Rumkorrektion

Rumkorrektion is a term used in acoustics and audio engineering to describe methods for compensating the irregularities of a listening room in order to achieve a more accurate sound reproduction. The aim is typically to obtain a smoother frequency response and improved stereo imaging at the listening position, despite the influence of reflections, room modes, and the characteristics of loudspeakers.

The most common approach is measurement-based room correction. This involves placing a calibrated microphone at or near the listening position, analyzing the room’s impulse and frequency responses, and defining a target curve. Based on this analysis, corrective filters are generated and applied to the audio signal. Corrections can be implemented in hardware through processors or receivers with room-correction capabilities, or in software as plugins or calibration suites. Some systems perform real-time correction with low latency to adapt to listening conditions.

Room correction is typically used in combination with physical room treatment and careful speaker placement. Absorbers, diffusers, and bass traps, as well as optimal seating and speaker positioning, remain important, since extreme or poorly implemented equalization can introduce phase distortions or unnatural timbre.

Limitations include the inability to overcome fundamental room dimensions or very large unresolved bass modes merely with digital correction. Corrections are also highly position-dependent, meaning results can vary with changes in seating or listening location. Despite these caveats, rumkorrektion is widely employed in home audio, home cinema, and professional monitoring to improve consistency and perceived accuracy of sound.