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Open Floor Plan Listening Room

Hi All,

  I have an open floor plan listening room. Any ideas on how to close off the room in order to improve lower frequency bass response?  I’m looking for room dividers that can be made to close off the space when I want to listen to music, but have aesthetic qualities and can be opened/closed easily.  The open plan consists of my living room and kitchen together at 45’ L x 17’ W x 10’ H.

  The open section separating the kitchen/living is 15’ W x 9’ H.

  I don’t have other room options in my home.

  Any help appreciated.  Speakers are Apogee Duetta Signature.  I have moved them around to make a difference but still need to close off the room behind sitting area to get the lower frequency bass I desire.

  TIA!
sandpat
auxinput
1,538 posts
 

Ah, I re-read your original post. It looks like you have a very large rectangle room (open room) that contains both kitchen and living room. It is still considered a single room and will have bass "room nodes":

https://amcoustics.com/tools/amroc?l=45&w=17&h=10&ft=true&r60=0.6

This means that certain bass frequencies are going to be cancelled out at your listening position. In addition, bass will tend to build up and sound louder in the back of the room (where you are sitting at the kitchen island).

Building a wall in between is not likely to improve things at all, unless you can build a "permanent wall". Your Krell FPB400CX is a very high power amp and you do not need to replace it.

I would start stacking up bass traps in the corners. Look at GIK Monster Bass Trap with FlexRange Limter (I know --- I love to recommend these things). Or maybe a GIK Soffit trap with scatter plate built in. You seem to have a lot of very low frequency room nodes (33hz, 37hz, 49.9hz, 56hz, 62hz, 66hz). The Monster Bass Trap with Flexrange will not be as effective for stuff under 70hz (but it’s still better than nothing).

I always hesitate to recommend full broadband bass traps (such as Soffit without scatter plate or Monster without Flexrange Limitor) because they tend to suck out too many high frequencies.

kennythekey
558 posts
 
I solved my problem  by adding open baffle subs. My speakers want closed corners, but I don't have a pair of them. So, I needed more fill-in. It was a leap of faith investment, but the addition worked out great. If you're interested, you can check out my system.
Kenny
sandpat OP
20 posts
 
Thanks everyone!  Perhaps I should get someone to come in and measure what’s happening with the low frequency sound waves.  Sounds like closing off the room is not the way to go here from what I’m reading.  

Aux, let me look into the room treatments after the sound/room consultation.
Kenny, would be great to see your setup.

thanks
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
measurement USB mic is $90; REL is free - then you can do your own measurements
steakster
720 posts
 
My open space is much, much smaller - but, has similar issues.  The bass was everywhere except by my listening chair.    An aesthetic room divider won't work.   It's not the same as a solid, rigid wall.   Previous posters who suggested subwoofers nailed it.   A good person to consult would be Duke at Audio Kinesis.   His swarm subwoofer system might be perfect your very large space.
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