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Absorbtion over screen?

Snowman_

Active Member
Most of us have a big TV screen between our front speakers. When listening to 2 channel, is there anything to be gained by placing an absorption panel over the screen? I've been doing it lately, and I don't notice any negative effects.
 
I place two 4 inch panels, for a total of 8 inches, in front of my TV. My unscientific listening tests tell me that I get better imaging and a smoothing of the high freqs when I do this , as compared to having one four inch panel up against the front fall, behind and to the inside of each speaker.

I will not say that it is huge difference. Sometimes I even forget to move the panels in front of the TV.

Ultimately, I want to have panels across the entire front wall and in front of the TV.
 
That's the same thing as I'm doing for the wall. I have the entire front wall behind the speakers and TV covered all the time.
 
Aaron German said:
I place two 4 inch panels, for a total of 8 inches, in front of my TV. My unscientific listening tests tell me that I get better imaging and a smoothing of the high freqs when I do this , as compared to having one four inch panel up against the front fall, behind and to the inside of each speaker.

I will not say that it is huge difference. Sometimes I even forget to move the panels in front of the TV.

Ultimately, I want to have panels across the entire front wall and in front of the TV.

It might be important to note that I have Klipsch Heresy speakers, which I have extremely toed-in. Perhaps this toe-in directs more sound waves towards the TV than a lesser toe-in or a different speaker would. Just wondering out loud here.
 
I just realized we have an "Acoustics" section. This thread should probably be moved there. Sorry!
 
Snowman_ said:
I just realized we have an "Acoustics" section. This thread should probably be moved there. Sorry!
Done Snowman Thx!!
 
Our man Flint has noted in the acoustics links on SaV forum that the ceiling above the front speakers is a first reflection point also and should be looked at and treated similar to the walls. If memory serves me he also said some diffusion on the ceiling is a good thing also.
 
Yeah, I've had all the absorbtion on the walls & ceiling done for a while, just wondering about the TV. I still need to get more diffusion in the room, though.
 
There is value in reducing reflections off the TV, but there is a tradeoff between having too much absorption in the room and handling those reflections.

I am not a fan of maxing out the surface area devoted to absorption, and for that reason I tend not to recommend dealing with the TV except in cases where the more critical reflection points are not treated. The most important relfection points (as noted in my tutorials on first reflections) are critical, but a room should be more reflective than absorptive. If a small room is still too lively after about 20% of the total flat surface area is treated with absorption products, then diffusion should be added, not more absorption.

Having too much absorption leads to a dry, brittle, dead sounding room with exaggerated bass issues and no ambience whatsoever.
 
In general, I don't think there is much need for high frequency absorption on the front wall (or screen) of a listening room, particularly if the rear wall is well-treated (absorption and/or diffusion, and bass trapping).

High frequencies are pretty directional in nature, and the tweeters are pointed away from the front wall/screen in general. So they have to reflect off the rear wall, and then bounce back to the front wall before being absorbed by the treatment installed there. See this article for a more detailed discussion on this topic.
 
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