In the last few months (maybe it's been longer) I've discovered I'm totally beset with a somewhat dysfunctional condition. I'm listening to my gear rather than my music. It's become obsessive. And, no matter what I do, I keep coming back to the feeling that there must be more that my system can deliver. I've been wondering: could I improve my speaker stands? Do I need a better DAC for PC audio? If I swopped out that table that houses my amp, turntable, cdp and phono pre-amp, for a proper stand would it reduce the clutter between my speakers and remove some of the resonances that I seem to be detecting? Do I need to bring someone in to examine my room and to suggest ways to improve the acoustics? So many, many questions. Maybe the many knowledgeable peeps around here have the answers:
1. How much of an impact does sitting position make to perception of sound? [In my lounge I am seated about 2m away from my speakers (maybe even a little closer at times). I noticed that the BX2s sounded quite bright on some recordings (especially PC audio). When I swapped them upstairs with my bedroom setup, the sound was still quite crisp but not nearly as harsh as it could be downstairs. Upstairs my sitting position is more like 3 m away and a little more elevated.]
2. How much of an impact do things like furniture and audio components placed between speakers have on sound? [You'll see in the image below the speakers [not the BX2s in this case, but the MX2s] overlap to some extent with the table holding my separates. My bro-in-law's LED is also up there for the moment. My sense is that they may be creating resonances which can lead to a slightly disorganised sound especially on busier recordings (RATM, sample-heavy hip hop).
3. How does one go about making room improvements that will have tangible impacts on sound? I thought my lounge was pretty decent acoustically: it's carpeted for one. However, there are three different sets of windows, it's L-shaped, there's a large mirror and my speakers face a listening position behind which there's a door to the kitchen. Could this contribute to the brightness I've been experiencing (some, but not all, of the time)?
4. How much does one invest when you're renting? This one goes to a larger problem. I'd really like to buy, but my wife and I just haven't got it together yet. But this does pose challenges. I'm not in a position to make too many room improvements, and wouldn't want to invest too much. At the same time, I am developing an obsessive ear/psycho-emotional state (LOL) and will not tolerate sub-standard audio.
Now that I'm done over-sharing, I'm hoping someone will attempt to help a brother out here. I'm not expecting you to show me how to buy a house so I can optimise my listening space; just a little help with some of these questions will do.
Props if you've read this far.
funcrusha
1. How much of an impact does sitting position make to perception of sound? [In my lounge I am seated about 2m away from my speakers (maybe even a little closer at times). I noticed that the BX2s sounded quite bright on some recordings (especially PC audio). When I swapped them upstairs with my bedroom setup, the sound was still quite crisp but not nearly as harsh as it could be downstairs. Upstairs my sitting position is more like 3 m away and a little more elevated.]
2. How much of an impact do things like furniture and audio components placed between speakers have on sound? [You'll see in the image below the speakers [not the BX2s in this case, but the MX2s] overlap to some extent with the table holding my separates. My bro-in-law's LED is also up there for the moment. My sense is that they may be creating resonances which can lead to a slightly disorganised sound especially on busier recordings (RATM, sample-heavy hip hop).
3. How does one go about making room improvements that will have tangible impacts on sound? I thought my lounge was pretty decent acoustically: it's carpeted for one. However, there are three different sets of windows, it's L-shaped, there's a large mirror and my speakers face a listening position behind which there's a door to the kitchen. Could this contribute to the brightness I've been experiencing (some, but not all, of the time)?
4. How much does one invest when you're renting? This one goes to a larger problem. I'd really like to buy, but my wife and I just haven't got it together yet. But this does pose challenges. I'm not in a position to make too many room improvements, and wouldn't want to invest too much. At the same time, I am developing an obsessive ear/psycho-emotional state (LOL) and will not tolerate sub-standard audio.
Now that I'm done over-sharing, I'm hoping someone will attempt to help a brother out here. I'm not expecting you to show me how to buy a house so I can optimise my listening space; just a little help with some of these questions will do.
Props if you've read this far.
funcrusha
