Typically, we are told to place absorbing material at the reflection points on walls. I have found good success with this method. However, I am challenged when it comes to the first reflection point on a ceiling, as I do not want to put anything on my ceiling for costmetic purposes.

I currently use Sound Silencer (http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/sound_silencer/sswall_panel.htm?d=2) as my absorbsion material. I like the product because it is rigid and can be places anywhere easily. So, instead of placing it on my ceiling, I put an oversized piece on top of my speaker, expecting to get "near field" absorbsion of high end frequencies. The material protrudes about 10" in front of the speak front plane. The material does not interfere with the tweeter-to-listener line of sight, rather the material does sit about 6" from the tweeter in the line of sight of the tweeter-ceiling-reflection-point.

Do the sound waves go around the material on the speaker and therefore void my near field absorbion or do the sound waves get absorbed and therefore I do not have to worry about ceiling absorbsion?

Pat,

> Do the sound waves go around the material on the speaker and therefore void my near field absorbion or do the sound waves get absorbed and therefore I do not have to worry about ceiling absorbsion? <

Beats me. My gut feeling is this is not the best way to tackle first reflections off the ceiling. Maybe you can find some thin ceiling tiles that are the same color as the ceiling, that can be glued in place to be minimally intrusive visually.

--Ethan