help on small music room layout please

Posted by: Alf Pilgrim on 26 May 2003

Due to some extension work we're undertaking, it looks like I might have the opportunity to convert the old kitchen into a music room and I'd appreciate the advice of those on the forum on how best to lay it out.

The room is pretty small, 11ft x 10ft, with a window centred on one of the longer walls and a door off-centre on one of the shorter walls. All walls are solid, 2 are cavity. The floor is likely to be solid wood with a rug over it.

Since we are doing building work, I could possibly move the door onto the long wall facing the window (other long) wall if necessary but I'd rather avoid extra building work if I can!

The big question is whether to place the speakers against a long wall or a short(er) wall. I intend using a small sofa at the listening position with the rack next to it.

The system is TAG DVD32R/Chord DAC64/NAC82/2xHi/NAP250/SBLs on Hutter.

I guess the other area of doubt is whether the room is too small for the SBLs anyway.

Thoughts welcome.

cheers
alf
Posted on: 26 May 2003 by trickytree
Hi Alf,

I also have a dedicated Hi-Fi room. It measures 9 x 12 feet and I have the speakers on the short wall as this lets me pull the listening chair away from the back wall. I dont find the room to small for my system (LP12/62-90/Kef Coda 2's) but couldnt comment on your SBL's.
On a non Hi-Fi note it is wonderfull to not to have to bother about the WAF!
Posted on: 26 May 2003 by Mike Hanson
My room is also small, 8x12 feet, although I've got French doors behind my listening chair that lead to the dining room and then kitchen. Therefore, my speakers have room to develop those deep bass notes. My configuration looks like this:



Looking towards the speakers:


Looking back towards the chair:



-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Posted on: 26 May 2003 by joe90
Hey Mike

I noticed you have Royd Albions. I have Royd Edens. I'm a totalk Royd nutter but I've never had the priviledge to hear a pair of Albions. What are they like?

Joe90
Posted on: 27 May 2003 by Mike Hanson
quote:
Originally posted by joe90:
I noticed you have Royd Albions. I have Royd Edens. I'm a totalk Royd nutter but I've never had the priviledge to hear a pair of Albions. What are they like?

Although the Edens are nice, the Albions are in a different league altogether! They are extremely rhythmic and communicative, with a wonderful midrange. My only complaints:

  • Because they're stand-mounted, they can't go "all the way down" (although they go astonishing far, considering their size).
  • Sometimes I would like to drive them REALLY LOUD, and they can't quite manage it.

These are minor quibbles, though, and 99.9% of the time I'm perfectly happy with them.

I'm also a Royd nutter. I own the Albion, Minstrel SE (at my mom's), Merlin (in my office), Squire (in my home theatre), A7X (at my sister's), and AV77 (center-channel in my HT).

-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Posted on: 27 May 2003 by J.N.
Alf

My thirty years of experience at this silly game has taught me that rooms are a lottery.

My dealer recently installed a pair of SBL's on the end of a modest passive Naim system, in a room 8ft by 10ft.

He reckoned that it was the best SBL system he's ever heard, bar none (and he used to run them at home).

He has customers with SBL's on full blown active systems, that don't come close!

The room IS the source.

I don't think you can resolve your question with advice, mathematics or logic.

Just get the system in there, and try different speaker/listening positions.

Busy rooms seem to sound best - i.e. plenty of absorptive/diffractive stuff to soak up the sound.

Good luck.
Posted on: 28 May 2003 by Frank Abela
Alf

You may find it is a more suitable solution to place the SBLs on the long wall if possible. Luckily, SBLs are not as badly affected by corners as most speakers but they do like to be further apart if possible and this may be a reason for having them on the longer wall. As a bonus, I'm guessing that it would be nicer to look out of the window rather than at a blank wall too!

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.