Home Theater Help?

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Muadib

You can go really crazy on screens. My boss at work just spent about $6000 on an acoustically transparent screen.

Holy crap! What's the rest of his system?

He's not finished yet by a long shot.

The screen is actually the biggest purchase he's making. He's an audiophile and is getting three Magnepan 3.6s up front. He's very into DVD-Audio and SACDs. With three Maggies up front, he would have no room for a traditional display and thus wanted to go front projection... and the acoustically transparent screens he found that he liked were all in the $5000-$8000 range from local dealers that could install them properly.

I was over at his place for the dealer inspection of his basement and heard the guy's plug for the other products he suggested. I think the dealer's expectations were that a $6000 screen meant that the total budget for the system was going to be $50k+, but really the screen is just a necessity for getting the most out of his 24in x 71in center channel

Dealer was trying to get him to buy an Anthem D2 for the pre-pro but at almost $7000, that was way more than he wanted to spend with the speed at which advancements are made to pre-pros. He's going with the $1600-ish Integra 9.8 instead after I told him to check out some reviews.

Amplification is not set yet. He's looking at a variety of options including Bryston, Vincent, etc.
He has some adcoms now driving his lesser Maggies but the 3.6s are going to need some better power to really shine.
He's looking to get really good amplifications for at least the front three speakers. Doubling Down as impedence is cut in half from 8-ohms to 4-ohms is a big selling point to him after he talked to the guys who make the Maggies (from his home town actually). I've shown him some rather disappointing test results from high end amps that claim to double down as an indication that some of that is marketing. I'm hoping that Emotiva's new units get reviewed professionally soon with some accurate measurements on power output on 8-ohm vs. 4-ohm loads to see if their doubling down claim holds true for their new 2-channel amp. He really doesn't want to spend more than $3k on the amplification whether it be a 5-7 channel unit, 2-3 stereo amps, or a 3-channel amp.

Projector is kind of up in the air as well. The demo guy was assuming a ~25k budget for the projector with the $6k screen, but again, the screen budget was mainly just a necessary step to get the video out of the way for when he wanted to listen to multichannel audio.

So he's actually looking at getting one of the really high bang for the buck 1080p units. Projector technology is moving so quickly and getting so much better that we both think that spending more than a few thousand on a unit might be a big mistake.

 

[SlickSnake]

Originally posted by: Muadib

You can go really crazy on screens. My boss at work just spent about $6000 on an acoustically transparent screen.

Holy crap! What's the rest of his system?

You can't see the system, either, but it sounds really really really good! He's an audiophile! Of course! :laugh:

(P.S. Just don't tell the audiophile he is naked, ummkay? )

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SlickSnake

Originally posted by: Muadib

You can go really crazy on screens. My boss at work just spent about $6000 on an acoustically transparent screen.

Holy crap! What's the rest of his system?

You can't see the system, either, but it sounds really really really good! He's an audiophile! Of course! :laugh:

(P.S. Just don't tell the audiophile he is naked, ummkay? )

There are definitely some negative connotations to the term audiophile, but here I'm using it for a guy who is VERY into music and really appreciates equipment that lets him really enjoy it. He has hundreds (thousands?) of CDs in his collection and he wants to get the best bang for his music enjoyment buck out of his system. The Home Theater end of things is almost an afterthought to the audio portion of his system which is his true priority.

Sorry to derail your thread a bit, IntrinsicValue.

 

[Muadib]

I think your boss is crazy for going with 3 3.6's, but I just love his choice of speakers. I still haven't heard anything to able to touch the sound from Magnepan or Martin Logan speakers. Make sure he checks out the B&K Components Reference 200.7 Series 2 amp. It's rated at 375 watts at 4 Ohms, and should do very well with the Maggies.

What sub is he getting?

He should love the 9.8. It's very nice with digital sound.

I'm with you on the projector too. I think it's crazy to spend more than 2-3k on one, when it will look like crap compared to models 2 years from now.

And I don't think this is off topic at all. The OP needs to go pay his local hifi store a visit, and hear what sounds good to him.

