u/Scared_Garage_1769

What a performance.

Hello,

I am in the process of setting up my room for, and right off the bat I noticed the reflections are pretty intense, if there’s any way to describe it. The room sounds extremely echoey, contained, and harsh at the same time, almost like the sound is bouncing everywhere but still getting trapped in the room. Imaging and clarity seem off, and longer listening sessions become fatiguing pretty quickly.

It also seems like the amp needs noticeably more power to fill the room than expected, which makes me think the acoustics may be working against the system. I’m wondering if all the reflections and room interactions are causing the sound to smear together and lose efficiency.

The room is fairly long with parallel walls, and near the back it opens up into a sort of chamber/hallway area that leads to an exit. I’m curious if that opening could be contributing to uneven bass, reflections, cancellations, or other acoustic problems.

At the moment I have a large Persian rug in the room, but not much else in terms of acoustic treatment. I’ve been looking into acoustic panels, bass traps, curtains, etc., but I’m unsure what type of treatment would be most effective or where I should start first.

Would thicker fiberglass/mineral wool panels be the better route over standard foam panels? Also, would focusing on first reflection points make the biggest difference initially?

Any recommendations on speaker placement, acoustic treatment, or general room setup would be greatly appreciated. I’m trying to get the room sounding cleaner, less harsh, and more natural overall.

I’m running a Technics Quartz SL-5200 with a Sansui AU-317, hooked up to Mirage FRx3 speakers. Before acquiring the SL-5200, the music sounded more direct and forward—less warm—and I thought it paired well with the FRx speakers. But now everything sounds off. I don’t believe it’s the cartridge; instead, I think it may be a synergy issue between the older equipment and the newer speakers. Any speakers that would take things to the next level and create a more immersive experience?