Has anyone tried putting a Vicoustic Multifuser DC2 or other diffuser on the wall behind their listening chair?

Hi Jimdog,

I have a couple of Artnovion Douro diffusers on the wall behind the speakers. The loudspeakers are placed fairly close to the wall (ca. 30 cm) and the diffusors improved both tonality and soundstage depth. I think they do this by diffusing (ha!) and thereby the reflections from the wall behind and between the speakers. As the radiation pattern of most, if not all, speakers is not even across the frequency spectrum, the tonality is improved.

For the wall behind the listening position I very much prefer Absorbers. Sizewise two Vicoustic panels or something similar should be sufficient for this.

No.

My listening hot spot is on a comfy sofa that sits right against a back wall. A nightmare situation for others maybe ! 

Said wall does have 4 paintings hung up, so maybe has the same effect as diffuser panels.   All walls have paintings on them.  Much nicer to look at.   Now have a Christmas tree installed in a major node.

Thanks both

My listening hot spot is also on a comfy sofa that sits right against a back wall. 

At the moment there is a very large framed piece of Nepalese fabric on that wall above the sofa - but it is glass fronted - I think glass is quite nasty as a noise reflecting surface? Also another large photo in a glass fronted frame at the other end of the back wall. So we're thinking of moving those.

We could, like you just put up some pictures that are not encased in glass - or get an absorber as Mulberry suggests. Some of these things are interesting to look at - depending on the design of them.

I have some GIK diffusers and Bass panels ect...

they work extremely well....

I notice on the GIK website, all panels can now be customised to have a picture of your choice on the front .....so ideal......

I’m sure other manufacturers will do the same.

Ps...I would definitely get rid of anything  glass fronted..

In my previous room I had the sofa against the back wall and indeed an absorber behind my head. As luck had it, that particular model had the same width as the sofa and looked very much like an extension of the sofa (both sofa and absorber are no longer available).

 I think a diffuser directly behind your head has a good chance to produce some funny effects. Even small movements of the ears can place them in a different acoustic. As I never tried this just a guess, but the absorber was perfect there.

Try to get a demo to see if you like the results in principle and pick something you like visually from that manufacturer to keep.

I think if the listening position is close to a wall something is needed to reduce reflections to reduce their muddying effect. I have certainly noticed the adverse effect of a wall, and would do something if such positioning were needed again - but if very close behind I suspect an absorber would be better than a diffuser.

While treating my room with GIK panels I tried diffusion and did not like the results which ever wall placed on , even 3 foot behind my listening position. Good results were obtained with GIK monster bass panels with range limiter membranes , including 2 panels on front and rear walls.

Not tried it.  I rely on very large curtains at either end of the room.

Loki - I too have large thick lined double curtains at the long ends of the room - with glass behind. But I play across the room, so the curtains are my (distant) sidewalls.

Do you get sidewall reflections?

While a bit spendy, I think Vicoustic products live up to their acoustic claims and look classy. I have two Vicoustic Wavewood panels in my room. Their design is primarily absorptive, but they also have reflective properties. Over time I have moved them all around my listening room and found they were best positioned on the front wall. The area behind my listening chair is mostly open - a wide entrance into the room with narrow walls on either side. Placing the panels behind had little effect in my room. 

What I've found is that you need to do your own experimentation with acoustic panels. Find the best fitment in your particular room and the wants of your ears. There are fundamental placement locations to start with, you go from there and adjust. Try different panels. 

The engineering approach might suggest you begin with a microphone, a computer, and room equalization software.

I put two cushions on the top of my chair against the wall (behind my head) when listening seriously. Works perfectly, I love cheap 'upgrades' like this.

My listening couch is about 6 feet from the rear wall.  I was able to ask the question, but it seems that Joe Rand has tried that experiment.  I might try some panels on the side walls to attenuate the first reflection off the wall.  However, I have my speakers are toed in at about 25 degrees, pointing right at my ears and that seems to give the best (SS) soundstage and SQ.  This probably also attenuates the classic first reflection.  Not sure my wife would be happy with acoustic panels.  

Bailyhill

Bailyhill posted:

Not sure my wife would be happy with acoustic panels.  

 

 

You can get ‘art’ panels with a stick picture or any image of your choice printed on the facing fabric.