 

[Rio Rebel]

I don't consider audiophile a negative term at all.

I've never understood why some people feel the need to criticize where others spend their money. I often criticize the crap that people get fed in Best Buy type stores, because the consumer isn't buying something they need and understand. But for those who feel they hear a difference and can afford to pay for it, why should we criticize it?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Muadib
I think your boss is crazy for going with 3 3.6's, but I just love his choice of speakers. I still haven't heard anything to able to touch the sound from Magnepan or Martin Logan speakers. Make sure he checks out the B&K Components Reference 200.7 Series 2 amp. It's rated at 375 watts at 4 Ohms, and should do very well with the Maggies.

What sub is he getting?

He should love the 9.8. It's very nice with digital sound.

I'm with you on the projector too. I think it's crazy to spend more than 2-3k on one, when it will look like crap compared to models 2 years from now.

And I don't think this is off topic at all. The OP needs to go pay his local hifi store a visit, and hear what sounds good to him.

He's not getting a sub

His main reason for upgrading from his current Maggies to the 3.6s is the better bass extension (I don't remember what his current model is, but they are several years old and I'm not very familiar with Magnepan's lineup except for the ones I've looked at for their current models).

He's thinking that eventually he may add a sub, but he's thinking he's gotten by long enough without one up until now that it's not crucial to get one... and also he's leaving himself an upgrade path. He's afraid that if he gets a whole complete setup right away in one shot that he may have a bit of a letdown. So he's going to run without a sub for at least a while before deciding if he wants to go that route.

Honestly I'm a bit concerned that he's spending as much as he is on the projector and screen because he admits he barely watches any movies. I'm sure that will change though

I'll mention the B&K as another research option if he asks me again about it. He comes by my office once in a while and we talk audio for several minutes and he gives me updates on how things are going. (Those are my kind of meetings )

The guys at the Magnepan thought he was rather crazy for doing three 3.6s across the front as well
(Actually I think it was mainly different places he has called for amp recommendations rather than Magnepan itself, although I think he might have mentioned that this was the first they had heard of someone doing it?)

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
I don't consider audiophile a negative term at all.

I've never understood why some people feel the need to criticize where others spend their money. I often criticize the crap that people get fed in Best Buy type stores, because the consumer isn't buying something they need and understand. But for those who feel they hear a difference and can afford to pay for it, why should we criticize it?

I think to some extent "audiophile" gets clumped into "crazy audiophile" where $3000 power cords and $600 volume knobs come into play

I would definitely classify him in the regular "audiophile" category

 

[mshan]

What amp did Magnepan recommend to drive those 3.6s?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: mshan
What amp did Magnepan recommend to drive those 3.6s?

I don't remember what Magnepan recommended in particular. He's called several Magnepan dealers from across the country to A) see if he could get a better price, and B) get recommendations. I can't keep straight who has said what as he's mentioned about a half a dozen different amplifiers to me from as many different sources. I believe Magnepan's advice may have been an amp that doubles down, since that seems to be a key priority for him.

That's mirrored on Magnepan's FAQs as well

"A receiver is very efficient and cost-effective. Unfortunately, consumers want all the "bells and whistles" without understanding the importance of power supply. Everyone understands they need plenty of power, but the role of power supply is not understood. There is one important concept you need to remember when shopping for an amplifier or receiver: the power should double (or nearly double) at 4 ohms. This concept applies even if you are buying an 8 ohm speaker. If the amplifier is rated at 80 watts at 8 ohms, it should produce 160 watts at 4 ohms (or close to it). None of the receivers will do that. However, this is the benchmark of a good amplifier design.

A good receiver might produce 30-40% more power at 4 ohms. Most receiver manufacturers don't want to talk about 4 ohm rating, because they have cut the "guts" out of the products to keep the cost down. Some receivers produce the same power at 4 ohms as the 8 ohm ratings. Or they use a switch on the back for 4 ohms to prevent the receiver from self destructing. Others warn against 4 ohm speakers. Regardless of what speaker you buy, we don't recommend these receivers. There are a few manufacturers making receivers with good 4 ohm capability. We can't keep up on who's doing what. All you have to do is ask "What is the 4 ohm power rating?" If the 4 ohm rating isn't readily available, be cautious."


