Q. Bass accumulates in the corners of my 20x20x10 room. I know I could use bass traps but I don’t want ugly acoustic treatments. Can you recommend any other solutions? - We, San Diego

A. Acoustical treatments don’t have to be ugly anymore, but if you are completely opposed to having any treatments you only have a couple of other options. The first would be to get a second subwoofer (I am assuming you are using only 1 subwoofer at this time). A second (or third) sub would help to minimize your bass accumulation. First, try placing the two subs along your front wall, beside the main-channel speakers. Experiment by moving them left and right a little at a time and varying their distance from the wall (start about 8-10 inches at first). If you don’t get decent results with the first technique, try placing the subs on opposite walls and again, move them along the wall until you have minimized the corner issue. Move each sub slowly because even an inch can make a big difference. Also, adjusting the distance of the couch or chairs relative to the walls and/or the subwoofer (relative to the corner) should help smooth out the bass response throughout several listening locations in the room.

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Maximizing a Room’s AcousticsSpeaker Placement: Bipole, Dipole & Direct
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Bryant Moore - President, Moore Audio Design

A classically-trained musician and former network administrator, Bryant Moore has turned a lifelong passion for music and A/V equipment into a thriving business with Charlotte, NC based Moore Audio Design. He has over a decade of experience in designing and implementing home electronics systems.