Cinema Tools

Room Resonances

Resonance frequencies for a rectangular room, how its shape scores against the standard ratio envelopes, and where to place the subwoofers.

Project Optional. Used for the PDF report header.

Room dimensions

Results

Modal distribution

Room-shape criteria

Axial frequencies — first four per axis (Hz)

Order 1 Order 2 Order 3 Order 4

Polarity along each axis

Listener placement check

Recommended sub layouts

How to read this Background on the inputs, the chart, the criteria, and the polarity diagrams.

About the inputs

The calculator assumes a rigid rectangular room. Length, width and height are the only inputs. Surface treatments, damping and RT60 need physics-grade material data that this calculator does not ask for.

About the chart

The modal-distribution chart plots every resonance up to ninth order, classified by type. Axial modes (one non-zero index) are the strongest; tangential and oblique modes carry less energy. Even distribution across frequency is the goal — clusters and gaps show up as columns and stripes.

About the criteria

The four criteria score the L : W : H ratio against published envelopes. Walker and IEC 60268-13 are looser; Bolt is the strictest. Bonello looks at how evenly the lowest 48 modes spread across the third-octave bands. A room can pass one and fail another — they trade off differently.

About the polarity diagrams and sub layouts

Each polarity diagram shows where a resonance peaks and nulls along an axis at a given order. A listener at a null does not hear that mode. Subs placed on opposite polarity zones cancel the worst peaks. The two recommended layouts are starting points; optimising sub placement numerically is design work.