Once upon a time and long before digital signal processing audiophiles had to work really hard to get the best sound from their systems. They would experiment with placement of their speakers and seats moving these all around their rooms. Sometimes they would move them just fractions of an inch striving to get the best they could from their systems. They would also buy and distribute diffusers, bass traps and echo-busting components throughout their listening spaces. Some might even dabble in the black art of equalization, oh my! Many times this quest would become an unhealthy obsession for the afflicted with little hope for relief.

The fact of the matter is that the equipment you use is only part of the sound quality equation. Your room plays an equal role in the audio playback chain. (Many believe your room is actually the greater contributor to this delicate interplay.) But nowadays we do have DSP. It comes to the rescue in the form of automated room correction.

I just did a quick accounting and off the top of my head I was able to count no less than 14 options on the consumer market. These range from Anthem Room Correction to YPAO (Yamaha). Each of the 14 I thought about works in a different way. So this raises the questions of which one is right for you? Can one of them help your situation better than the others? What do they cost? Can I do it myself? Do I still need room treatments? These are all very good questions!