Audio Tests in a NY City Apartment

I am renovating my apartment and would like to hire a pro to make some
sound tests for the best configuration/position of speakers. Can
anyone recommend someone in the NY City area? What is this profession
called?

My basic dilemma is this: my living room is large (20'x 30',
irregularly shaped with 16' high ceilings, wood floors, a 26' high
massive brick wall.) The acoustic is phenomenal; I use Triangle Titus
minimonitors because I love the soundstaging. They stand on a banister
(8'' thick, 15' wide) made of wood and sheetrock (hollow) so they are
at ear level and are several feet away from any wall. They have no
problems filling up the space with great sound (large chorus, Mahler,
Grand Opera - anything.)

No floor standing monitors I ever tried gave me that amazing
soundstage and I don't want to sacrifice the soundstage for more bass.
But this configuration is not esthetically right so I want to explore
all my options in that space with a pro.

Simonel

Simonel wrote:
> I am renovating my apartment and would like to hire a pro to make some
> sound tests for the best configuration/position of speakers. Can
> anyone recommend someone in the NY City area? What is this profession
> called?
>
> My basic dilemma is this: my living room is large (20'x 30',
> irregularly shaped with 16' high ceilings, wood floors, a 26' high
> massive brick wall.) The acoustic is phenomenal; I use Triangle Titus
> minimonitors because I love the soundstaging. They stand on a banister
> (8'' thick, 15' wide) made of wood and sheetrock (hollow) so they are
> at ear level and are several feet away from any wall. They have no
> problems filling up the space with great sound (large chorus, Mahler,
> Grand Opera - anything.)
>
> No floor standing monitors I ever tried gave me that amazing
> soundstage and I don't want to sacrifice the soundstage for more bass.
> But this configuration is not esthetically right so I want to explore
> all my options in that space with a pro.
>
> Simonel

Well, nice space.

If they sound good, why move them?

It sounds like they are sitting on top of what is a short wall??
If so moving them off the short wall will have a significant impact upon their
frequency response.

IF you are "filling the space" with these little speakers, it sounds like you
have a very live space. That would account for the ability of the little
speakers to adequately create sufficient loudness level, unless you listen
either at relatively modest levels, and/or sit relatively close to the speakers.

As far as I know there is absolutely no one you can hire to do any on paper
measurements or calculations that will actually mean very much. A waste of time
and money, imho. Practical considerations almost always trump the results of
even complex computer simulations for these sorts of situations.

I'm not sure why you're finding these little speakers to have superior imaging,
but as long as you are pleased, why not?

You might want to experimentally add in a subwoofer or two... the right one
would really add a sense of impact and realism, imho.

I think the profession is "acoustician" or "acoustical consultant."
But, I wouldn't count on that for solving your question. Better to simply
experiment with the positions that you can aesthetically accept and that are
practical in terms of component positioning and wiring.

In the end it's usually more like dowsing for water than calculating the moon
shot... :_)

_-_-bear

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