DancingSea Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Aloha, Just curious is a flat screen TV, in a 2 channel home theater type set up, inhibit the soundstage of the stereo for music? Thanks Link to comment
cjf Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Hello, I am personally of the belief that it would be detrimental to the soundstage due to the reflective nature of the glass and for that reason I keep a TV Out of the main listening room. You can of course deal with that issue by placing some kind of fabric over the TV screen when not in use. I'm sure others may disagree but that is my belief and I am sticking to it My Audio System -Last Updated May 20 2021 Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Your belief is likely, given the role of specular refection. A diffuser would help tho just cloth might not be adequate, and I often hear of people using absorbers there. It could slip over the TV... That said, I have a TV located right in between my Maggie 3.7i speakers. Just one of many problems with my listening room... I just live with it. Soundstaging is pretty durn good and variance in it seems mainly due to source material... tmtomh 1 Link to comment
DancingSea Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 Any thoughts on if the speakers and tv should be flush? Or one slightly in front of the other? Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 I'd put the speakers out into the room (even if I didn't have a TV between them) esp. important with dipoles tmtomh 1 Link to comment
GregWormald Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 1...Move the TV to another room and check. 2...Cover the TV and check. 3...Since my speakers (front face) are 30 inches from the wall and the TV is less than 12, and the wall is glass, and I can't hear a difference (even with curtains open or closed), check for yourself. Greg btw--the speaker/amp upgrade to current drive gave the best improvement in soundstage than anything else I've done in the 50 years since my system went from mono to stereo. jventer 1 Link to comment
mourip Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 7 hours ago, DancingSea said: Aloha, Just curious is a flat screen TV, in a 2 channel home theater type set up, inhibit the soundstage of the stereo for music? Thanks In my system I found that it changed the sound in a way that I did not like so I now have a thick blanket that I drape over it when listening to music. tmtomh 1 "Don't Believe Everything You Think" System Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 a high freq. in audio has a wavelength of about 1/2 inch... OTOH, a blanket will move when hit by a sound wave and some of the sound will pass thru it and then be reflected by the TV screen ... back into the blanket Link to comment
DancingSea Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 Thanks for all the helpful advice. Link to comment
Udayan Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Hi, IMHO, a flat TV screen will not change anything (or so few) in the bass region where room size and shape are responsible for non linearities (room modes). Nevertheless, we are listening to a combination of direct sounds and first reflexions. Adding a flat reflective surface in the room can theoretically modify the "direct sound/first reflections" ratio. And in the medium/high region, it can probably slightly change the sound stage and imaging of a system. But to what extend a small surface (like a TV screen) can really change the sound compare to floor and ceiling surfaces that are also reflective ? I cannot evaluate. Most probably, speakers using waveguides and directivity control design will be less impacted than omni-directional and dipole ones. Udayan mitchco 1 Link to comment
unbalanced output Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Interesting topic. I also have a TV in between and behind the speakers. I haven't tried removing the screen to see how is the sound without it, but in my low priority list there is an item which is a raiser cabinet to stay behind the audio cabinet (unfortunately the audio gear has to stay between the speakers). The main effect is to hide this massive rectangle which I rarely use with a possible benefit on sound :), however it is not all that simple to implement. Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 any effects will be on high freq.s as noted above you could make a QRD diffuser as a cover to go over a wall mount TV... Link to comment
DancingSea Posted June 19, 2017 Author Share Posted June 19, 2017 Great ideas, thanks. Link to comment
agladstone Posted June 19, 2017 Share Posted June 19, 2017 Just pull the speakers out from the front wall! They sound better away from the Front wall and out into the room anyhow! I actually have my speakers a full 5 feet out from the Front wall:) I have a flat panel TV hanging on wall in-between, but it's 5 feet behind the speakers, so I seriously doubt it has any real effect on the soundstage. Link to comment
stuartplab Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 In my system, I found it changed sound in a way I did not like, so I now have a thick blanket I wrapped up when I listen to music. Link to comment
Balder Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 When i play back music from the PC i need the TV (46" LED) as a "monitor", and i also had a problem with the sounstage. But, as mentioned in the thread: TV as far back as possible, speaker's as far out as "practicly" possible (in a "normal" sitting room). My experiense is that "anything" between the speakers, as far out as the speakers, reduces the soundfield, specially the deepth of it.... But unless you are lucky to have a dedicated music room, there has to be some "compromises".... Hint: Those of you who uses foobar2000, there is now a android remote controler, so - once i powered up and loaded fb2k, i use my 7" tablet to browse, control what's playing, with access to album art etc. I can then turn the TV of, and of course "cover" it up, if i want... works fine for me... Cheers/T. Link to comment