So I think his general requirements include
-250+ watts into 4-ohms
-doubling down of power ratings
-$3000-ish max for amplification for at least the front three speakers

 

[mshan]

I think those Maggies might need a true current dumper of an amp to drive them properly.

 

[ericlp]

I'd recommend going with Outlaw Audio getting a pre/Pro & Amp 7 Channel combo deal....

Then going with Audioc.com Getting a HT Package deal... Maybe buying the sub elsewhere like bob carver or velodyne tho the bigger the better for HT... If you really want to feel it nothing beats a 15" woofer with a 1000 watt amp.

As for projector well ..... That all depends..... You can get some good ones for under 3K tho. I don't know what the good ones are... Not into spending that kind of money. Just make sure you get a 1080P so that you can hook up the HD DVD... Don't forget the mounts and cables... Might as well get some theater seating as well...

 

[mshan]

Personally, I'd go with a 720p or even 480i projector (depends upon whether main priority is hdtv or dvd) under $2000 max.

In a couple years when he needs a new lamp, technology will have advanced, costs will have decreased, and what is absolute state of the art today will probably be mainstream and very affordable. He should also have a much stronger idea of what he wants in a home theater system at that time.

He also sounds like a home theater newbie, so I wouldn't spend all of the $10000 budget upfront. Buy core components, live with them, and you can always upgrade later (hint, IMO, video is much much more important than audio, which I personally wouldn't spend more than $3000 for, realistically probably under $2000). Oppo 971HD or 981HD would only cost a couple hundred dollars and would probably serve him well as cd and dvd player for now. Unless you truly need subterranean bass or insane spl, reproducing soundtracks just isnt' that challenging and even very modest home theater speakers and a decent audio video receiver can sound quite good. Reproducing music well, on the other hand, can get very expensive quickly.

 

[ericlp]

Dunno, I have to say Audio is the bomb in any system.... I think audio makes the HT experience .... I agree on the projector there are some REALLY good deals out there for 2500 and under... Maybe he should buy a 1000 dollar projector and 2500 audio system. Spend the money on lighting / seating....

Like anything the sky is the limit.... It all depends on the persons needs and wants and budget of course. I'd still recommend outlaw audio and ACI speakers... Can't go wrong with them. Get a pair of Sapphire's and some emerald's for the rear...add in a Maestro w/ ICE based amplifier, sophisticated automatic woofer control system and extreme output 15" driver... Yeah it would probably set you back 5K for amps and speaker setup... But the dude did say he had 10K to work with!

Why buy 2-3 times? That's what I would get since I know you can't go wrong with HIGH end speakers and Amps.... Tho, I don't have 10K to work with so........... I would get a nice Onkyo Amp, I'd still splurge on the ACI Sapphires for the front. (I already have them and I love em...) Some cheaper speakers for the rear... And a 15" sub maybe from dayton partsexpress for a 800 bucks... Get it all on sale for under 2000 bucks for sure.... Then go with a Sharp DLP HD projector for about 800.00 throw in 2 really nice recliners 800 bucks, and a couple of love seats form a garage sale or something! Ch-Ching under 4K a rocking kick ass HT setup! hahaha

 

[mshan]

OP sounds like a newbie who doesn't really know what he wants.

Instead of blowing the whole $10000 budget at once and potentially being unhappy, why not start out with more modest but quality components, live with them for a while, find out for himself exactly what he wants out of his home theater system, then upgrade later.

If he bought quality budget components to start with, they should still have good resale value.

EDIT: would agree with ericlp that $3500 budget for everything (no screen) could take you surprisingly far if you chose well balanced and quality components. I've got an Infocus 4805 480i projector projecting an 120 inch diagonal image on a wall and it's surprisingly satisfying. I just use a Marantz SR4500 AVR and Acoustic Research HC6 speakers it and I enjoy it very much. I'd eventually like to get a 720p projector, but I live in a duplex condo so I really can't have a wall rattling sound system. I do see a 118 inch Carada Precision brilliant white fixed screen in the future, though.

