Wilson Electronics The Duette, Owner'S Manual, Page: 65 / 81

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e C t i O n
6 – i
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O u r
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O O M
6
W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a l t i e s
wave modes and resonances at a frequencies determined by the size of the room. Larg -
er rooms will resonate at a lower frequency and have more complex (better) modal dis -
tributions than will smaller rooms. Air volume resonances, wall panel resonances, and
low frequency standing waves, together, combine to form a low frequency coloration in
the sound. At its worst, it is a grossly exaggerated fullness, which tends to obscure de -
tail 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 loudspeakers in the room can dramati -
cally reduce the speakers’ destructive interaction with low frequency modes. ASC Tube
Traps™ have been found to be effective in reducing some of these low frequency room
colorations. Custom designed and constructed bass traps, such as perforated Helm -
holtz resonators, provide the greatest degree of low frequency control.
Section 6.4 – 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 16).
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