davidovada Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 I have a similarly difficult situation. So far, this is the best compromise I've been able to come up with. For me, soundstage is most dependent on the recording. I usually cover the screen with a folded piece of cloth but, to be honest, I can't hear any difference. My listening position(a sofa) is flat up against the back wall. I have added an area rug in front of the equipment. My apologies to the OP. I don't want to hijack your thread. bunno77 1 iMac - iTunes(AIFF) - Squeeze 7.9- QOBUZ flac streamer - Vodafone Revolution Router - Transporter - Pathos Classic One MkIII - JM/Focal Daline 3 - dhLabs & Xindak xlr cables - Mapleshade header and footers - AppleTV3 Link to comment
mourip Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 1 hour ago, davidovada said: I have a similarly difficult situation. So far, this is the best compromise I've been able to come up with. For me, soundstage is most dependent on the recording. I usually cover the screen with a folded piece of cloth but, to be honest, I can't hear any difference. My listening position(a sofa) is flat up against the back wall. I have added an area rug in front of the equipment. My apologies to the OP. I don't want to hijack your thread. Nice looking space. I have always thought that the room environment can help put one into a frame of mind that improves listening enjoyment. 1 hour ago, davidovada said: "Don't Believe Everything You Think" System Link to comment
davidovada Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 7 hours ago, mourip said: Nice looking space. I have always thought that the room environment can help put one into a frame of mind that improves listening enjoyment. Exactly. Listening to music in this space gives me a lot of pleasure. It also helps that I live in a small town in northern Italy. My company is named Mangiar Bene e Bere Meglio (to eat well and drink better). I write (just out-a new food and wine mystery novel). I eat wonderful food (ex-chef and restaurateur), drink fab inexpensive Piemontese wine and listen to an enormous amount of music(grazie Qobuz). iMac - iTunes(AIFF) - Squeeze 7.9- QOBUZ flac streamer - Vodafone Revolution Router - Transporter - Pathos Classic One MkIII - JM/Focal Daline 3 - dhLabs & Xindak xlr cables - Mapleshade header and footers - AppleTV3 Link to comment
agladstone Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Nice looking room!! As a suggestion, you may actually want to pull the sofa out from against the back wall. Having your listening position too close to a back wall will do more to hurt the sound quality than a TV will in-between the two Front speakers! (Give it a try and see ) Link to comment
ALRAINBOW Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 I have a set of large infinity that are dipoles. They should not be against the wall anyway. After that just cut a pc of 1/4 inch plywood any kind to place over it when your seriously listening. It will effect the staging and some oddities but in this field everything effects everything else lol. Have them on the front wall is way more obvious then the TV. Staging is a finicky thing to get right and stable. Mine are about 8 feet off the front wall and I sit back 15 feet or so more. When I had the tv back there it messed up staging things would pop off at times. When I put the wood laying on the screen it stopped. Having said that at some 20 feet even a 65 plasma is not big enough. As such the TV is on an adjacent wall Ina surround setup. All is happy now. Link to comment
mourip Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 2 hours ago, davidovada said: Exactly. Listening to music in this space gives me a lot of pleasure. It also helps that I live in a small town in northern Italy. My company is named Mangiar Bene e Bere Meglio (to eat well and drink better). I write (just out-a new food and wine mystery novel). I eat wonderful food (ex-chef and restaurateur), drink fab inexpensive Piemontese wine and listen to an enormous amount of music(grazie Qobuz). Pop a cork. We'll be right over! "Don't Believe Everything You Think" System Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 cloth or even a blanket won't do a lot you could DIY an absorber panel; or even make a QRD diffusor that slips over the TV - it doesn't have to be made out of wooden 2x2's, you could find foam 2x2's etc. and cut them to size then glue together but, yes, the speakers should be out away from the walls, esp. dipole speakers - 4 or 5 ft. mea culpa, I am often too lazy to move my Maggies around to get the optimum, and a lot of the time just leave them 2-3 ft from the walls and proud of the wall mount TV by almost that much - hasn't killed me (yet) Link to comment
GregWormald Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 I had a friend who complained that the TV screen distracted him from the music because he could see his refection. I suggested he do like I do--put on a video while listening. In winter I use a fireplace video. At a recent get-together the comments came thick and fast how it made the room warmer! In summer I use a fish tank video. Greg Link to comment
ALRAINBOW Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 The square of plywood behind the one woofer tower is a 65 plasma lol. From that front wall to my seat is about 25 feet back. The tv is gone lol. The room is 20 wide and 9 high and about 45 deep for a ref Link to comment
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