HOW TO IMPROVE SOUND QUALITY
Whether you have a beautiful big home theater, a special man cave or maybe you just enjoy watching TV in your living room, there are simple steps you can take that result in a significant sound experience improvement. You may not know this, but every room has a different sound. Surfaces or objects in a room can do three things to sound.
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Reflect
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Absorb
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Diffuse
Small things like the shape of the room, the width, length, height of the ceiling and surface material all play a role in how we experience sound. An easy example is when you walk into an empty room. Every sound echoes around the room, making it a very unpleasant sound experience. Put some furniture and a rug in there, and it transforms from an echoing chaos to a cozy living room. A general rule of thumb is that hard surfaces reflect sound where soft surfaces will absorb it. So it is crucial to design an environment that will optimize sound when you are looking at making the ideal media room!
The Layout
When creating the perfect layout, you will want a room that is longer than it is wide. What you want to do next is place your screen on the short wall so the sound has more room the project. A good way to reduce soon reflection is to place wide furniture and possibly larger plants. You will want to avoid any hard surfaces such as glass, as these might reflect the sound in an unpredictable way causing the sound to sound small and pitchy.
Acoustic Panels
Another great way to make sure the sound is not bouncing around in the room is to install acoustic panels. Usually made of foam or fabric, these acoustic panels can become part of your decor, with some even being designed to look like artwork. It is important to place these strategically, so please contact us for installation options!
The Floor
If you look at any movie theater, they all have carpet, and there is a good reason for it! Carpet will improve sound quality, as it doesn't reflect sound. The thicker the better, and if possible make it wall-to-wall. If that brings challenges, thick area rugs will do the trick as well! Again, it is important to place these strategically, and we suggest placing them between the speakers and the seats.
Windows
Windows and smart blinds can add significantly to your home decor, but they are the arch nemesis of home theaters, as windows reflect sound in an unpredictable way. Besides reflecting sound, it will also allow sounds from the outside to get in. We suggest heavy drapes (or no windows at all). Fabric drapes will allow you to control sound quality, reduce any outside noises and reduce any light reflections on your screen.
Books
If you love to watch a movie but also like to read, then this option is made for you! Creating a bookcase behind your seats will help sound scatter. Add a comfy chair and a reading lamp, and you can transform your home theater into a comfortable reading nook when you feel like creating the movie in your head!
These tips can significantly help your home theater and sound experience. Besides the experience, it will also look amazing! For some of these tips, it is important to so it the correct way and gain quality rather than waste time and money. Force AV has the expertise in all these aspects and can truly transform your movie nights with friends and/or family! Contact us now to receive a free consultation where we will come by your home and design a plan made specifically for your home/room. Make your smart home comfortable!
