Rectangular rooms are preferred because their modes are predictable

Evidence

This brief analysis is a good example of just how predictable modal events are in a known rectangular room when the woofer and microphone locations are well defined. This underlines the huge advantage of rectangular rooms—the low-frequency sound fields can be substantially predicted in advance and measurements interpreted after the fact. Knowing which modes cause problems allow solutions to be focused. Obviously, only high-resolution measurements allow for this depth of analysis. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1635 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Rectangular rooms allow predicting low-frequency modal behavior in advance — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1635; Room modes are determined by the linear dimensions of opposing surfaces; Avoiding commensurate room dimensions prevents overlapping modal frequencies that cause acoustic problems (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Rectangular rooms allow predicting low-frequency modal behavior in advance #corroborates (0.95) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1635
• Room modes are determined by the linear dimensions of opposing surfaces #expands (0.80)
• Axial mode frequencies are computable from room dimensions by a simple formula #expands (0.80)
• Avoiding commensurate room dimensions prevents overlapping modal frequencies that cause acoustic problems #qualifies (0.72)
• Rectangular rooms fail to randomize sound directions, violating Sabine theory #complicates (0.72)