Do You Consider the Spouse-Acceptance Factor in Your Home Theater?

[Dude111]

Some AV enthusiasts must take their spouses aesthetic wishes into account in their home theater. Are you amoung them?

I dont have a spouse and Im glad......... I am quite picky about what I like and there arent many ppl like me..... I like analogue and stuff (CRTs,etc) Whats natural and most pleasing to me......


EDIT:

OPPS I ME$$ED UP MY POLL TITLE (I wanted to make it "Which are you?")

 

[Fake Wood Floor]

Yes.
I bought a relatively high end DAC & AMP based on here ease of use requirements and it has a minimal look (e.g. it's not flashy at all and it's not black plastic). It has just one button, volume. It's also a great DAC so I'm very happy.

With the TV the issue is convincing her that a larger TV is in all of our best interests.

 

[Kaido]

Some AV enthusiasts must take their spouses aesthetic wishes into account in their home theater.

...

I dont have a spouse and Im glad......... I am quite picky about what I like

Depends on a lot of things, like if the spouse cares about aesthetics or if the room is considered shared or not. If you make a unilateral decision when consent is needed, then that's a pretty crappy way to operate a relationship. For me, it's all about compromise. Like, my wife is pretty flexible - within limits. For example, a few years ago, I wanted to build a Sonosub, which is typically a six-foot tall tube-shaped subwoofer. Because I wanted to hook it up to our TV in the living room, my wife's only requirement was that it fit behind the couch & be hidden (didn't want a sub the size of a water heater decorating the room for some odd reason ), which meant I needed to adjust the height. I ended up building a 39" sub with a larger 18" tube diameter & was still able to achieve 20Hz with the tuning. I got my subwoofer & also met her request for a non-intrusive visual design, so it was win/win.

However, if I were single, I probably would have built two six-footers & called them the Twin Towers in honor of LOTR :biggrin:

 

[Kaido]

With the TV the issue is convincing her that a larger TV is in all of our best interests.

Sometimes it's all about seeing it instead of imagining it. You might try cutting a piece of cardboard the same size as the larger TV & holding it up for a visual before & after. I did something similar...when we relocated recently, I lost my basement home theater, but didn't want to give up my projector. I got the crazy idea to build a bedroom home theater with surround sound, so I demo'd it using a tripod. That, versus the small LCD TV's that typically go into bedrooms...well, there was no comparison Let's just say I enjoyed a couple episodes of Daredevil in 1080p on a 92" screen in 5.1 last night before going to bed :awe:

 

[MongGrel]

Just one of the reasons I still use a nice 47" HDTV instead of a projector these days in the main room, I guess.

Have a pretty decent 37" in the bedroom.

The sound system is pretty nice out here though.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Anyone who manages to convince their spouse to let them have an AV room in the first place would be foolish to not take their interests into consideration. Add in kids and the need for that consideration skyrockets. AV rooms typically add zero to the value of a home and are generally a net negative because of the usable space being given up.

 

[Anubis]

single

so nope

 

[purbeast0]

i did what i wanted to in my room, but i did consult my wife and she had opinions on some stuff. like i told her i was painting the wall a dark color and she helped me pick out the color we ended up with (dark red).

then when i did the seating we initially were gonna get like a sectional but then i saw some good deals on HT seats that were power recliners. all she wanted was so that we had some that were "like a couch" so my setup of 5 seats ended up being |0V000V0|, but it's nice because when we had kids watching movies they can cram like 4-5 kids in the 3 middle seats.

then i made accoustical panels on the wall and i told her she could pick 1 movie to put on one of them (out of 6) and she picked dirty dancing, but i had to "ok" the picture she picked. it's just the box art pretty much so it's all black with the 2 people on it.

i actually bought my projector without telling her, and hooked it up and projected on the wall in the basement and just told her to come downstairs without knowing what i was going to show her. she tried so hard to be mad but she couldn't be because it was so cool. but she didn't like that i spent like $3k without consulting her, but in the end she didn't care because she loves it.

speakers and shit though, she had no say at all and doesn't care. my speakers are pretty massive too. i think it turned out pretty sweet.

 

[Kaido]

Just one of the reasons I still use a nice 47" HDTV instead of a projector these days in the main room, I guess.

Well, that and it's a pain to use a projector in the daytime, at least not without spending $5k on an SI Black Diamond daylight screen. In my bedroom, I installed some blinds with a blackout curtain, which was pretty easy since it was just one small window. So, you're good

 

[Kaido]

then i made accoustical panels on the wall and i told her she could pick 1 movie to put on one of them (out of 6) and she picked dirty dancing, but i had to "ok" the picture she picked. it's just the box art pretty much so it's all black with the 2 people on it.

