I have been attending audio trade shows over the last 6 months and have sat and listened in all shapes and sizes of rooms. The rooms are hotel rooms that have had ( in some cases) the bedroom furniture removed, so a manufacturer can set up their product and hopefully get some type of quality sonic presentation for customers to hear. My purpose was to try and understand what amplifier and speaker manufacturers are up against acoustically in these hotel rooms.
Moving across the frequency spectrum from low to high, first, we have the low frequency issues faced in all small room environments. They are very present in these small hotel rooms and even have glass windows that rattle from sound pressure. Bass bleed from neighboring rooms must be dealt with through diplomacy. Middle and high frequency reflections from odd shaped rooms causes numerous issues at the listening position. Exhibitors try and set up their systems the best way possible, but it is difficult when the room is L – shaped. Parallel and rectangular room boundaries provide for better and more predictable lateral reflection control at the listening position.
Any product one designs and uses in the trade show rooms must be able to stand on its own two, three, or four feet. The hotel does not want holes placed in their room walls for installing room acoustic treatment. Holes in the carper are fine. Any acoustical treatment must be able to be free standing and not mark or damage the existing room walls.
I would like to remove some of the walls. It would sure make my task easier and I am certain some of the exhibitors would help me. Come to the Rocky Mountain High Fi show in October to see how I did. We are in the Usher room along with six other rooms.