 

[ericlp]

Well, I am not going to argue with you... he asked for advice and I think I gave him the best advice as it's exactly what I'd do if I had 10K.

 

[mshan]

When I got into 2 channel audio many years ago, I wasted lots of money (i.e. thousands and thousands of dollars) chasing the best reviewed individual components at the time.

I would listen to a few select audiophile recordings, then turn the system off because it wasn't musically involving.

After many years, I've settled upon a very musically satisfying system (Merlin VSM-SE speakers with Joule-Electra amplification (LA-100 Mk. 3 preamp and Stargate monoblocks) and Cardas / Luminous Audio wiring), but I went through many expensive components that were nothing more than audio candy. Looking back, I think it would have been wiser to go to an audio dealer I trust and have just bought a well balanced entry level system initially, lived with it for many years, then upgrade later as I have defined for myself exactly what I want out of an audio system). I would have enjoyed my system from the outset, saved lots of money, and, with time, find for myself exactly what I wanted out of an audio system.

We're all kind of imposing our own personal tastes on his system, but he hasn't even described basics like is the primary use viewing dvds, viewing hdtv, and is the sound system purely for home theater sounds tracks, or does it need to serve double duty as a music system too.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: mshan
OP sounds like a newbie who doesn't really know what he wants.

Instead of blowing the whole $10000 budget at once and potentially being unhappy, why not start out with more modest but quality components, live with them for a while, find out for himself exactly what he wants out of his home theater system, then upgrade later.

If he bought quality budget components to start with, they should still have good resale value.

EDIT: would agree with ericlp that $3500 budget for everything (no screen) could take you surprisingly far if you chose well balanced and quality components. I've got an Infocus 4805 480i projector projecting an 120 inch diagonal image on a wall and it's surprisingly satisfying. I just use a Marantz SR4500 AVR and Acoustic Research HC6 speakers it and I enjoy it very much. I'd eventually like to get a 720p projector, but I live in a duplex condo so I really can't have a wall rattling sound system. I do see a 118 inch Carada Precision brilliant white fixed screen in the future, though.

I had a 4805 (it's 480p) and then moved up to a 720p 3-LCD unit. The difference was pretty dramatic.

Unless your budget is quite low, I don't think there's any reason to go with anything besides a 1080p projector now.

Quick little read from ProjectorCentral
http://www.projectorcentral.co..._projectors_prices.htm

Prices on nice 1080p projectors are ridiculously cheap now compared to a few years ago.

With Blu-Ray being mentioned in the OP as well as a really nice budget, I feel quite strongly that a 1080p front projector would be a great way to go.

 

[ericlp]

I disagree I think we should start him out on a 9" b/w tube... 50 bucks @ wal mart.... let him refine it to his needs ... he can live with this for many years then.... when he has figured out what he wants he can buy it! hehehe


Just kidding obviously ... Yeah, everything has come down in price these days... Except for speakers and amps. WHY is that. Actually, the new ICE amps are going dirt cheap (can be) and sound incredible (so I am told) I suppose once they hammer out all the issues and make a decent 7 channel Ice Amp for under a grand... Then maybe that will set the cheap new standards of Amps....

I do know where you are coming from Mshan, but, I have gone that route as I have not been able to pony up that kind of cash. Could always go the used audio place http://www.audiogon.com/ and buy stuff their for over half off of asking prices.... I guess I was always happy with what I had to work with... Once I bought some speakers from the good will cause the looked cool (they were some old school bookshelf speakers) I can't remember what brand. Had some silk dome tweeters were in excellent condition. I took out the mid range drivers and replaced em with some very nice ones from parts express. Anyway, I loved those speakers cost me about 50 bucks after the mods... Moved and I sold them in a garage sale for 50 cents I think. Oh well... One man's junk is another man's treasure!

I wouldn't spend over 50 bucks for speaker cable ... I guess I am a firm believer in Pure Copper cables decent 12-14Gauge Lamp Cord ... I'll take any day!!! Thanks!



