This is my first post to this forum (and still own an early PSAudio DAC, the Digital Link III, I think it’s called!)
I’m building a new home that will have a (for me) large listening room and library. Rectangular and approx. 17W by 28L by 12H at the peek of a vaulted ceiling. This is very close to the so-called “golden ratio" (I’ve read and watched Paul on this topic as well as googled around generally).
The walls will be 9 ft tall. The two long 28’ walls will be entirely lined with books–approx. sixteen bookshelves full. The “back end” of the room will be for study and have a library table and chairs around it. The “front end” will be for listening. Since this is a dual purpose room, I will not start with the rule of thirds. Instead I plan to locate the listening position roughly half way into the room, making the listening triangle about 7 feet with half the room behind me (basically my office space). The long exterior wall will have transom windows running above the long row of bookshelves. There will have to be a picture window on the back window for good light during working hours.
I have an excellent 20 watt tube amp and efficient open baffle speakers. I will likely stick with such a setup. My question is this:
Are there things I should be telling my contractor that do not cost and arm and a leg (and don’t scuttle the need for this to be a library) that would noticeably improve my prospects of excellent room acoustics. I read, e.g., that using special wall insulation or putting up double dry wall can help. Yet with so many built-in bookcases and books lining the entire room, I should think that extra effort there would yield minimal effect. The books should serve as good diffusers, esp. at first reflection points. In my current space I have about a dozen GIK 4 by 8 bass traps, some of which I could play with on the from wall.
The floor will be concrete slab on grade, which I understand is a good thing. For cost reasons, I plan to put a low pile carpet in the room instead of wood. But back to my question:
Does anyone have advice on things I might ask the contractor to do in the building process that would make improvement without going the full route of turning the library into a sound studio?
Acoustic treatment leave for the experts. Are you going with 1/3 in for speakers 2/3 seating? That’s a good start to tell the designer.
GIK has in house designers so does Vicoustic. You need a dealer for Vicoustic. But not GIK.
Independents like Ron suggested are always good as you will get the personal touch with them, probably spend a bit more.
The one thing I do know from reading is you will want to raise the floor. Yeah I know it costs more but it kills the floor reflections a bit too.
2x4 pressure treated strung front to back 2 ft apart to fit the ridged insulation in-between. Then 3/4 plywood on top. Carpet on that. its makes a big difference. You can have the builder do that if you are not at that stage yet.
Have you given any thought to your electrical system? A dedicated sub panel for your stereo equipment separate from lights, heating/ac, and other common electrical loads is worth investigating. Consider also attending to your grounding system to drop resistance to earth ground as low as possible.
I also recommend you purchase “Get Better Sound” by Jim Smith. Mr. Smith’s book is more about getting the most out of your room (proper speaker positioning, acoustic considerations, listening position, etc.), but I think it would be an excellent (and very fairly priced) reference that would be useful as you design and build your room.
Really very cheap now and expensive later. Run at least two 20 amp dedicated lines to where you plan to put your electronics and two more to your second choice location. Put two double gang boxes at each location where each line serves a separate outlet in each box. Use hospital grade outlets, as they are built to clamp tighter on the plugs. PS Audio outlets are nicely built and competitively priced in a five pack.
