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Vandersteens and room acoustics

I own a pair of Vandersteen 2Ce sigs with an Anthem power amp and Rogue preamp, and VPI Scout.
The Vandys sound really good but from past auditioning sessions, I believe they can sound better. I'm not sure how I would accomplish that (outside of new equipment) and I'm wondering if there are room treatments that would help in this room.
My listening room is 8W X 13L X 7H, obviously a less than ideal setup. The Vandys and component rack are on one short wall with the centers of the speakers about 5 feet apart.
The backs of the speakers are a little over a foot out from the front wall.
The "out" sides of the speakers are about a foot from the side walls. The best listening position I've found is about 6 feet away. The floor is reasonably thick carpet over cement slab with padding, obviously. The walls are bare.
Are there treatments that you would recommend? I have seen some sorts of traps behind Vandys and other speakers in system pics here, and elsewhere. What change would that give me? What about acoustic (whatever) on the side walls? Thanks in advance for any help.
Ag insider logo xs@2xkmulkey
newbee
4,093 posts
 
You have a major issue with a room that size. It is tough to do anything excet listen in the nearfield, which it soulds like you are already doing. Can you get your speakers out a bit more from the back wall and move your listening chair back, maintaining the triangle ratios?

Bare walls is a major problem as well. Time to get up some diffusive and or absorbent materiels, especially on the side walls.

Lastly, try toeing in your speakers until the axis cross in front of your listening position. This will take of some of the 1st reflection problems from the side walls.

BTW, I wouldn't worry so much about the wall behind your speakers - that is a relatively minor problem compared to the others.

And, needless to say (but I will anyway) you will overdrive this room a very moderate volumes so don't expect to ever listen to loud music and enjoy it.

Hope that helps a bit.
stevecham
3,298 posts
 
I'm a former 2Ce sig owner; currently own 1Cs.

Don't know how much bass you have or want but if you put two stacked Lenrd bass traps (Aurelex), in each corner behind your 2Ces, you will improve the imaging and the bass clarity because there will some absorption and you will minimize phase cancellations. Also, an absorptive panel on each sidewall where, if you were sitting in your listening position and you had mirrors on the side walls such that you could see the speakers in each side refelction, at that wall position, such absorptive panels will minimize wall reflections so that you get more direct sound from your speakers, in essence, widening the soundstage and allowing you to hear much more of the musical content, detail, timbre and imaging. At least this is how I would and have approached smaller listening environments with success.
dhel
40 posts
 
Stevecham is right on. I recommend checking out GIK Acoustics for affordable treatment solutions.
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