern of the panels. On the right is the 4" bass trap, with 2' panels above and next to it. One more panel to the left is the center, with a 1" pane directly behind the center.

This 1" panel is mostly just to recess the center a bit to get it behind the screen when it's installed.

All together, there are 11 panels on this wall, effectively covering 95% of the wall above the platform.

EDIT: I should say more about this wall and its function. It kills every stray sound coming from the front. Any thing that gets out of the back or sides or anything that wraps around from the front is immediately gobbled up, never to be heard. As I installed the panels, I could hear the room change.

After the first couple of panels, the room was noticeably quieter. After the bottom row was in place, slap echo was almost gone, whereas it was quite annoying before. Once the top row was in place, I could clap as hard as I wanted, and there was no sharp echo in return. None. Yet the diffusers in the back kept the sound from dying too soon and becoming flat.

When I started this project, I fully intended to use acoustic panels, but not diffusers. I really didn't comprehend the role of the diffuser. Chris gave me a quick education on them, and I immediately added them to the plan.

My original plan would have killed the room. It would have been too dead. The diffusers however give it a natural sound, while keeping everything under control. It makes for a great balance that I would not have incorporated on my own.

[Titanium Dome]

The efficiency of this 18" driver is insane: 97dB! Once it's properly calibrated, watch out! :shock:

[Titanium Dome]

With just the projector, DVD player, and Synthesis® system, I'm already up to three remotes. Fortunately, they can all be replaced by the Harmony 1000, which is already programmed.

[Titanium Dome]

Since I was snapping away, I got this shot for Mark (Mike Ronesia).