Changing room geometry barely alters loudspeaker quality rankings

Evidence

The equation also shows that if any of the dimensions are integer multiples of each other, then some of the modal frequencies will be the same, which can cause problems. It is therefore better to choose noncommensurate ratios for the wall dimensions to ensure that the modes are spread out as much as possible. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1978 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Anechoic chambers misrepresent how loudspeakers sound in normal rooms — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 872; Room differences dominate loudspeaker differences when listeners cannot adapt — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 547; Speaker power output changes with room dimensions only via their ratios (+2 more)

Related

• Avoiding commensurate room dimensions prevents overlapping modal frequencies that cause acoustic problems (similarity 0.89)
• Room size and shape do not change multiple-loudspeaker sound quality ratings (similarity 0.86)
• Anechoic chambers misrepresent how loudspeakers sound in normal rooms (similarity 0.85)
• Room modes are determined by the linear dimensions of opposing surfaces (similarity 0.85)
• Spatially static resonant modes cause sound level to vary across a room (similarity 0.85)
• Dimensionally symmetrical rooms are acoustically asymmetrical due to construction details (similarity 0.85)
• Room acoustics act as another system modifying the instrument’s output (similarity 0.84)
• Room boundaries alter loudspeaker output through reflected image sources (similarity 0.84)
• Non-environment rooms suppress all but direct sound for clearer audio detail and imaging (similarity 0.84)
• Boundaries alter bass output by changing the loudspeaker’s acoustical radiation resistance (similarity 0.84)
• Reshaping a room’s walls only obscures resonances rather than removing them (similarity 0.83)
• Room differences dominate loudspeaker differences when listeners cannot adapt (similarity 0.83)
• Speaker power output changes with room dimensions only via their ratios (similarity 0.83)
• EQ cannot fix directivity problems that a better loudspeaker requires (similarity 0.83)
• Room resonance excess masks loudspeaker bass deficiency to listeners (similarity 0.83)

Broader Connections

• Speaker power output changes with room dimensions only via their ratios #expands (0.80)
• Room boundaries alter loudspeaker output through reflected image sources #qualifies (0.75)
• Avoiding commensurate room dimensions prevents overlapping modal frequencies that cause acoustic problems #complicates (0.72) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1978