Room treatments - GIK Vs Acoustimac

Hi Milpai,
* congrats on the GIK investment - glad to hear that the 4 bass traps are helping.
* lateral reflections from side walls tend to pull imaging in the direction of the reflection, so with no side wall 1st reflection absorbers or diffusers it's no wonder you don't have the tight and narrow imaging. Toole's research showed that unless you were a musician or product reviewer, that most folks preferred the side walls being bare to widen the apparent sound source.
* panels behind box speakers: it could for several reasons. Bass traps are usually most effective in corners, including front wall corners behind box or other kinds of speakers. Also, reflections from the front and back walls are less advantageous than from other directions. Placing a panel - absorption or diffusion or angled reflection like I use - on the front wall will help prevent flutter echoes between the back wall if it is a hard surface and parallel with the front wall. Moreover, placing a panel on the front wall closest to the speaker is to reduce comb filter effects, which Toole's argues is less troubling and not as auditory as a measurement graph or some people would make you believe. Lastly, I have found some absorption on the front wall deepens the apparent sound stage depth, at least in my room.
* by saying you want to be able to move your head to the side and still hear the vocals as coming from the middle/centre, then it sounds like you want a wider sweet spot, which I would think would benefit from side wall diffusion at 1st reflection points to widen the apparent sound source width, which contradicts your earlier desire for a tight image . . .
* deciding between diffusion and absorption at the side wall 1st reflection points is a matter of personal taste and goals. If the room already is 'dead' sounding, then diffusion or reflection ought to be considered. Also, do you want tight narrow imaging or broader more real-to-life imaging which loosely translates to being in the recording studio or having the musicians in your room, respectively.

Good luck and let us know how you make out. Oh ya, get an acoustical measurement tool to help you, otherwise it is just guess work.

Kevinzoe,
Thanks much for the detailed explanation. Very helpful indeed.

Yes, I am for sure getting the panels for the first absorption points. They would be the 244 from GIK.
I am undecided on the front wall panels. I can confidently say that there is only 10-15% hash of what it was without the reflections. You have done a "Lamborghini" of treatment, whereas I am only aiming for an "Acura or BMW".
Again, I may be contradicting myself because this is the first time I am experiencing complete music, rather than some music and some room. I think I would love to have great imaging, in general.
I have also been advised to get the equipment rack out of the middle and place the equipments on the floor (on some platform). I plan to do this by using the panels from the Salamander rack I have and Herbie's footers.
I have become a BIG believer in treatments. For me, the effect (along with precise speaker placement) is "mesmerizing". It is like buying new hardware and listening to the music through new equipment for the first time.
What are your thought on ceiling reflections? My ceiling is 9'.

Thanks,

Glad my it'd bits of "advice" were helpful.
For the ceiling, and given your druthers for great imaging, I would be inclined you try 6" thick absorption with a few inches of an air space given you have the vertical space to spare.

Do you have a window in the middle of the front wall between your speakers? If so you will want to attenuate the reflections from the glass; close the drapes. Make the drapes as thick and with a deep fold with air space between it and the wall if possible.

I do not have windows on the front wall. But they are on the rear wall, about 3 feet from where I sit. I have taken care of them with the Monster traps. There is that french door, but I will put some felt on them sometimes later. I will update my system with the pics, after everything is put in place.

I will "try to start" a conversation about the ceiling treatments with the wife ;-) She has been supportive till now, but I don't want to stretch it. Thank You for letting me know about the gap though. I will keep that tip for future.

Hi,

i use 242,244,Tritraps and used to use Monster bass.
I had 18 panels all in all.
Best is to use these and also use a Rives Audio PARC (+ XTZ Room analyzer pro II).
This way you can measure your room, then let the PARC handle the bass modes. None of these brands or panels can sort out and rid deep bass modes. No matter if you fill your whole room (it will just be dead-damped). When you have set the PARC correctly, you can start all over testing how many GIK or such, you'll prefer and where to locate them.
I would suggest running PARC balanced with a good PC and a hifi tuning fuse also.
You will be in for a surprise :-D