The
Custom Design
Custom is generally a code phrase for "hide the speakers and
electronics in cabinets, walls, and ceiling". The Custom
Design acquiesces to the priorities of
an interior design that shuns the aesthetics of speakers and
electronics while compromising the audio system's
performance.
However, custom designs of merit still strive to minimize
distorting sonic compromises caused by Sheetrock wall
resonance, room boundary reflections,
wall or cabinet diffraction, small speakers, and
above-ear-level placement. A custom design can set about
this as follows:
- Reduce mid-bass distortion and mid-range harshness
caused by the Sheetrock resonance of in-wall/in-ceiling
speaker systems with wood braces or a
high-mass sub-baffle at each wall or
ceiling speaker location.
- Small in-wall/in-ceiling speaker systems are
low-frequency deficient and can cause harsh sound.
Manufacture warmer sound by re-routing the lowest
bass-frequencies to a subwoofer. Use a receiver 'small
speaker' menu setting, filter networks, and or equalizers to
alter a small speaker's operating bandwidth.
- Mount the center speaker at the TV location to
improve imaging impaired by the above-ear-level placement of
the left and right speakers. The typical dominance of a
near-ear-level center channel speaker will psychoacoustically
appear to draw the left and right channels to ear level.
- Salvage sound field imaging forfeited by near field
cabinet diffraction. Move the speaker to the front edge
of the cabinet shelf. Also, attach acoustical absorption
on the cabinet walls near the speaker.
- Generate the impression of a more-substantial
satisfying sound system with the installation of a large and
or second discretely placed subwoofer.
Custom is the design of choice if the appearance of a
speaker or electronic component is at odds with your aesthetic
goals. However, employ these steps to minimize the sonic
compromises of the custom design.