WILSON AUDIO WATT System 8, Owner'S Manual

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W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a l t i e s
S
e C T i O n
1 – i
n
y
O u r
r
O O m
rooms will resonate at a lower frequency and have more complex (better) modal distri-
butions than will smaller rooms. Volume resonances, wall panel resonances, and low
frequency standing waves combine to form a low frequency coloration in the sound. At
its worst, it is a grossly exaggerated fullness, which tends to obscure detail and distort
the natural tonal balance of the speaker system.
Occasionally, however, there is just enough resonance to give a little added
warmth to the sound – an addition some listeners prefer. Careful placement of loud-
speakers in the room can dramatically reduce the speakers’ destructive interaction with
low frequency modes. ASC Tube Traps™ are effective in reducing some of this low
frequency room coloration. Custom designed bass traps, such as perforated Helmholtz
resonators, provide the greatest degree of low frequency control.
Section 1.4 - Your Room
Room Shapes
Standing waves are pressure waves propagated by the interaction of sound and op-
posing parallel walls. This interaction creates patterns of low and high acoustical pres-
sure zones that accentuate and attenuate particular frequencies. Those frequencies are
dependent on room size and dimension.
There are three basic shapes for most rooms: square, rectangular, and L-shaped
(see Figure 2).
A perfectly square room is the most difficult room in which to set up speakers.
By virtue of its shape, a square room is the perfect medium for building and sustain-
ing standing waves. These rooms heavily influence the music played by loudspeakers,
greatly diminishing the listening experience.
Long, narrow, rectangular rooms also pose their own special acoustical problems
for speaker setup. They have the ability to create several standing wave nodes, which