Oval vs Rectangular

[topper]

Today I saw a home with a large unique and very attractive oval-shaped room.
Would such a room have any inherant acoustic advantages vs. a traditional rectangular room?

,. :think:

 

[Orbison]

As I remember, Nixon had some issues doing recordings in an oval room he used for his office...........

Don't know if it was the acoustics, though.

 

[Flint]

For acoustics, a perfect oval would be terrible. Not as bad as a circle, but almost as much. No matter what you do sound would always be directed back to the center and bass standing waves would be very strong.

A better shape is a trapezoid.

 

[topper]

Thank you, Flint.
I was very curious to hear from you.

[ps - good one, Orb]

 

[Zing]

For acoustics, a perfect oval would be terrible. Not as bad as a circle, but almost as much. No matter what you do sound would always be directed back to the center and bass standing waves would be very strong.

A better shape is a trapezoid.

A oval can't be as bad as a cube, can it?

 

[Flint]

It depends on the overall volume. In a small room it won't matter, but in a large room a cube can be better (if treated a little bit).

 

[Rope]

I would think an isosceles trapezoid would be the ideal.

Rope

 

[Flint]

Symmetry between left and right can have huge benefit.

My ideal room would be shaped like this:

 

[malsackj]

I was thinking that an oval would have two hotspots. Not just one focal point.

 

[Flint]

Depends on the frequency.