Definition of a Live vs. Dead room?
- Thread starter caesar
- Start date
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
A live room sounds great until you play it too loud and it seems to get slappy. A dead room you walk into and your ears feel different, kind of unnaturally quiet. If I had to choose, I would prefer the live room. I would just be careful not to play it too loud. Also, it would be easier to fix than a dead room.
As far as room treatment, I am much more of a diffusion (lively) fan than that of absorption (dead). Too many acousticians do not know how to design for home listening. They tend to make rooms sound like anechoic chambers and I am miserable when I walk into these types of rooms. The best recordings are usually in live venues where you get natural ambience and the brain recognizes it as closer to real. Listen to a drum kit in a live venue versus a studio and you will know what I am talking about.
As far as room treatment, I am much more of a diffusion (lively) fan than that of absorption (dead). Too many acousticians do not know how to design for home listening. They tend to make rooms sound like anechoic chambers and I am miserable when I walk into these types of rooms. The best recordings are usually in live venues where you get natural ambience and the brain recognizes it as closer to real. Listen to a drum kit in a live venue versus a studio and you will know what I am talking about.
I have experienced this in my room. Oversold traps. When I culled 1/3 of them and added diffusion, the dead went away.
There actually is a difference between a "dead" room and an extremely quiet sonically insulated room which could be very "live."
I do agree, I prefer a more live room with diffusion.
I do agree, I prefer a more live room with diffusion.
I agree but with 2 caveats:
1. Depends on the music you like. Speed metal probably sounds better closer to .2 whereas large venue symphony sounds better closer to .5.
2. Decay isn't uniform and is dependent somewhat on what the room uses to reduce decay time. If there is more diffusion backed with full range absorption, then lower decay times can still sound super live.
Even decay times are probably more important than an absolute number.
Michael.
1. Depends on the music you like. Speed metal probably sounds better closer to .2 whereas large venue symphony sounds better closer to .5.
2. Decay isn't uniform and is dependent somewhat on what the room uses to reduce decay time. If there is more diffusion backed with full range absorption, then lower decay times can still sound super live.
Even decay times are probably more important than an absolute number.
Michael.
One trick I learned is to never have any bare faced fiberglass panels in your room. They don't absorb HF consistent with LF. If you use fiberglass make them as full range as possible and always cover the surface with good diffusion. I like to attach auralex t'fusors to my panels and fill them with fiberglass. RPG BAD panels can do this well too.This iphone pano photo warped my ceiling cloud so don't laugh too hard.
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