Nice! How did you do the acoustic panels, is that like a transfer paper kind of thing?

 

[purbeast0]

Nice! How did you do the acoustic panels, is that like a transfer paper kind of thing?

i followed this tutorial and thread here:

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/19-de...inted-movie-poster-acoustic-panels-cheap.html

i've since made some frames just to hang around the house on the wall with the same idea except just not putting any of the insulation inside of them. also made them much thinner since they are in other rooms.

 

[Exterous]

Since its a dedicated space in the basement i pretty much get to do whatever I want. It helps that we have similar tastes.

AV rooms typically add zero to the value of a home and are generally a net negative because of the usable space being given up.

I don't know if thats true. We sold our house with a home theater room very quickly for enough that appraisal was a very real concern. The only universal comment from the various showings was how much everone loved the theater room (I made sure to have a movie playing for the showing)

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Which

Since its a dedicated space in the basement i pretty much get to do whatever I want. It helps that we have similar tastes.



I don't know if thats true. We sold our house with a home theater room very quickly for enough that appraisal was a very real concern. The only universal comment from the various showings was how much everone loved the theater room (I made sure to have a movie playing for the showing)

Which is why I said "generally." There are certainly other mitigating circumstances but, realtors tend to agree that home theaters are a poor investment from a resale viewpoint. Unless you're a one percenter, spending 3 k on a projector like purebeast without discussing it with your spouse and staying married is akin to winning the lottery.

 

[MongGrel]

i did what i wanted to in my room, but i did consult my wife and she had opinions on some stuff. like i told her i was painting the wall a dark color and she helped me pick out the color we ended up with (dark red).

then when i did the seating we initially were gonna get like a sectional but then i saw some good deals on HT seats that were power recliners. all she wanted was so that we had some that were "like a couch" so my setup of 5 seats ended up being |0V000V0|, but it's nice because when we had kids watching movies they can cram like 4-5 kids in the 3 middle seats.

then i made accoustical panels on the wall and i told her she could pick 1 movie to put on one of them (out of 6) and she picked dirty dancing, but i had to "ok" the picture she picked. it's just the box art pretty much so it's all black with the 2 people on it.

i actually bought my projector without telling her, and hooked it up and projected on the wall in the basement and just told her to come downstairs without knowing what i was going to show her. she tried so hard to be mad but she couldn't be because it was so cool. but she didn't like that i spent like $3k without consulting her, but in the end she didn't care because she loves it.

speakers and shit though, she had no say at all and doesn't care. my speakers are pretty massive too. i think it turned out pretty sweet.

You set all that up without your wife knowing about it ?

()

 

[Kaido]

i followed this tutorial and thread here:

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/19-de...inted-movie-poster-acoustic-panels-cheap.html

i've since made some frames just to hang around the house on the wall with the same idea except just not putting any of the insulation inside of them. also made them much thinner since they are in other rooms.

Sweet, thanks! Did you use Spoonflower?

 

[ControlD]

Which Which is why I said "generally." There are certainly other mitigating circumstances but, realtors tend to agree that home theaters are a poor investment from a resale viewpoint. Unless you're a one percenter, spending 3 k on a projector like purebeast without discussing it with your spouse and staying married is akin to winning the lottery.

That's probably true, but adding to the resale value of my home wasn't even a consideration when I put the theater room in. It's all about having an awesome place to watch movies. The only thing you lose is a little wall space anyhow, so if you want to sell the house, just take the screen off the wall, remove the projector from the ceiling and any lost room is quickly recovered.

To answer the original question, I certainly consulted with my wife before setting up a theater room. That's why I have a white ceiling and dark blue walls (and I am perfectly fine with that). I also have a couple of fish tanks, an arcade machine and a Wii U in that room. It is more than just a theater room. She was a bit skeptical at first, but every time we watch something in that room she mentions how great the experience is.

 

[Eug]

I personally really dislike giant TVs in the living room, unless they can be hidden. Hell, when we moved in, I had a custom cabinet built that can hide TVs up to 48". So my wife's concerns here match mine. Unfortunately it seems these days the preferred size is 49" or 50" so they don't fit, and there aren't many choices for high end TVs in Canada at the 46-48" size.

That said, I have a separate home theatre room where I make all the decisions. In fact for that room I would buy a 75" TV tomorrow if I would get a high end TV for under $2500. But I can't because the don't exist.

