Audio showroom size

[GregLett]

I have a question for my fellow audiophiles.
What would you consider a perfect size for a showroom?
A size that would serve well for both stand mounted as well
as floor models. I know there will have to be a comprise.
I was thinking about a 20X30 or 20X14

[Chris D]

20x14 is a decent size for a private dedicated theater, but if you're looking to do an actual showroom, you probably want a bit bigger, mostly in width. 20x30 would be more than you need.

[GregLett]

Thanks Chris.

[RobP]

Play around with this calculator and see what your different room sizes will yield.

http://www.bobgolds.com/Mode/RoomModes.htm

[GregLett]

Robert that's very interesting calculator. If I understand what I am seeing, it looks like a 24 x 16 room is a good size. My plan is to build a room in my backyard. I have room for the length or width depends on how you look at it to be as much as 24', but the other dimension can only be up to 18'. I don't want to get too close to the deck.

[dknightd]

Is this a showroom for personal enjoyment, or, for selling things in? How many people should it seat? How big a screen? If you are building from scratch you should keep in mind room modes.

[GregLett]

Is this a showroom for personal enjoyment, or, for selling things in? How many people should it seat? How big a screen? If you are building from scratch you should keep in mind room modes.

I's for selling two channel only audio and personal enjoyment. I don't want someone to walk in and feel cramped, I have been in a few of those.
It's going to be built from scratch. The max dimensions can be 24 x18.

[twitch54]

Given your "Max" #'s ......16' wide, 24' deep, min 10' ceiling ht. That way your Logans can be the ideal 4-5' out from the walls.

[dknightd]

24x13x9 looks pretty good

[GregLett]

Given your "Max" #'s ......16' wide, 24' deep, min 10' ceiling ht. That way your Logans can be the ideal 4-5' out from the walls.

I have to go listen to the Roger Sanders speaker. That could wind up in there, or if ML likes my room a pair of summits

[Briz vegas]

hey that calculator predicted my rooms dip at 63 hz - it works....I think
Mind you there is a dip and there are spots with reinforcement also - how did it know that the dip is at my listening position I wonder. I will have to go back and have a closer look at that calculator.

[twitch54]

I have to go listen to the Roger Sanders speaker. That could wind up in there, or if ML likes my room a pair of summits

Better yet............ how about a pair of CLX's, assuming they are introduced later this year.

Regardless of what the other poster said (13' width), DO NOT go less than 14-15' for speaker(size and type) would then be limiting.

[GregLett]

Better yet............ how about a pair of CLX's, assuming they are introduced later this year.

Regardless of what the other poster said (13' width), DO NOT go less than 14-15' for speaker(size and type) would then be limiting.

I wouldn't go less than 16'. My current room is 11x14 by 7' high, so I will build something bigger. I'm thinking about putting monitors in my current room once the other room is done.

[RobP]

24 X 16 looks pretty good, now if you could go with an 11' ceiling that would be icing on the cake. For me that would be the optimal size room. You could host a variety of different size systems in that space.

My room is 21.5x 13.8 x 8 and I think that the side walls are a bit too close, I agree that staying wider than 14 would be ideal if you can do it.

A dedicated outdoor building will be nice, heck I am in the planning stages myself for an outdoor studio for my work, maybe it can be a listening room too :twisted: .....although, I don't know how much work would actually get done if I did that.

[GregLett]

24 X 16 looks pretty good, now if you could go with an 11' ceiling that would be icing on the cake. For me that would be the optimal size room. You could host a variety of different size systems in that space.

My room is 21.5x 13.8 x 8 and I think that the side walls are a bit too close, I agree that staying wider than 14 would be ideal if you can do it.

A dedicated outdoor building will be nice, heck I am in the planning stages myself for an outdoor studio for my work, maybe it can be a listening room too :twisted: .....although, I don't know how much work would actually get done if I did that.

What I looked at so far had a height of 8' at the end and sloping up to I think 12 feet at the center. I was thinking of not having a flat ceiling, but to follow the slop. How does that sound?

[twitch54]

What I looked at so far had a height of 8' at the end and sloping up to I think 12 feet at the center. I was thinking of not having a flat ceiling, but to follow the slop. How does that sound?

Let me give you a nickels worth of advise.......... go over to Audiocircle.com and under the sub-forum "acoustic circle" you can pose your room design questions to the many qualified folks that are regulars there, like Ethan of Real Traps , along with Glenn and Bryan from GIK.

Also, be sure to check out "JonFo's" Thread on the Martin Logan forum regarding all his excellent room acoustical work.

http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5435

the more optimal the initial room design is the easier it will be to acoustically treat !

[RobP]

What I looked at so far had a height of 8' at the end and sloping up to I think 12 feet at the center. I was thinking of not having a flat ceiling, but to follow the slop. How does that sound?

I have seen a few rooms with a sloped ceiling, although I have never listened to them, that type of design is used in large areas such as concert halls and such, but Im really not sure if it would apply to a small room, trying to calculate modes in that scenario will be very tricky.

Just another option that may actually work better for you would be to hire an acoustical design consultant, there are companies such as Rives Audio who can help you plan your room, they have several different levels of design that they offer to fit your budget.



If you decide to go it on your own then I would suggest picking up a copy of The Master handbook of Acoustics, its a wealth of information and is a great reference and will serve you well in your room design.



Also, I don't like pointing you away from our site for info, but this site is run by people who actually do this type of thing for a living, although the emphasis is on studio design, the concepts and information can be used in a listening room setup.

http://forum.studiotips.com/index.php

[RobP]

the more optimal the initial room design is the easier it will be to acoustically treat !

Couldnt agree with you more, although with a well thought out plan, the treatment can actually become part of the room, which would be pleasing to the eye as well as to the ears.

With a plan like Gregs, he could easily build his bass traping into architectural features such as soffits and columns, diffusion could be built into the walls so as they would almost become works of art, with his clean slate, the possibilities are only limited by his imagination.

[twitch54]

Yes Robert I agree, FWIW, I was not trying to 'derail' Greg's thread, it's just that there IS very good and in depth discussion on other sites. Also Greg is a Martin Logan owner as am I, and my refrence to a thread on the Logan Forum was for informational purposes on thread that a well respected member of our group has ongoing.

[Chris D]

Huh... that IS a very interesting website. Now I just have to figure out what it all means...

[GregLett]

Thanks for all the input guys. My first task is to get the structure built without getting soaked. Wood structures are expensive.I am looking at a steel exterior as an option. Due to how they make the steel the structure increases in 5 foot increments. So I'm looking at a 25 x 20 structure. The height is 10 feet.

[RobP]

I was not trying to 'derail' Greg's thread

I hope I didnt make it sound like you were, my apologies Dave.

[twitch54]

Huh... that IS a very interesting website. Now I just have to figure out what it all means...

Thanks Chris ! We M/L folks get a little fanatical at times !

[Chris D]

ah, sorry... actually, I meant the website calculating the room nodes. I plugged in my theater room values, and got results (that don't look too terribly bad) but don't know how to interpret all the numbers and stuff on the page...