wow, what can i say. i have been a 2 channel audiophile for years but have been planning my dedicated theater for over 3 years. i finally designed and built my home where i was able to design everything from the ground up. hence, my dedicated theater could finally take place.


Equipment

Klipsch KL-650-THX Ultra 2 Speakers (LCR)
Klipsch KS-7800-THX (Surrounds)
SVS PB12-Plus Subwoofer
SVS PC12-Plus Subwoofer
Anthem MRX500 Reciever
Anthem MCA30 Amplifier
Denon DVP-602ci Scaler
Oppo BD-83 Bluray
Scientific Atlanta 8300HD PVR
JVC RS35 Projector
Seymour AV Center Stage XD Screen



this post will be updated with equipment, setup and final pics after everything is complete.

Basics

this room will be constructed in the basement of my home, with 3 exterior walls, and 1 interior wall. my goal is to make it as quiet (soundproof) as possible within reason. i have not set a budget on the construction portion, although i am trying to save as much money as i can so i can splurge on a nice projector. my priorities are to make everything as concealed as possible, and be more on the contemporary modern side. i am going for a sleek look, with all the components hidden from view.

Equipment Closet

as mentioned, all the speakers, pj, etc. in the theater room will be hidden behind false walls, AT screen, etc. the speakers i have decided on at the moment are klipsch 650-thx lcr's with matching surrounds. the actual equipment is located in the small space underneath my stairs. it will have a door for access, as well as kitchen cabinet style doors accessible from the kitchen when loading dvd's, etc. from the kitchen, it will look like a pantry, but when you open the doors it will reveal the components as well as dvd storage.

Acoustics

as already mentioned, my goal is to keep sound inside as much as possible, while at the same time keeping outside sounds out of the theater as well. i will insulate all walls and ceiling with pink insulation as the first line of defense. a new, independant ceiling will be constructed, apart from the main floor joists above. this air void will be filled as much as i can with insulation. the entire theater will be double drywalled with green glue in between the 5/8" layers. if i decide on building a soffit around the room, i will install it after drywall. the front wall will also have acoustic treatments from top to bottom, including bass traps, all covered by a false wall with black gom fabric. the speakers will be installed behind an AT, and the surrounds hidden with the columns.

HVAC

this area is still up in the air, i have 3 rough-in supplies at the moment that i may end up keeping, although they are 2 at the rear of the room (near the seating), and 1 at the front. if i keep these the way they are, the 2 at the rear will be mounted close to the floor, 1 on either side of the 2nd row seating, and the front one will be a high wall close to the stage. the returns i have not decided on location yet but will consult my HVAC guy in the next week as to where he thinks the best placement would be. im thinking of 2 returns, 1 high and 1 low, but we'll see what he suggests.


here is a pic of the basement layout.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Layout.jpg

in regards to colors, im thinking of sticking with a grey palette. i would like to keep it as close to a bat cave as possible to improve pj contrast and brightness, but at the same time, it can't be too sterile and uninviting. my goal is to make it as sleek as possible within the grey color palette, unless i change ideas on the color scheme as time progresses.

here is a couple quick sketchups of the proposed theater.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/3D-1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/3D-2.jpg

some pics of the exterior wall framing complete with insulwrap.

FRONT
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/1.jpg

FRONT CLOSEUP
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/3.jpg

BACK
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/2.jpg

PROJECTOR CLOSET
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/4.jpg

PROJECTOR FAN/VENT
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/5.jpg

WALLS 1/2" SHORT FROM EXISTING FLOOR JOISTS
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/6.jpg

i've ordered dc04 clips to attach the walls to the existing floor joists. a relatively cheap tweak that should prevent sound transmission.

this coming week, the framing and hvac will be completed, and possibly most of the hv electrical. i will be doing all the lv stuff and video cables the following week. need to start ordering the cables, just have to measure the exact lengths needed.

finished framing and new independant ceiling.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/7.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/9.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/10.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/11.jpg

some pics of the staggered wall and double wall construction of the front wall (disregard the 1x2 wood attached... it was for screen size reference and will be removed).

