Projector, Receiver, Speakers, Remote...All things we can see, hear, touch, test before building our theaters. What about room acoustics? I hope to begin construction in two weeks and tonight doubts about room construction. I'm positive how all the equipment will fit together but have no idea if my idea for room construction will work. How were you able to have as much confidence in your room construction as the receiver/speaker, projector/screen combination you chose? Thanks for your response.

Research. ;)

Go to your local library and get a good book on acoustics.

Acoustics is not a simple yes no answer it gets really deep into math. But there are several rules you can follow to get good results. Have a look on the internet, or if you would rather not gamble contact Dennis, Terry M., or Bpape for a set of plans.

To me, this really depends on how serious your home theater is. Good speakers and an auto configuring receiver can make up for a lot of acoustical problems.

In a normal room, I think that heavily detailing acustics will help you get the "last 10%" out of your setup.

To me, this really depends on how serious your home theater is. Good speakers and an auto configuring receiver can make up for a lot of acoustical problems.

In a normal room, I think that heavily detailing acustics will help you get the "last 10%" out of your setup.I respectfully disagree. I don't think you have to be "serious" to do some basic things right. And you're not getting the "last 10%", its more like the "first 75%". A fantastic set of speakers with a top-end auto-configuring receiver will still sound like crap in a room that has signficant acoustic problems, and most small rooms that Home Theaters tend to reside in have serious acoustical problems. Treating first reflection points and adding some kind of bass trapping will do far more for the sound than buying top-end equipment. I would put things in this order of importance when deciding how to spend money on a HT system:

1. Room acoustic treatments
2. Speakers
3. Amplification
4. Sources / processing

Unfortunately, a lot of people get this precisely backwards and eliminate #1
I see this time and again with people I talk to about HT

I agree with Strange. It is at least a 75% figure, maybe more. We're talking sound treatment not soundproofing just to clarify. I always am impressed with my theater, and I did all the treatments (DE spec theater). Please don't push treatments to the back of the bus. You'll be glad you didn't.

And you're not getting the "last 10%", its more like the "first 75%".

Agreed 100 percent - room acoustics account for much more of what you hear than any component, including speakers in most cases. And having good acoustics does not require a learning curve unless someone needs to DIY to do it as cheaply as possible. Good acoustic treatment vendors give free consulting on all aspects of room acoustics, including design and shape in most cases.

--Ethan

Auto-correcting/room correction/Audyssey are a bunch of bs imo.

They are like playing basketball in a carpeted gym and trying to compensate by altering the ball instead of fixing what is really wrong.

Well there ya' go. I'll have to read up a little bit more on acustic design before closing in my theater walls.

Well there ya' go. I'll have to read up a little bit more on acustic design before closing in my theater walls.

Good idea but the acoustics treatments are going to be ON the walls not, for the most part, in them. that is where the difference between sound control, and acoustic treatment comes in.

And it is one of the most important part of the theater design.

If you're in the design phase, besides doing your research, post some questions in some other related threads (why did you do it that way, whats the benefit of this, etc). At the same time, start a thread with your thoughts and ideas, takes some pictures and post them (we like pictures), then ask a bunch of questions, sit back and absorb the replies. It'll lead to more questions, more answers (and more money spent - but spent wisely).

Bud

.....sit back and absorb the replies. It'll lead to more questions, more answers (and more money spent - but spent wisely).

Bud

Just be sure you are sitting at a first reflection point before you do so :D

You can always DIY some Owens Corning 703 pannles...

http://www.atsacoustics.com/item--Owens-Corning-703-Case-of-6--1004.html

This is about one of the easy projects.

Here are some finished pannles.
http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/~jsmith/ht/703-panels.html

After building my Theater, I wish it was the #1 thing that I considered BEFORE doing anything. Unfortunately, it was the last (like many others before me) and corrected most of it with wall-mounted surface bass traps. Did it solve MOST of my problems, YES. Are they nice to look at , absolutely NOT! Start with plans!