Can my proposed new room work?

[spiritofmusic]

Guys and gals, some advice please.
I've just put in an offer on a new house, an amazing converted Victorian Methodist Chapel in the country, w/two superb potential spaces to listen to music.
The main lounge, 35' x 30' x 20', and the loft space which would need some finegeling to get it right.
It's this loft space that I need advice on.
It's deep in the roof space, no vertical walls, so triangular on cross section.
Standing at the midpoint, flr to apex/ridge is 10'.
The roof then slopes down at a 30 degree angle either side, so that there is a 15' width to play with to the point where floor to roof slope is 5' high. Any further out wider is "redundant" floor area.
I have up to 45' length to play with.
The house is bomb proof, no stability/strength issues.

So, can a room w/no vertical walls work re high end acoustics? Would any spkr, and a horn esp take kindly to approximately abutting angled slope of a roof, as long as we have 12'-15' width to play with?
Any other considerations I need to consider?
If I go horns, I'll be upgrading from Zu Definitions 4s to Cessaro Liszts, AG Duo Mezzos or Trios/Basshorns.

 

[Bruce B]

For a configuration like that you will certainly need to tame the first reflections from the roof coming down. Then I would add bass trapping to each apex of the "triangle". This would be a start.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Thanx Bruce, kind of what I hoped for.
I invoked the spirit of Bonzo by testing for slap echo (thanx Ked), and things were nicely damped.
Just need to know at this point whether a triangular x/section space is a no no for high end sound.
Bruce is suggesting not, and just like any room, that the usual rules apply.

 

[bonzo75]

Thanx Bruce, kind of what I hoped for.
I invoked the spirit of Bonzo by testing for slap echo (thanx Ked), and things were nicely damped.
Just need to know at this point whether a triangular x/section space is a no no for high end sound.
Bruce is suggesting not, and just like any room, that the usual rules apply.

That slap echo was for your previous room. This might have totally different issues.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Willdo Keith. This is the most sublime building. John Wesley and his Methodist movement made sure the flock had quite the most secure institutions to show their faith. I believe the Liszts are 450kg each, so structural engineering input will be de rigeur. AG Trios/Basshorns or Duo Mezzos will be a more manageable load.
What is the minimum width apart that Liszts need to be sited?
Are you not the dealer anymore (you alluded to GT being their agent)?

 

[spiritofmusic]

That slap echo was for your previous room. This might have totally different issues.

Sure, it was just the first thing I looked/listened for.
Discussion on horns in this space may be redundant, the actual access to the loft is VERY tight. I will have to first remove the spiral staircase and "airlift" heavy gear vertically up. Hold your breath in, and don't breathe out!
I obv would naturally prefer to use the main 35x30x20 space, but this will be shared by my long suffering GF and her roaming cats, who would just LOVE to chew my system to perdition.
No non humans will get access to the loft!

 

[Blizzard]

Absolutely no room treatment in our new listening room. I think the 14' ceilings and the opening into a bigger open space really help.

View attachment 23282

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hi Blizz, I'm actually moving from a similar space, 27x22x13, and despite my reticence, I did find that judicious use of GIK panels did help tame some slap echo and possible corner null points.
I'm just trying to find out if a spacious triangular x/section space is a no-no like a square/cube, or circular space.

 

[amirm]

I invoked the spirit of Bonzo by testing for slap echo (thanx Ked), and things were nicely damped.

Just a quick note that this test is usually done wrong. You should not clap and listen yourself. You need to have someone clap where the speaker would be, then sit where you would listen and see if there are reflections. It is a hat trick to walk around and do it yourself. Acousticians often do it to earn business even though it is wrong .

 

[Blizzard]

Hi Blizz, I'm actually moving from a similar space, 27x22x13, and despite my reticence, I did find that judicious use of GIK panels did help tame some slap echo and possible corner null points.
I'm just trying to find out if a spacious triangular x/section space is a no-no like a square/cube, or circular space.

Yes it's not perfect. But much better than if the room was closed off with 8-9' ceilings.

