[JLM]

jriggy:

Just bass??  Square rooms tend to reinforce at resonant frequencies (60 Hz sound waves are about 18 feet long, sound travels in air at sea level at 1100 ft/sec. divided by the frequency).  That's why the ideal 'real world' rooms are rectangular with room dimensions that avoid multiples (like 1:1 or 1:2).  The ancient Greeks found out, in building those stone temples, to avoid echo by developing the "Golden Rectangle" (5:8 ratio).  My listening room for instance is 8 ft x 13 ft x 21 ft as per the Cardas Golden Cuboid.  Perhaps treating the room assymetrically is the answer (put all the absorption on the "cubby hole" wall) would help as absorption helps acoustically "push the wall away".

I don't think the ceiling slope will be a significant issue as it's not severe.


RR:

Looks like you stole the room from a former member of an audio club (but he has  another door at the window near your piano) and his system is set up beside your door opposite the kitchen. 


Hipper:

Yes nearfield set up minimizes room effects.  I do nearfield with speakers 10 feet apart, 6 feet from the front wall, and  6 feet from the listening chair.  I kept spreading them apart until the center image disappeared (recording dependent).  The front of my room (in basement - no windows) is dedicated to audio and is empty except of gear, chair/ottoman, and six GIK 244 panels (but it's my man cave, so aesthetics be damned). 

[youngho]

The window wall is probably preferable. If you look at studio control design, boundaries are typically splayed away from the primary listening position (one could also use multiple individual elements for a similar purpose, like you can see here: http://www.rpginc.com/images/ProjectGallery/BAD%20Panel/Transparent%20Audio%20Demo%20Room_BAD%20Panel%20Gallery%201.jpg). Positioning the speakers along the opposite alcove wall would direct stronger earlier vertical reflections towards the listening position if the ceiling were to be left untreated.

I was actually thinking about maybe using something like Soundply on that alcove wall, only the section below the horizontal beam, if you liked the wood panel aesthetic.

Glass windows dont' seem to behave the same as drywall boundaries in terms of acoustic properties at lower frequencies.

Obviously, wait until you decide to buy (or not) and move in before making any major decisions.

[dB Cooper]

Okay, I use the idea in my room. You would just be expanding it to your large room.

You would place the speakers at the current wall where you have the speakers located already 12' feet apart but you could also try 15' feet. Now here's the catch, you need to place two unsightly reflective panels,( I suggest 4' x 8' vertical, concrete or solid MDF board, different surfaces reflect differently, my walls are concrete) horizontal approximately 10' in front of the speakers for the sound to reflect off. Aim the speaker towards the center of these panels. Just by changing the tow in of the speakers an inch or so, you can move the stereo image left or right to center it. The image should then project off the wall into the room. The sound should seem like it's coming off the wall and not the speakers.

Seems like putting in a pair of Bose 901's would accomplish pretty much the same thing.

As I see it the problem is all the hard reflective surfaces. The walls behind the speakers can be tamed by hanging some rugs or tapestries, (or purpose-made 'treatments' if only Audiophile tweaks will do), the glass with some white cloth curtains (so they still let light in). The speaker wall first, the floor around the speakers and the large glass areas duke it out for second place.

[Mag]

Seems like putting in a pair of Bose 901's would accomplish pretty much the same thing.

As I see it the problem is all the hard reflective surfaces. The walls behind the speakers can be tamed by hanging some rugs or tapestries, (or purpose-made 'treatments' if only Audiophile tweaks will do), the glass with some white cloth curtains (so they still let light in). The speaker wall first, the floor around the speakers and the large glass areas duke it out for second place.

Like Bose!!

Are you kidding me, I've got the best sounding stereo in the world and nobody knows it.

My system and set up proves the audio myths are wrong. I lack only the means and the resources to experiment to prove this method would work for his large room.

[G Georgopoulos]

It's such a large room it would require less treatment IMHO.
Open up those large windows, some treatment at no cost.
Some professionally made panels would go well with the current room decor.

[JWL.GIK]

Nice room. Its size and openness mean that bass trapping is probably less of a priority for you (but still useful). The bigger concern will likely be excessive reflections/reverb, resulting in poor clarity and intelligibility. The solution is to get enough broadband absorption into the room. While I'd prioritize the areas between the speakers and listeners (on the side walls and ceiling), these panels can be more or less evenly scattered throughout the room. Add enough panels to get the reverb time down to acceptable levels and that alone will make a huge improvement.