Sound quality is a topic that concerns us all and that is why we pursue, as with video, the best possible experience. One way to do this would be to buy better sound equipment, but that does not always guarantee results. Because there is something almost as important as equipment: acoustics . If you want to improve it without investing a lot of money, this is what you should know.
A matter of acoustics
Along with low- quality sound equipment , the acoustics of a room are largely responsible for the listening experience. Even if you have high-level equipment, if the room is not well treated you are going to waste an investment of, perhaps, several thousand euros.
Luckily, improving the acoustics of a room can be quite cheap and simple if you know what and how it affects each element around you. So that is what we are going to tell you, how to improve the acoustics of your room with zero or very low investment.
And beware, this is something that you can also apply in the event that you use this room to record. Because, after all, when you speak you project the voice (sounds) in the same way as a speaker.
Use carpet or carpet on the floor
As the idea is that everything you add is something that can stay, a carpet or carpet are ideal elements to improve the acoustics of the room. The thicker the better, but in one way or another will help the audio waves not bounce off that surface. Especially in the case of ceramic floors where the effect is more pronounced than in wooden floors, for example.
This rug or carpet should cover the distance between you and the sound system. And it is true that at times of the year like summer you may not be very attracted to the idea of having a carpet at home, but when you appreciate the difference between having it or not, you change your mind.
Curtains to absorb bounce
Just as the floor causes a significant bounce of sound, so do the glass walls and windows . Therefore, the simplest and most effective solution is to use curtains. Again, the thicker the better. You would also provide another advantage by helping you to prevent outside light from entering, to improve the environment if you use the room to watch series and movies.
The same would also apply to other elements that you can have in the room such as mirrors or paintings. We do not tell you that you should cover them with a curtain, but if there is an option to remove them, you could consider it.
Diffusing elements
If you have looked at what home theater rooms or recording studios are like, you may have noticed that there are usually panels made of wood or foam on the walls and a series of random or repeating drawings. These are nothing more than diffusers that cause that when the wave arrives and hits, instead of bouncing as the only single wave, it divides into several smaller ones, thus losing strength.
If placing this type of diffuser panels is not feasible for investment or aesthetics, there are other everyday elements that do the same function. For example, shelves with books. So that can be a good solution for home. Plants also help in the task of blurring the sound that impacts against them.
A matter of acoustics
Placing the sound system in the optimal position is also easy and enhances the experience. The basic idea is that you and the right speaker should form an equilateral triangle. This will guarantee that the sound that comes from both will do it at the same time.
Then the speakers should be, or is recommended, at the height of your ears . And if you can place yourself in the center of the room better, because the possible bounce against the wall behind you will not affect you.
This also applies to speakers, if they have a wall or furniture just behind they can alter the sound that reaches you. Although it is also true that, for example in the case of televisions, many manufacturers give you the option to configure whether or not the equipment is glued to the wall to compensate for these possible bounces.
If you have those software options take advantage of them, and if you are not sure, consult the documentation provided by the manufacturer. Because, for example, Sonos offers Sonos TruePlay and Apple‘s HomePod does it automatically after giving you analyze stay. So just make sure your sound equipment or bar, TV, smart speaker, etc. has those options or not.
However, although we have told you that you would not need to spend a euro, if you want a powerful application with which to obtain much more information on how you should adjust your sound devices, Audyssey MultEQ is one of the best options. It is paid and available for iOS and Android , but if you are looking for a finer adjustment it could be worth it.
Of course, if after all you do not achieve the results you are looking for or you just do not want to disturb your neighbors or want to live with you, get some good noise canceling headphones.
