[santani]

I'm in the process of conceptualising the design of my first ever dedicated listening room. Part of that is choosing a new listening chair. Over the years I've seen pictures of equipment facing chairs with clear space around the ears and of higher backed ones designed to support the head. Whilst I can see higher ones made of leather would reflect sound into the ears (bad) surely soft fabric such as padded wool material would help with eliminating reflected sound? Would high backed soft chairs reduce the need for room treatment behind the chair? Any thoughts / experience.

[richidoo]

Welcome to AudioCircle, santani!

Reflection from leather or wood chair back is noticeable, but the soft back is also noticeable as too dead. It's even more annoying to me than reflective leather. My seat is a leather couch with a thin throw blanket over the back of the center couch seat. Not too reflective nor absorptive.

Far more noticeable to me than the chair back reflections (or lack of) is reflections from the front wall in midbass through low midrange band. Precise speaker positioning is critical.

[WGH]

Welcome to AC.

There have been a few chair related threads, click on "Search" and type in chair. Here is one to get you started:

Conversation starter - What chair do you use for critical listening?
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=182739.msg1919581#msg1919581

[JLM]

Long term comfort, low back (below ear level), not reclining posture, ear height matches tweeter height.

[HAL]

The Ekornes chairs with low head rest is my favorite.  Not big on the Eames chairs style.

Rebuilding my listening room after water damage, so starting new walls and floor.

[BobM]

I found that a low back couch worked best for me. It allowed me to sit in the sweet spot (on the crack in the cushions, of course), but also share my room with others when they visit. And since it's low back, below the neck line, there is nothing directly behind my head to tamper with the sound. I did put sound dampening panels on the wall behind the couch (at ear level) to stop those back wall reflections.

[Rob Babcock]

I have a low back leather chair that works extremely well!   

[hi5harry]

I found some great seats for listening out of an old Bentley. Only a headrest behind your ears, super comfortable for long listening sessions, no " overhang" around your body, easy to move. Now if I can only get the seat heaters to work!