Too each their own! If it makes you happy and you love the sound that is what counts... Who cares what others think it's only what "YOU" think.... I've seen/heard some pretty herendus setups... but I am not going to tell someone that the system sucks unless he/she asked....

 

[IntrinsicValue]

Slicksnake:
- I?ll check those speakers out, thanks.

mshan:
- I don?t know which projector ? I was wanting a 1080p.
- The primary use will be DVD?s or Blu-Ray. The only TV I?ll watch on it is sporting events.
- I?m not into ?wall-rattling? actually ? I prefer accurate clean sound at whatever volume it?s being played at.
- Yes I am a newbie, but am trying to do as much research as possible so I?m not just wasting money. There are certain things I don?t want to have to update regularly ? such as 1. the speakers, 2. the amps, and 3. the seating. On the other hand, receivers and projectors will likely be upgraded every few years. So I do agree that perhaps I should spend less money on those items, but for the items that I don?t want to upgrade a lot, I?m thinking I should get quality components now for those areas. What do you think?

YOyo and DisgruntledVirus:
- Thanks for the advice on how to audition speakers. Sounds like I have a lot of work ahead of me.
- I want to be able to ?switch? between speaker sets because my basement will have two sets of speakers ? one set in the mini-theater, and another around the entire basement. But I didn?t want to have to buy components for both sets since they?ll be on the same floor/level.
- This was going to be a separate thread but since it was brought up, check out my basement diagrams here. I want the mini-theater in that smallish area, then I want a separate music-playing sound system for the perimeter of the actual basement.
- I looked at the masking pictures, great job. However isn?t there a way to have the screen automatically mask (without having to manually do it between different aspect ratios)?

ericlp:
- Yes the seating is actually a different budget (not part of the $10K). I found out how ridiculously priced seating is on my first inquiry to fortresseating.com. Their exact quote: ?All of our pricing is standardized across the board, so a standard leather recliner starts at $3000 per seat?. Um, ouch.
- See my last response to mshan (above).

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

There are indeed auto-masking systems that you can control with a remote or something... and if you're doing a 2.35:1 constant image height setup, you'll only need masking on the sides rather than the top and bottom. The remote controlled setups tend to be quite expensive though, but it would certainly be a cool feature to have.

Looking at your diagram, it seems like the screen is taking up virtually that whole entire wall. Where are the speakers going?

For the rest of the basement, pretty much all decent receivers now are going to have "zone 2" or even "zone 3" capability giving you the option to have 5.1 in one area and 2.0/2.1 in another.
You may even be able to do 7.1 + 2.0/2.1 as well depending on the model.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: IntrinsicValue
Slicksnake:
- I?ll check those speakers out, thanks.

mshan:
- I don?t know which projector ? I was wanting a 1080p.
- The primary use will be DVD?s or Blu-Ray. The only TV I?ll watch on it is sporting events.
- I?m not into ?wall-rattling? actually ? I prefer accurate clean sound at whatever volume it?s being played at.
- Yes I am a newbie, but am trying to do as much research as possible so I?m not just wasting money. There are certain things I don?t want to have to update regularly ? such as 1. the speakers, 2. the amps, and 3. the seating. On the other hand, receivers and projectors will likely be upgraded every few years. So I do agree that perhaps I should spend less money on those items, but for the items that I don?t want to upgrade a lot, I?m thinking I should get quality components now for those areas. What do you think?

YOyo and DisgruntledVirus:
- Thanks for the advice on how to audition speakers. Sounds like I have a lot of work ahead of me.
- I want to be able to ?switch? between speaker sets because my basement will have two sets of speakers ? one set in the mini-theater, and another around the entire basement. But I didn?t want to have to buy components for both sets since they?ll be on the same floor/level.
- This was going to be a separate thread but since it was brought up, check out my basement diagrams here. I want the mini-theater in that smallish area, then I want a separate music-playing sound system for the perimeter of the actual basement.
- I looked at the masking pictures, great job. However isn?t there a way to have the screen automatically mask (without having to manually do it between different aspect ratios)?

ericlp:
- Yes the seating is actually a different budget (not part of the $10K). I found out how ridiculously priced seating is on my first inquiry to fortresseating.com. Their exact quote: ?All of our pricing is standardized across the board, so a standard leather recliner starts at $3000 per seat?. Um, ouch.
- See my last response to mshan (above).

