Can one get Reference-Level Sound in a non-dedicated room?
- Thread starter caesar
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By dedicated room I assume a professionally acoustically calibrated, EQ measured, treated, tuned hi-fi stereo music listening room? ...Also a professional music studio mixing recording room.
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
I would say no.... the key word here is symmetry. If the room is not symmetrical, then it's a non-starter. "If" you have a symmetrical room, then I would say it is possible if all other parameters are met.
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
I don't think so.
There are quite a few parameters that are obtainable at reference level, that can be achieved without being in a dedicated (treated room). Although, some reasonable level of care needs to go into the room.
Reference level can not be obtained in a square room, or a room with highly reflective surfaces, for example.
Reference level sound to what kind of listener? The answer depends a lot on people preferences or needs.
Can one get Reference-Level Sound in a non-dedicated room?
What an exceedingly dangerous, non-commercial thought. That would be way too easy.
What an exceedingly dangerous, non-commercial thought. That would be way too easy.
The bigger question is, can you get reference sound in a common area without that area looking like it is dedicated to you and your stereo. 
I wrote a post basically saying that the OP was a non answerable question with too many non definable terms.
but on further reflection, it seems that the answer to this general question is that it depends on what sort of music you intend to be able to play at what might be generally considered reference level. and I agree with the 'symmetrical room' comment earlier. odd shaped or open floor plan rooms will fail at reality creation at some point as the music builds and scales. physical laws apply.
OTOH depending on signal path compromises one would put up with, many weird shaped rooms might be tamed with multi-channel dsp approaches such at Trinnov. personally I would not choose that way for music, but it can put lipstick on the pig. but the pig would remain.
no free lunches.
if you want it all at reference levels then you at least need symmetry to get into that realm. dedicated is such an open ended concept it's not helpful to try and quantitate.
but on further reflection, it seems that the answer to this general question is that it depends on what sort of music you intend to be able to play at what might be generally considered reference level. and I agree with the 'symmetrical room' comment earlier. odd shaped or open floor plan rooms will fail at reality creation at some point as the music builds and scales. physical laws apply.
OTOH depending on signal path compromises one would put up with, many weird shaped rooms might be tamed with multi-channel dsp approaches such at Trinnov. personally I would not choose that way for music, but it can put lipstick on the pig. but the pig would remain.
no free lunches.
if you want it all at reference levels then you at least need symmetry to get into that realm. dedicated is such an open ended concept it's not helpful to try and quantitate.
The bigger question is, can you get reference sound in a common area without that area looking like it is dedicated to you and your stereo.
LOL
I would like to know what everyone means by reference sound and what people believe classifies a system as reference?
If you placed a small live acoustic band into your non dedicated room, do you get reference level sound?
We have ..... and YES! And that ear opening experience is what absolutely convinced me to abandon trying to get any home audio system I could ever imagine (2 channel to 22 channel) to sound like a live event. It had nothing to do with reference sound level ..... but dynamics, acoustic shading, the "blat" of a trumpet. the "snap" of a drum stick on the drum head or cymbals. I could go on.
Pity you didn’t include the drum kit. When you say your old system was comparable, how? IME, there really is still a wide gulf between the sound of ‘live’ and the reproduced, regardless of what size band or equipment/room is being listenened to.
With the drum kit in the room, I think the gulf would have been ever wider.
+1
I wouldn’t abandon tbe quest, but it is a long road to the goal. It is truly an eye opener to all once you do the example that you describe....well perhaps not all, lol.
We were rehearsing with the band for our grand family reunion a few years ago. The drum kit was never even considered. The drummer just brought a small electronic drum kit and an amp for time purposes. Well, the sax was right and so were the electric guitar and bass. Acoustic guitar too. Our singing, except for one cousin who is a recording artist, sucked. Dynamics were never an issue. Timbre was almost all there. It showed with the acoustic guitar where the old speakers still had more electric haze than I do now. It was such that I could listen through it but I always knew in the back of my head that it was there. Projection was different however. The sax in particular was more akin to a good mono recording rather than a solo in stereo. I don't think that point will change much even with the new system. Stereo will be stereo.
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