Master Handbook of Acoustics, Sixth Edition, 6th Edition

CHAPTER 29

Room Optimizer*

The sound that we hear in a critical listening room is determined by the complex interaction among the quality of the electronics, the quality and the placement of the loudspeakers, the hearing ability and placement of the listener, the room dimensions (or geometry if noncuboid), and the acoustical condition of the room’s boundary surfaces and contents. All too often these factors are ignored, and emphasis is placed solely on the quality of the loudspeakers. However, the tonal balance and timbre of a given loudspeaker can vary significantly, depending on the placement of the listener and loudspeaker and the room acoustical ...