As some others have said go with 1080p. The prices have come down to realistic levels and you can pick up some pretty decent ones at ~$1500 so no reason to skimp on the projector. Especially since you said you would be upgrading that every few years then that tells me that you are not doing a one time investment and expect it to last you for a lot of years. You sound like you want to keep current with the projector and receiver/pre-pro so get 1080p, but scale that budget back as you can spend more on more static parts of the setup like speakers.

"Wall rattling" sound levels IMO actually hurts speakers and I avoid it at all costs. I don't know how your house is setup, but a 15 in sub is going to move some air. If it is not very well setup at semi-loud volumes it will cause a decent amount of vibrations which cause rattles and such. I would spend the most on the speakers other then the sub, and get a quality sub but of a smaller size like 10-12 inch. I prefer to not have massive bass though, so take that with a grain of salt.

Visit http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ , and spend lots and lots of time there. You will learn many things, but be warned if you post some people on those forums can be a$$hats. The majority are not, but there will be a few (as most forums) that go "search the forum and stop asking questions that have been asked a thousand times". The people there really know their stuff though and you can learn all sorts of information. Once you narrow down each part of the system, check on AVS and see if they have an owners thread on it and read it from first post to last. If you are going to upgrade the pre-pro/receiver and projector every few years then IMO you should spend 1/2 or more on speakers, amp(s), and screen (since you stated seating is a different budget) and that?s the order I would go in for importance.

Auditioning can be exhausting, but in the end you will be glad you did. Also go to as many stores as you can to audition, as they will all be setup differently. Compare the same speakers at each to get an idea of how they sound in different environments (the walls, furniture, flooring, different speaker heights and distances away, etc). This way you can get more of a feel for the speaker and not artificial aspects to the sound resulting from the environment. One last thing about auditioning, I personally like to have a notebook with me so I can write down things I notice about each speaker. It makes it easier to remember what you liked/disliked about each a few days later.

As for switching are you planning on having a lot of speakers throughout the basement and being able to turn some off for when you want to watch a movie/tv or is it more of two different "sets" of speakers? If you want to just turn some off, then I would most likely just have a separate amp for the speakers I want to turn on/off and turn the amp itself off. I would avoid a "switching" method if possible though. The other option would be using a receivers different "zones" to setup your HT area then have other zones you can turn on if you want. I don't know if it is possible on the receiver to add a zone to your normal setup though. From your post it sounds as if you want two "zones" one for HT and a second for just music, but they won't both be on at the same time. If that is the case then I would just setup my HT as zone 1, and the rest of it as zone 2. If the zone 2 stuff is more just for some background music then I would honestly just pick up some cheaper in walls for it, because it will just be background music and not meant for the really loud listening. If you want to listen to loud music you could just go to the HT setup which is where I would drop most of speaker money.

Check out AVS for the auto masking, as I don't think there is a way to automatically do it based on the source (for it to detect and adjust itself), but you could just as easily get a switch and have it on a motorized system so you just switch it yourself. Also would be cheaper I would think, but AVS should be able to give you better answers.

Check out Berkline seating, they have a little less expensive seating that is very high quality also. They run $1200/seat depending on fabric/leather and style. They are very comfortable though and I have seen many people on AVS go with them. One of the guys on there bought 7 reclining seats for $600/seat if I remember correctly for top grain leather and custom colors (Sandman[X] thread if I remember right). You can get some good HT seats for a not so stratospheric price if you look around enough.

 

[mshan]

Looking at your basement diagrams, I think screen should cover most, but not all of that wall (it looks overpowering and cramped right now). Perhaps a couple inches of exposed walls all around will still allow for cinematic viewing (at appropriate viewing distance), yet not seem so overpowering:
http://public.e-critical.net/design/View2.jpg

I think you should be focusing on projector before all of this audio stuff. Get it into your home and project content onto the barewall so you can see what screen size looks right to you, what is proper image height for you, and even how bright a projected image seems right for your eyes.