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/12.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/15.jpg





these are the equipment room pics located under the stairs. there will be a door at the side for access, accessible from the hallway.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/14.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/16.jpg

so as we stand, the framing is now complete, and the electrical is close. all the low voltage and speaker cables will be done as soon as the items arrive in the mail. i am going to build a projector hush box out of mdf and cut out some vent grills to help get air in, since i already have a fan to vent the hot air out. also waiting for dc04 clips to arrive to make the ceiling a hair sturdier and attach the partition walls to the existing floor joists.

fully insulated room prior to drywall.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Insulation1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Insulation3.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Insulation2.jpg



and of course, the first layer of drywall.


FRONT
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/DrywallFront.jpg


SUB CAVITY
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/DrywallSubCavity.jpg


RAER (notice the pj hush box installed)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/DrywallRear.jpg

here are some closeups of the pj box. i wish i had taken pics of it during construction, but i built it super late one night as the drywall guys were coming in the morning to do the first layer.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/PJBox.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/PJFan.jpg

as stated earlier, i designed the box to have a fan with an attic fan thermostat attached to vent out hot aire to the outside of the house. i will need to make some grills vents for the air to circulate inside. also need to build a faceplate for the box for access and the grills will be cut on each side of it. im thinking MDF will be the easiest to do, but haven't really thought about it enough yet since its a ways away.

and outside the theater we have the equipment closet with wiring hanging loosely.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/EquipmentCloset.jpg


whole house music wiring and keypad, doorbell, etc. drops for the russound mca-c5 controller.
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/WholeHouseMusicWiring.jpg


lutron light keypad on bottom, and russound keypad rough-in on top
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/BasementRussound.jpg

here is some structured wiring eye-candy!!!

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/StructuredWiringPanels.jpg


wire acess to each panel for future runs (so i don't need to tear up drywall)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/PanelLoops.jpg


these were made to run the power cables to nearby outlet, as well as for battery backup plug in. the panels are too small to fit any of the battery backup units im looking at, and i want the router, switches and modem to always have power.
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/PanelPower.jpg


lutron homeworks whole home lighting control panel
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/LutronPanel.jpg


and finally, the very messy electrical closet (other side of structured wiring panels). note that i need to install 2 subpanels (1 for the lights, and 1 for the theater/music stuff).
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/ElectricalRoom2.jpg

so as it stands, this weekend i need to caulk/seal all the joints in the theater and outside adjoining walls with acoustical sealent. once that dries sufficiently, i will have the second layer of drywall installed with green glue in between. i've tried really hard to keep this room as airtight as possible, especially in the design process and thanks so much to everyone who have helped with my many "soundproofing" questions.


*edit* i just realized that i didn't run a cable for the pj ir back to the equipment closet. crap. i did run an ir cable (cat6) from the equipment closet to the front of the theater which will have a sensor. i would like to go rf in either case.

so.... if the pj is hidden in that box, is there no other way to control it other than running an ir cable? if thats the last resort, can it be done with cat3?

so ass it stands, this weekend i need to caulk/seal all the joints in the theater and outside adjoining walls with acoustical sealent. once that dries sufficiently, i will have the second layer of drywall installed with green glue in between. i've tried really hard to keep this room as airtight as possible, especially in the design process and thanks so much to everyone who have helped with my many "soundproofing" questions.


*edit* i just realized that i didn't run a cable for the pj ir back to the equipment closet. crap. i did run an ir cable (cat6) from the equipment closet to the front of the theater which will have a sensor. i would like to go rf in either case.

so.... if the pj is hidden in that box, is there no other way to control it other than running an ir cable? if thats the last resort, can it be done with cat3?
Cat 3 should work fine. All you need is a pair of wires.

Looking good by the way!