 

[audio-land]

Willdo Keith. This is the most sublime building. John Wesley and his Methodist movement made sure the flock had quite the most secure institutions to show their faith. I believe the Liszts are 450kg each, so structural engineering input will be de rigeur. AG Trios/Basshorns or Duo Mezzos will be a more manageable load.
What is the minimum width apart that Liszts need to be sited?
Are you not the dealer anymore (you alluded to GT being their agent)?

Minimum 3,2 meter tweeter to tweeter for Liszt. Cessaro Liszt will likely be your last loudspeaker.

 

[FrantzM]

If this is really off-base please accept my apology. The intent is to present an honest opinion and hopefully learn and help.

Please add a professional acoustician or firm to the list of options. Some of them here on this board have worked with interior designers and should be able to work around the compromises between aesthetics and acoustics. At the level your system seems to be, their services may cost less than some of your components. See it as a serious upgrade not a lateral move we, audiophiles spend a lot on. More so that we realise. A properly treated room has a profund effect on the performance of a system and add immensely to the enjoyment of music. Discuss your needs with them as well as their customers , again some of them on this very board and likely on others.
One more thing I have noticed. Many spend a good amount of time and money to "treat" their rooms and then seat at the worst position possible (often smack against a wall) .. Think about your seating position as much as those of your speakers in your new room. and while you're at it do think about electrical power quality. The old audiophile myth of just running dedicated lines hasn't died yet but a serious for the purpose power system such as those based around oversized isolation transformers and/or double conversion UPS will always provide better performance in term of sound quality, or so has been my experience.

Cheers

 

[bonzo75]

+1 on the acoustician.

But first get the grounding right. TV, radio, refrigerator, ground the bas****s!

 

[Ron Resnick]

Can I vote for the straightforward 35' x 30' x 20' room (and avoid a sloped ceiling)?

 

[microstrip]

+1 on the acoustician, if you manage to listen first to a few systems in rooms created by him and enjoy them. Choosing an acoustician is harder than choosing a system, and the wrong choice can be an expensive and devastating experience.

BTW, I have listened to excellent systems in large loft spaces with triangular cross section, but none of them included horns. One had the old SoundLab A2's and sounded like angels singing in heaven ...

 

[bonzo75]

+1 on the acoustician, if you manage to listen first to a few systems in rooms created by him and enjoy them. Choosing an acoustician is harder than choosing a system, and the wrong choice can be an expensive and devastating experience.

BTW, I have listened to excellent systems in large loft spaces with triangular cross section, but none of them included horns. One had the old SoundLab A2's and sounded like angels singing in heaven ...

Panels are ceiling agnostic

 

[spiritofmusic]

Can I vote for the straightforward 35' x 30' x 20' room (and avoid a sloped ceiling)?

You can Ron, but my GF Irana is Chairman Of the Board, and I'm afraid she has 3 votes to our 2 combined LOL!!!

 

[spiritofmusic]

+1 on the acoustician, if you manage to listen first to a few systems in rooms created by him and enjoy them. Choosing an acoustician is harder than choosing a system, and the wrong choice can be an expensive and devastating experience.

BTW, I have listened to excellent systems in large loft spaces with triangular cross section, but none of them included horns. One had the old SoundLab A2's and sounded like angels singing in heaven ...

Good to hear Micro. Tbh, this space will need a fair amount of costly structural work/acoustic deadening btwn the floor and room below (the double height main space), which may preclude me getting the budget for expensive horns. If a triangular space is not a no-go by definition, I'll plough on w/the project, possibility of horns will be a nice decision to have to make.

 

[Ron Resnick]

[M]y GF Irana is Chairman Of the Board, and I'm afraid she has 3 votes to our 2 combined LOL!!!

Hmmm. We may have to do a corporate reorganization and depose the Chairwoman!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hmmm. We may have to do a corporate reorganization and depose the Chairwoman!

And not forgetting her three cats. She's like Blofeld on acid! NO WAY are the dratted moggies chewing their way thru my cable loom or frying themselves on my 211's. Ahem, I believe my fate was written in the Stars when I said we'd move in together one day!