diffuser placement

[rlw3]

i have a 5 sided room(18x13x8) that opens up to a hallway with a small room on the other side. In order to clean up slap echo i installed bass traps from 2.5 to 6 inches thick on the long side walls with one 7 element diffuser in the middle of the traps roughly at the speakers sidewall reflection point. this placement causes the soundstage to move forward quite a bit. i recently took the diffusers out,replacing them with one more set of bass traps as an experiment to see how my new sophia 1s/room would react. Now the soundstage is further back away for me. but more of the music energy is coming from the speakers. there are somethings about each setup i like. Where is a set of diffusers best positioned?

[chessman]

Originally Posted by rlw3

i have a 5 sided room(18x13x8) that opens up to a hallway with a small room on the other side. In order to clean up slap echo i installed bass traps from 2.5 to 6 inches thick on the long side walls with one 7 element diffuser in the middle of the traps roughly at the speakers sidewall reflection point. this placement causes the soundstage to move forward quite a bit. i recently took the diffusers out,replacing them with one more set of bass traps as an experiment to see how my new sophia 1s/room would react. Now the soundstage is further back away for me. but more of the music energy is coming from the speakers. there are somethings about each setup i like. Where is a set of diffusers best positioned?

Generally, bass traps in corners (even big flat panels, set diagonally), absorption in front behind the speakers, absorption at the first reflection point and diffusors on back wall and the rest of the side walls. Your room may be an exception.

[rlw3]

Randy thanks. Seems that given the difference in dispersion reworking acoustic treatment is a good experiment when you a drop a new speaker into a system.

[Removed]

Originally Posted by rlw3

i have a 5 sided room(18x13x8) that opens up to a hallway with a small room on the other side. In order to clean up slap echo i installed bass traps from 2.5 to 6 inches thick on the long side walls with one 7 element diffuser in the middle of the traps roughly at the speakers sidewall reflection point. this placement causes the soundstage to move forward quite a bit. i recently took the diffusers out,replacing them with one more set of bass traps as an experiment to see how my new sophia 1s/room would react. Now the soundstage is further back away for me. but more of the music energy is coming from the speakers. there are somethings about each setup i like. Where is a set of diffusers best positioned?

You may want to try the diffusers on the wall behind the speakers.....I find it really opens up the stage end of things. I do mix a bit of absorbion with the diffusers, the absorbion locks in the center images nicely with the diffusers opening up the stage end, better layering to the music also, to me things are not as crowded (think more space between perfomers) and it really helps to eliminate that parallel line of sound! I also find if you can have a bit of distance between the listener and the diffusers they seem to be more effective in what they do. I find the effect from diffusion to be less efective on the side walls but does add some good and the same goes for the ceiling, as for the back wall behind the listener I never liked diffusers in that location, I much prefer to absorb in that area be it bass traps or absorbers......the back part of the room can really load up with lower freq. and many times over looked. These are just some of the experiences I have had and every room will be different along with what one likes sound wise.....Happy Listening!