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In loudspeakers with parallel walls these waves will cause distortions. The standing
waves in your room will distort the frequency response of your system sympathetically
boosting certain frequencies. If a certain standing wave frequency is acoustically
isolated from its modal neighbours its effect is more likely to be audible and
problematic. This can compromise the accuracy of any loudspeaker.
Middle & High Frequency Room Characteristics
The middle and high frequencies are affected more by room contents rather than
room shape. The surfaces and how they reflect, absorb or diffuse the acoustic energy
will tend to describe the 'sound' of a room. Like all energy, acoustic energy cannot be
destroyed; it can only be converted into something else or reflected. The shape of the
surface will determine how it is reflected and the material will determine whether it is
absorbed.
All rooms have a particular sound, and to appreciate what influences are present in
your particular room you should be aware of how the objects in your room will respond
to sound.
Sound waves behave in the same way as light waves or 'rays' and so imagine the
driver to be a floodlight.
Reflection: acoustic energy is not converted but reflected in an orderly, predictable
fashion.
Diffusion: acoustic energy is dispersed in a random and/or disordered fashion.
Absorption: acoustic energy is converted into kinetic energy or heat. All or a majority of
the sound energy is 'soaked up' or disposed of by the object surface or room
boundary
Two Channel Loudspeaker Positioning
There are no objective criteria that can be used to state precisely where loudspeakers
should be positioned. Should any individual or company suggest that there are, they
should be treated with a great deal of caution. In the global scenario, our
loudspeakers are driven by unique systems that are selected by the owner because of
particular virtues. Every listening room is as individual and unique in character as the
owner. Compound this complex picture with the combination of different equipment.
Consider the changeability of rooms; if the room is dressed with heavy curtains simply
changing the curtains position can alter the whole balance of the system. The only rule
is that there are no rules. Like producing good wine it is the goal that is the only guide.
The owner is the pivot in this subtle balancing act.
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