EDIT: for some reason Gearslutz won't display my images, so I just put the links to imgur underneath.
EDIT 2: Here's a link to the actual .mdat files: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i3gvgex8o...TFa34KT4a?dl=0

Hi there,

I've been trying to get my room to sound better, but so far it doesn't look good, I suppose.

I have bass traps by GIK (Tri-Traps) and Hofa in all corners, and DIY basotect absorbers on the reflections points left and right of the listening position, and a few of those on the back of the room.

It still doesn't sound much better than before the treatment, and I think the measurements confirm that.

My room is 5.1m x 4.6m, ceiling height is 3.7m.
Unfortunately I'm facing the wide side of the room, for reasons.
the right side of my listening position has two huge windows.

Additional information:
My speakers are passive ATC SCM 20, and I used the Sonarworks measurement mic with REW (with the calibration file from Sonarworks). I had the mic at my listening position.

Here are the REW Screenshots:

Waterfall left:

https://imgur.com/awEMS5e

Waterfall right:

https://imgur.com/9OBBrtp

All SPL left:

https://imgur.com/Kyto6YW

All SPL right:

https://imgur.com/TmKiIkC

I'm willing to buy more products from either GIK or Hofa (or anyone else who's selling in Europe).
But what do I need? Is it as simple as More Bass Traps?

Thanks in advance!

I downloaded L.mdat but it did not have any before/after measurements in it. Do you have those?

Unfortunately I did not measure the room before I installed the bass traps, because I didn't have a mic.
How bad do you think the measurement looks, if I may ask?
It certainly sounds better than before, but not much.

I also measured the room/speakers with Sonarworks, and the correction it does is so dramatic, it makes me doubt the room even more.

I would say it looks like you need more treatment. 60-70 Hz seems to decay faster but with those room dimensions, you'll need treatment that does something between 40-60 Hz and I doubt the Tri-Traps will be very effective there. It's probably much cheaper to go DIY with deeper treatment (40 cm or so).

I also have a few of those:
https://hofa-akustik.de/akustikmodule/basstraps/

probably about as effective as the Tri-Traps, right?

may I ask you about your opinion on the higher frequencies? looks like it's quite the mess in my measurements...

I don't have any experience with them but keep in mind that a circle only has its maximum depth at one point so I'd rather have square-shaped treatment.

What I would do is to experiment with the treatment you have. Try different combinations on side and rear walls. Focus on doing as many measurements as possible.

A towel will take care of highs, don't worry about them. Focus on the bass region.

alright, thanks!

I'm probably not much help since I'm only just starting to try and figure out those things myself...

Width and length are almost the same which could be a problem. Also based on your sketch I'd try and move things around so that it's more symmetrical around your listening position cause right now there's a window on one side and a shelf + absorber on the other. Have you tried facing the side with the windows or the side with the door?

If you're able to move stuff around you can always take different measurements with REW and play some music and see where it sounds best?

Thanks!

Unfortunately I'm not really able to move my setup :(

However, I'm now in contact with a person at GIK Acoustics, who is trying to help me figure this out.
I hope I'll be able to improve the situation.

You can upload pics here in jpg or png format.

Thanks! But you can upload mdats here, no problem.
A very big file is rejected. Just divide it.

You've got a nice room size but huge windows will of course change the L/R symmetry (and let some low end out...)

Where in the room are your current speaker and listening pos? (Your posted mdat) Are positions roughly like my uploaded Room Sim?

REW Room Sim is a nice tool to play with and watch what happens when one moves stuff around, add absorption etc.
In your room (sim) not much happens when the listener moves 1ft L/R/Up/ Down/Frnt/Back

Re your measurements:
Are you situated in a very quiet area?
(No traffic, wind, rain, machinery, fans, AC, fridge, HD drive...)

Reason for asking: Your Noise Floor is ”too low” (REW Distortion window) but THD is quite high. So I guess your SPL is NOT calibrated and you are sweeping ≈10 dB louder than 85dB? Pic 2 Distortion.

Try lowering the monitor level a little.

Looking forward to the progress

Best

Thank you!

I actually made a sketch of my room for the GIK acoustician. I'll attach it to this post.

After a lot of thinking, I've decided to actually turn my setup 90°, so I'm no longer facing the longer side of the room. I didn't want to do that before, because I didn't want to block the windows, but at this point I no longer care about that.

I've also proposed this to the person at GIK who is helping me. If he says this is a good idea, I'll definitely do it.
I'll measure the room with REW again then of course, and I'll make sure to not sweep too loud then.

If anyone here has more input in the meantime: please go for it.

Ok, so now I've actually turned my setup 90°, so I'm facing the shorter wall.
I also got more bass traps, put a few diffusors on the rear wall, and some basotect and rockwool absorbers on the reflection points.

Can anone tell me how my measurement is looking now? I'm having a hard time comparing it to the older measurement, because it looks like I did it at a lower volutme this time.
mdat files are attached to this post.

Thanks!

Symmetry is good but the rolloff at 2-3 kHz makes me wonder if your speakers are on-axis to the microphone/your ears. Bass is not really there but I don't think it's the fault of the speakers. Your speakers are in front of the windows now?

Very loud reflections at ~0.85 ms and ~0.96 ms, is that your desk? If yes, get the saw out.

Room modes still plainly visible at 35, 47, 60 and 80 Hz, despite the low-end rolloff. Strangely, decay is very uneven between 500-5000 Hz. I would experiment with thin foam in indirect places (behind you) to reduce energy in that region). However, more bass treatment will probably solve that problem, too.

Thank you!

Sadly I can neither take a saw to the desk (it's an expensive custom made studio desk), nor put much more bass traps into the room (for reasons).

My speakers are the ATC SCM20, which notoriously don't go very deep, which might account for the lack of bass.

I'm honestly a bit devastated about how little all the treatment does. After all the money, time, and work that went into it. That's easily 2k of professional products, and a few hundred worth of DIY stuff.

I'm attaching pictures of the front wall (with the windows), the rear (with the diffusors), and one corner (with the bass traps, the rockwool, and the bookshelfs that I've remodeled into absorbers with rockwool and basotect).

Not sure what kind of advice I'm looking for now... just posting more information into the void I guess

I've been in the same situation. The reason is you simply don't have enough (deep) treatment yet.

In a larger room like yours, 2k isn't much.

Bass traps on the rear wall, of course.

You might also want to move desk and speakers closer to the windows, it might give you more bass despite the windows.

So you think, more bass absorbtion in the rear corners is going to make a difference?
I currently have a bunch of rockwool on the front wall between the speakers. I could use that on the rear instead. and then buy more corner traps...

Unfortunately I can't move the speakers closer to the front, because I have to be able to open the windows. This is the closest I can go.

Upthread I said that I can't install more rockwool. That's because a person in my household is worried about moths. We've had a moth plague for years and tried everything to get rid of them. The person is worried about every kind of wool in the house, and said they'd rather not have me put more into the room.

So I put most of the rockwool I bought into the cellar for now. But I could get a few more panels (1200x650x100mm) from the cellar and kinda secretly install them in my room.

But I'm not sure how much difference it would make, considering how little difference anything made so far.