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Is switching from carpets to hardwood floors actually worth it? [message #99406]

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:44

Bercle
Messages: 33
Registered: December 2025

Baron

What has been your experience with hardwood floors in a listening room? What I currently have right now is carpet, and it seems it makes the room feel quiet and the music not sounding the way that I want it to sound. In the beginning, I felt it was fine since I didn't have to get echo, but I don't feel that satisfied and have been thinking of switching to hardwood floors.

Is there anyone who's tried using both? Do you think hardwood floors with good treatment are better than using just carpet, or should I keep managing this?

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Re: Is switching from carpets to hardwood floors actually worth it? [message #99409 is a reply to message #99406]

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:52

gofar99
Messages: 2025
Registered: May 2010
Location: Southern Arizona

Illuminati (5th Degree)

Hi, This something Wayne should comment on as he has considerable experience in that area. My simple take is the hardness or softness of a room relates to how any particular speaker will sound. I have what would be a mostly soft room. Carpets, furniture, bookcases and acoustic stuff on the ceiling. This in my case is required because I use electrostatic speakers that are bi-dimensional. They rely on controlled back sounds. More conventional speakers are not usually as demanding in that area, but will still depend on room resonances and reflections. I hope this helps.

Good Listening
Bruce

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Re: Is switching from carpets to hardwood floors actually worth it? [message #99410 is a reply to message #99409]

Mon, 11 May 2026 12:57

Wayne Parham
Messages: 19036
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Hardwood floors are beautiful, but acoustically difficult. Same with tile, stone or concrete. These kinds of surfaces are very reflective at all frequencies, which makes for an unnatural-sounding floor bounce.

If you want to make a listening room out of a room with hardwood floors, it's best to have a large rug between the listening area and the speakers. That will at least reduce the high-frequency "slap" reflection.

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Re: Is switching from carpets to hardwood floors actually worth it? [message #99413 is a reply to message #99410]

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:26

George
Messages: 59
Registered: September 2025

Baron

Hi, Bercle

Just as Wayne said above, there is more to do if you are moving from carpets to hardwood floors. I've been there, and I know that using just hardwood floors won't give you the very best in terms of sound quality.

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Re: Is switching from carpets to hardwood floors actually worth it? [message #99440 is a reply to message #99406]

Mon, 25 May 2026 20:18

Clint
Messages: 26
Registered: December 2025

Chancellor

I have been opportune to make use of both carpets and hardwood in the listening. For that reason, I get how you are feeling about the whole thing.

When I had carpet in the room, it brought about zero echo and a dead-quiet room, and the feeling was good at the beginning, but certain things weren't cool with it. The vocal sounded dull, for example, and the energy in the songs that I listened to weren't fantastic.

I would say that Hardwood is better because when I got them last four years, placing a think rug between the speakers and I, some absorption panels on the first reflection points and bass traps in the corners of the rooms made the songs sound far more better than when I made use of carpets.

So, I will always pick Hardwood because I like better sounds when I listen to songs in the listening room. You can stick to your carpets if you are pretty fine with calm sounds.

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