 

[Mike64]

What is choice number 4 doing in the poll at all? How does one even begin to "consider" "spouse-acceptance" when one don't have a spouse in the first place? Just randomly pick someone else's spouse and then think about whether that person would approve of your home-audio decision making?^_^/

 

[purbeast0]

Sweet, thanks! Did you use Spoonflower?

yeah their stuff is great quality. i strongly recommend it if you like these kinds of DIY projects.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I honestly feel bad for my guy friends who are greatly limited by aesthetic considerations for home theater. For example they have expensive in-wall speakers that sound like shit, or some TV that has to fit in a cabinet inherited from the tube TV era. I have gotten to the point where I don't even really advise them on home theater purchases unless it really matters, and then I will go into full sell job mode on their wife to make sure they don't have to compromise from an OLED to a LED that looks better when its off (for example).

Personally I married a woman who enjoys watching movies and TV more than I do, and knows I will set it up optimally and with enthusiasm as long as I get to make a decisions. The only thing she asks is that it is easy to use, which was why Logitech Harmonies were invented.

For a guy trying to make a complicated setup work with his family those Harmonies are the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[nickbits]

My "AV Room" is my living room. I have an 11.2 setup with a 78" TV. Wife doesn't mind although I'm sure she would like it if the subs took up a bit less floor space.

 

[dainthomas]

i did what i wanted to in my room, but i did consult my wife and she had opinions on some stuff. like i told her i was painting the wall a dark color and she helped me pick out the color we ended up with (dark red).

then when i did the seating we initially were gonna get like a sectional but then i saw some good deals on HT seats that were power recliners. all she wanted was so that we had some that were "like a couch" so my setup of 5 seats ended up being |0V000V0|, but it's nice because when we had kids watching movies they can cram like 4-5 kids in the 3 middle seats.

then i made accoustical panels on the wall and i told her she could pick 1 movie to put on one of them (out of 6) and she picked dirty dancing, but i had to "ok" the picture she picked. it's just the box art pretty much so it's all black with the 2 people on it.

i actually bought my projector without telling her, and hooked it up and projected on the wall in the basement and just told her to come downstairs without knowing what i was going to show her. she tried so hard to be mad but she couldn't be because it was so cool. but she didn't like that i spent like $3k without consulting her, but in the end she didn't care because she loves it.

speakers and shit though, she had no say at all and doesn't care. my speakers are pretty massive too. i think it turned out pretty sweet.

That's a dope setup. Mega jealous.

 

[Kaido]

My "AV Room" is my living room. I have an 11.2 setup with a 78" TV. Wife doesn't mind although I'm sure she would like it if the subs took up a bit less floor space.

Time to go with an Infinite Baffle setup! :awe:

 

[Kaido]

yeah their stuff is great quality. i strongly recommend it if you like these kinds of DIY projects.

That's awesome, never heard of the service before! We just finished the interior painting project & I've been trying to figure out what to put on the living room wall above the TV. I was looking into doing a cool Rasterbator project with something like Fracture, where they print the images on glass:

https://www.fractureme.com/

Problem is the cost really adds up. A single 11x11" square is $55, so it'd cost well over a grand just to do a huge mural. An alternative I've been playing with is using freezer paper as transfer paper, which lets you do prints to everything from wood:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6732929_transfer-ink-wood.html

To fabric:

http://bydawnnicole.com/2015/04/diy-freezer-paper-graphic-tee.html

 

[Kaido]

I personally really dislike giant TVs in the living room, unless they can be hidden. Hell, when we moved in, I had a custom cabinet built that can hide TVs up to 48". So my wife's concerns here match mine. Unfortunately it seems these days the preferred size is 49" or 50" so they don't fit, and there aren't many choices for high end TVs in Canada at the 46-48" size.

That said, I have a separate home theatre room where I make all the decisions. In fact for that room I would buy a 75" TV tomorrow if I would get a high end TV for under $2500. But I can't because the don't exist.

What don't you like about having a giant TV in the living room - too much of a blank centerpiece when it's off?

I've toyed around with putting a projector in my living room. Modern LED projectors are tiny, fairly quiet, and are easy to hide, and you can do some tricks to make it daylight-usable (ambient light screen paint or an SI Black Diamond daylight screen, build a little cove with some black light-absorbing material around the edges, etc.), but then you're stuck with a giant gray wall or black screen hanging on the wall instead of something like artwork or family photos. I suppose you could just leave it running 24/7 since it is an LED bulb & just display something like an HD fishtank or artwork screensaver or something...