You could get an Oppo 981HD dvd player and even something as cheap as Logitech Z-5500 speakers ($170 after rebate at Buy.com) just to get a system up and running and get a better feel for what you want. When you decide on home theater sound, just sell the Z-5500 for modest loss.

To me, projector and screen are core components, then you can build around those over time as you better define for yourself what you like or dislike in a home theater system. You've got plenty of space, so if you also want a music system, I think it would be smarter to purchase a totally separate 2 channel system (speakers and integrated amp or separates) and place it in another part of basement. Home theater sound tracks can sound quite good even on very entry level systems, but it gets very expensive to make one system sound good for both music and movies.

Dedicated home theater seating, imo, would also be a finishing touch. Perhaps just put a spare sofa in desired viewing area for now? Carpeting and wall paint / curtains that approximate a movie theater (sound and light absorbing) might be a good bang for the investment choice before you add in final sofas.

http://www.projectorcentral.com

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Are you going to just use white paint for the wall you'll be projecting on or are you going to use projector paint?

http://www.bigpicturebigsound....ojector-screen-1.shtml

I did home theater installations for about 3 months and one family bought some old theater seats from a place that went out of business on ebay. It was pretty neat the way they set it up. There was lights down the sides of the steps like you would see in the theater. I might have some pics somewhere.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: mshan
Looking at your basement diagrams, I think screen should cover most, but not all of that wall (it looks overpowering and cramped right now). Perhaps a couple inches of exposed walls all around will still allow for cinematic viewing (at appropriate viewing distance), yet not seem so overpowering:
http://public.e-critical.net/design/View2.jpg

I think you should be focusing on projector before all of this audio stuff. Get it into your home and project content onto the barewall so you can see what screen size looks right to you, what is proper image height for you, and even how bright a projected image seems right for your eyes.

You could get an Oppo 981HD dvd player and even something as cheap as Logitech Z-5500 speakers ($170 after rebate at Buy.com) just to get a system up and running and get a better feel for what you want. When you decide on home theater sound, just sell the Z-5500 for modest loss.

To me, projector and screen are core components, then you can build around those over time as you better define for yourself what you like or dislike in a home theater system. You've got plenty of space, so if you also want a music system, I think it would be smarter to purchase a totally separate 2 channel system (speakers and integrated amp or separates) and place it in another part of basement. Home theater sound tracks can sound quite good even on very entry level systems, but it gets very expensive to make one system sound good for both music and movies.

Dedicated home theater seating, imo, would also be a finishing touch. Perhaps just put a spare sofa in desired viewing area for now? Carpeting and wall paint / curtains that approximate a movie theater (sound and light absorbing) might be a good bang for the investment choice before you add in final sofas.

http://www.projectorcentral.com

He does bring up another good route to go. It all depends on how you want to build it though. You can get the room finished, projector, screen, etc and as he said some z-5500's to get a feel for what characteristics the room itself has before investing in the audio portion. It is up to you though if you want to buy it all at once and set it up at the same time or if you want to slowly build it up over time. Each way has pros/cons. Slowly building it will give you a better system in the end most likely, but you will spend more time and most likely more money (buying the z-5500s for example).

The other major upside I see to doing mshan is suggesting is that you can buy the audio equip except for the speakers and set all of that up how you want it. Then once you narrow down your speaker choices, try and find a dealer that will let you do an in home listening to them. This way you can see what sounds the best with your setup and not the stores. That way you know for sure what to expect when you buy them. It can be difficult to find a dealer that will do this however.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: ericlp
Dunno, I have to say Audio is the bomb in any system.... I think audio makes the HT experience

I definitely agree with you there. When I have to suffer through watching SD TV channels, the poor audio quality disrupts the experience as much as the poor video quality. When we switch to an HD channel with DD5.1, the experience is much richer and more enjoyable.

And that's with a $700 5.1 setup. I couldn't imagine the difference with a higher end setup (which I will hopefully be able to get within the next year or so).