bmcent1
10-07-08, 08:07 PM
Hi all -
I've spent a good bit of time in the Home Theater Construction forum but this is my first post here.
Looking for some suggestions in an area that is completely new to me. I'm finishing my entire basement. I have the theater room figured out. But the rest of the basement is the big question mark in terms of where to place speakers, what components are needed, and wiring.
Here is a link to a simple floor plan:
http://highdpi.com/other-ht/Floorplan-Basement-simple.pdf
The room at the top right is the theater room, there are some walls built to close it in that don't show up on the plan. The long room at the top of the drawing is a photography studio, this is the most imporant area to have good sound in. The room below it on the left is an office, and I plan to play the music loud there too while working sometimes. There will be a bathroom in the lower right corner, and a hall running along the right hand side of the stairs.
I'd like to have plenty of volume and good sound in the studio and office for stereo music as needed. I'm also considering piping quieter sound into the bathroom, and whether I want any speakers in the ceiling or walls for the hallway.
I don't want to have speakers on stands or on bookshelves because I don't want them to get knocked over and I don't have a lot of shelving planned.
Are in-wall better than in-ceiling for sound imaging?
Since I'm at studs now, is there special framing I should do for inwall speakers?
Speaker height generally best around ear level and can that be standing ear level for a room were people would be standing more than they are sitting?
For a long room, is it typical to put 4 or 6 speakers along two long walls for a stereo output?
Would you wire this as 2, 3, or 4 zones?
I'm planning on locating the equipment in a built in rack under the stairs. I will probably place the receiver open to the studio so people can bring an ipod and dock it. But I will also make sure there is a connection from the PC in the office to the receiver so iTunes, etc can be used as an input.
Grateful for any advice, warnings, etc :) Also, suggestions on good in-wall speakers much appreciated. I said "good" not "great" since I figure I will be buying a number of these and have a budget of $1000-$2000 (preferably much closer to the low end) for all the speakers.
I've spent a good bit of time in the Home Theater Construction forum but this is my first post here.
Looking for some suggestions in an area that is completely new to me. I'm finishing my entire basement. I have the theater room figured out. But the rest of the basement is the big question mark in terms of where to place speakers, what components are needed, and wiring.
Here is a link to a simple floor plan:
http://highdpi.com/other-ht/Floorplan-Basement-simple.pdf
The room at the top right is the theater room, there are some walls built to close it in that don't show up on the plan. The long room at the top of the drawing is a photography studio, this is the most imporant area to have good sound in. The room below it on the left is an office, and I plan to play the music loud there too while working sometimes. There will be a bathroom in the lower right corner, and a hall running along the right hand side of the stairs.
I'd like to have plenty of volume and good sound in the studio and office for stereo music as needed. I'm also considering piping quieter sound into the bathroom, and whether I want any speakers in the ceiling or walls for the hallway.
I don't want to have speakers on stands or on bookshelves because I don't want them to get knocked over and I don't have a lot of shelving planned.
Are in-wall better than in-ceiling for sound imaging?
Since I'm at studs now, is there special framing I should do for inwall speakers?
Speaker height generally best around ear level and can that be standing ear level for a room were people would be standing more than they are sitting?
For a long room, is it typical to put 4 or 6 speakers along two long walls for a stereo output?
Would you wire this as 2, 3, or 4 zones?
I'm planning on locating the equipment in a built in rack under the stairs. I will probably place the receiver open to the studio so people can bring an ipod and dock it. But I will also make sure there is a connection from the PC in the office to the receiver so iTunes, etc can be used as an input.
Grateful for any advice, warnings, etc :) Also, suggestions on good in-wall speakers much appreciated. I said "good" not "great" since I figure I will be buying a number of these and have a budget of $1000-$2000 (preferably much closer to the low end) for all the speakers.