Carpet the Walls?

[Rolyasm]

Ready to paint and carpet. I was planning on installing thin wall carpet 2-3 feet from the floor because somewhere I thought I read this was a good idea. In fact, what I remember is carpet the entire front wall, then about 3 feet high on the rest. Does this sound right to anyone? I don't need to carpet, I just thought it was a good technique, so any input at this time would be greatly appreciated. I did a search on here, didn't find much. Thanks.
roly

[SteveCallas]

Sounds right to me. After being in college for four years, and being in several different large and small lecture rooms, you notice they all share similar properties in regards to achieving good room acoustics. Carpeted walls - 3' sounds about right, side walls that widen as you go further back to act as a natural amplifier, sound panels higher up on the walls about halfway into the room, and columns that protrude from the side walls every 10' or so. It can't be a coincidence. I've still got a long ways to go before I build a dedicated theater room, but when I do, I will definitely be putting these design elements into place.

[David Meek]

I'd recommend not being that extreme. You are running the risk of over-deadening your room, and that can be as bad or worse than having a live room. TWith carpet on the floor, try putting absorptive panels at the first reflection points on the side walls, and a panel directly behind each of your main speakers. Now, don't put a panel behind your mains if they have a rear firing driver as that will largely negate any benefit from that arrangement.

I think you'll find that this gives you a broad, clear soundstage, but as always your mileage may vary. Testing is always best.

[aud19]

Do NOT carpet around the entire room :nonod:

See this thread for more info

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=14114

[Sonnie Parker]

Where's Andrew Pratt... I think he was the one who carpeted his walls and stated it might be a little more dead than he wanted.

I left all my walls bare to start with and used thick carpet padding and carpet on the floor. It pretty much did the trick for me. I later added acousical panels on the front wall behind the main speakers and in two locations on the side walls (first and second reflections as David eluded to). I couldn't really tell a big difference which may be contributed to the room eq function on my receiver. Having them up there makes it look like I'm doing something right though... lol. :roll:

[aud19]

It was Andrew Sonnie, it's mentioned in the link I posted

[SteveCallas]

I don't know, meeting rooms and even movie theaters do this as well. Carpet up to about 3' on the walls so that the area above your ear is live and below your ear it's not. It's so prevalent in so many areas where listening is the main concern, there has to be some basis behind it. I would disagree with carpeting the entire wall though.

[RobP]

Yeah, but those movie theatres also have 20-25 foot ceilings and are very large rooms. I would not even consider putting carpet up a wall at all. you make a room too dead you cause just as many problems as a room that is too "live". Carpet is for the floors and the interiors of early 70's vans.

[Andrew M Ward]

I've carpeted up the walls 36 inches and it worked out great.

Just depends on the room, no worries in my opinion, a little too dead is better than too live.

Just my 2 cents

[KeithM]

3 feet sounds like overkill to me. I think 2 or 1.5 feet would be optimum if you decide to do it.

[SteveCallas]

Why would you say that? 3' is the ideal because that's about the average ear height while sitting.

[aud19]

I still say don't do the whole room...