[Obie]

Friends,

Thanks so much for welcoming us into this excellent forum.  It’s been a pleasure to meet and correspond with the folks on this board.  I have a deep respect for the fun atmosphere and positive attitude reflected throughout this community.  We are very grateful for these relationships.

Before Eighth Nerve was started, I was a professional singer, conductor, and high-school music teacher.  Matters of rehearsal acoustics came to my attention when building a new classroom.  I’ve grown to be a passionate advocate for individuals taking control of their sound environments.  While not exactly germane to hi-fi reproduction, I thought I’d offer another part of our business to you all in the hopes that we can help people outside the hobby to find better sound and better health.  

For the musicians here, I pose a question.  Have you ever been in a rehearsal space that seemed actually conducive to making music?  In the overwhelming majority, the answer is NO.  Band, orchestra, and choir rooms are almost invariably chambers of aural horror where the acoustic foils playing, singing, and making ensemble.  In many circumstances, musicians are putting their hearing health in jeopardy, destroying the sense that gives them joy and defines their life!

Acoustic control is needed in countless restaurants, shops, office buildings, waiting rooms, etc.  In all these places, creating a pleasant sound environment would improve productivity, decrease fatigue, and frequently increase business.  People rarely exercise the same control over their acoustic environment that they command over lighting, decorating, and other aspects of their spaces.    

We offer the same service, quality products, and value pricing to these communities that we strive to bring to our hi-fi clients.  We provide free, no-obligation consultation and project bids to schools, churches, and businesses that are looking for treatment.  As always, we are in development of new products for these customers that will work more efficiently and fit more seamlessly (no pun intended Response Seam users) into their environments.

When talking to customers, I like to challenge them to walk into their work, practice room, studio, or classroom and imagine a new sound-space; one they had a hand in planning and creating, one that adds to their life and activities, one that isn’t simply a coincidence of architecture and furniture.

Please contact us if you, or someone you know, would like more information.
 
Thanks again for giving us a voice on this forum.  

Warmest regards,
Kris Johnson
Eighth Nerve, Inc.

[Marbles]

Obie,

Due to having a combined HT and 2 channel system, and having very active pre teens, my setup is less than optimum.

I have equipment racks and a TV between my speakers and I can't pull my speakers out into the room due to the kids.

Do you have anything that can help depth of the soundstage?

[JoshK]

Marbles,

Have you treated the sides of your TV with anything?

[Obie]

We've all got to make 'em.  Your situation sounds much like my living room, Marbles.  I've found through experience that the best route to improving my image clarity and size with our Response products is to do the following...

1. Corners and seams (vertically) in the room's corners.
2. One or more seams placed horizontally at the ceiling, breaking up the pressure zone created by the junction of front wall and ceiling.
3.  One seam (or frame) in the center of the image.  For me this is above and behind the television.

That's the solution I suggest.  Ultimately, speaker placement is still hugely important, but when you have to compromise (as we both do) this will minimize your sacrifice.  We could certainly give you more tailored counsel if you'd like to send us some pictures and a diagram and a list of your pertinent gear.

All the best,
Kris Johnson

[Marbles]

Josh, I have put 4" thick acoustic foam between my speakers and the TV/Equipment racks.

These are 2' x 2'

They really helped with smearing the sound of some of the higher frequencies.  They did not help with the lack of depth though

Obie, thanks for the recomendations.  I will email some old pics, thanks.

[WilliamL]

Right on!

Y'know, its amazing how MUCH of a difference speaker placement can make, and listening position too.  

And of course, proper room treatment...

Marbles...I feel your pain.
Most of us know first hand how a  big rack or TV between the speakers, or a large glass area behind the speakers can muck up the sound.  You may want to look at Hair of the Dawg's setup picture. He put response seams  over glass areas behind his speakers that really cleaned up the sound.

As far as your rack. Sounds like there is sound pressure building up behind your rack area too which can be treated with good results.

Too add to Obie's(Kris) post; I find it more and more amazing how many commercial and restaurant spaces are just acoustically brutal here in New York.  This is a market that we are tackling as well, and I hope to report some success stories concerning this here in the future.

Josh, I gotta convince you to take down some of that foam and replace them with response controllers. More acceptable WAF and better for a NYC living space anyway. You have gone over to the "Dark Side" with all that deadening foam. Help us Obie One!  

Thanks everybody,
Bill

[Hantra]

Welcome to the forum Kris!  Good to see you posting here. . .

I have to agree with Bill about your foam Marbles. . .  Try the 8th Nerve stuff.  Nothing to lose with the money back guarantee, and I replaced almost $2,000 worth of room treatment with about $200 worth of 8th Nerve.  There is clearly more music.  These don't absorb as much as most treatments.

MAYBE that's why the SN was "dead", or to laid back.  Maybe the MENSA is way too forward, and crunchy, but your foam kills some of that.  It would be interesting for you to repeat the test WITHOUT the foam. . .

L8r,


B

[Marbles]

Welcome to the forum Kris!  Good to see you posting here. . .

I have to agree with Bill about your foam Marbles. . .  Try the 8th Nerve stuff.  Nothing to lose with the money back guarantee, and I replaced almost $2,000 worth of room treatment with about $200 worth of 8th Nerve.  There is clearly more music.  These don't absorb as much as most treatments.

MAYBE that's why the SN was "dead", or to laid back.  Maybe the MENSA is way too forward, and crunchy, but your foam kills some of that.  It would be interesting for you to repeat the test WITHOUT the foam. . .

L8r,


B

Hantra,  Bill hasn't seen my room, he was talking to Josh about the foam.
I haven't lived in NYC since 1985  

I have not heard the SN DAC, although I do have the Mensa.

 I don't have much foam except the panels beside the speakers and a set at the first reflection point of one speaker on my brick fireplace.  Otherwise my room is pretty lively IMO.

[JoshK]

Bill,

I don't have any foam treatment!?  Worse, I have no treatment!  BTW, I have been meaning to call you to get together but keep forgetting and getting too sidetracked.  Give me a ring.  We should hook up this weekend.  

Josh

[WilliamL]

Its funny, in real life its always hard to put the name with the face. Now, in the audiophile world, we are all having trouble putting the name with the system.

Josh, you are right, I don't know why I thought you had up foam already. Maybe next week sometime or next weekend we can get together. This weekend is tight. Message me and let me know when is good, you can always cancel no problem--I am just "down the street".


Onwards,
Bill

[Hantra]

Now, in the audiophile world, we are all having trouble putting the name with the system.  

Easy man. . .  I am coming off a long week at work, and heading into a LONG install for tonight, and all day tomorrow.

I'll be more coherent next week.  

B

[WilliamL]

I know. Back when I used to program, parts of my brain woud totally shut down as I literally went INTO the code. After a long day of programing, I used to forget my middle name, way home, etc....not kidding.

Thats what happens when you are "in the code"      

Back to the topic at hand: I am glad your Response Seams helped out your sound even more.

Cheers,
Bill

[Marbles]

Follow the White Rabbit