Subscribed once I saw the Homeworks wiring. Looks to be a nice build; and keep the pics coming!

thanks for the kind comments thus far. i forgot to mention that i did all the wiring myself, and let me tell you it took a lot longer than any other home i have wired. im pretty psyched about the lutron and hai as well since its the first time i will be doing anything of this sort.

You'll love the homeworks system components. It's a great system and always upgradable. Which system are you installing?

Wow, very impressive wiring job. Looking forward to seeing this room progress. Are you planning on having a seperate 2 channel listening room?

Subscribed

Looks good. I might borrow your idea for the inwall hushbox as my size challenged room could use a few more inches of throw. I'll look forward to seeing how you finish it.

You'll love the homeworks system components. It's a great system and always upgradable. Which system are you installing?

thanks, im pretty psyched about the system. it is going to be the homeworks 4 system with 8 wallbox power modules installed next to the panel which will control 95% of the loads in the house. by going this route, i have a single keypad in each room that can control everything. the closets and baths will use maestro switches tied in with the processor.

Wow, very impressive wiring job. Looking forward to seeing this room progress. Are you planning on having a seperate 2 channel listening room?

Subscribed

yup, my office will have my 2 channel rig setup, with the components also in the equipment closet. my 2 channel rig consists of monoblock tube amps, pre, usb dac and music server.

Have you seen the new Homeworks Wireless?

Have you seen the new Homeworks Wireless?

no i haven't but i have heard from the automation forum that it supposed to be amazing. im still reluctant on using wireless, but lutron would, imo, be the one to do it right.

heres a few pics of the room completely sealed with acoustical caulk from "the green glue company". (its actually brown in color to avoid confusion).

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/AcousticalCaulk.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/AcousticalCaulk2.jpg

outside wall
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/AcousticalCaulk3.jpg



and finally, the rooms second layer of drywall with 2 tubes green glue per sheet both inside the theater and out.
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/DD2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/DD.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/DDProfile.jpg

equipment closet (opening on the right will have a pullout drawer that will house the dvd collection)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/EquipmentCloset2.jpg


my office, which will have my 2 channel audio gear (note the cutout for my a/v stuff)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Office2.jpg

Wow, two layers of DD+GG on both sides. You'll be able to crank it up as loud as your equipment can handle :eek:!

It looks like you're doing things the right way! Looks great so far.

Just remember, getting drywall up is about 1/2 way. :D

Looks great! I will be following this till the end! Also very interested in the lutron setup.

Thats a hell of a lot of wires...I hope they are labeled.

What is your ceiling height. in the early pics it looks ultra high. Very nice thing to have.

Thats a hell of a lot of wires...I hope they are labeled.

What is your ceiling height. in the early pics it looks ultra high. Very nice thing to have.

basement is 9' high, theater is just over 8'. i did manage to label everything, although the labels seems to not be sticking very well. i need to go and tighten them every week or so, so they don't fall off. should be okay until i organize them in the rack.

I like to wrap a piece of masking tape around my wires to use as labels...easy to write on, too.

Got an update for us?

im just waiting for the taper to finish sanding and then i can prime the room and start building the stage and riser. next week i should have some pics up of the room and starting of the stage/riser.

well, after some delays (not construction... camera died), i finally picked up another camera to take pics of my progress. today, i received my seymour a/v screen AT material at 126" 16:9. i will soon order a screen track system from a local steel shop that will work nicely with the screen. also picked up my speakers today (can you tell its been a good day!!:D) from my dealer. they are as follows:

3 klipsch kl-650 thx (LCR)
4 klipsch ks-7800 thx (surround inwalls)

i have yet to unpack anything but will post pics soon. in regards to room construction, the room has been sanded, primed and i have built both the stage and riser. all that is left to do to complete these items is sheet the riser with plywood, fill the stage with sand, add a curve to the front of it, and then double sheet it. im hoping to have the riser finished in the next few days but the sand thing is really holding me back. i just dread having to take down the stairs 2 skids worth of sand.

also picked up my speakers today (can you tell its been a good day!!:D) from my dealer. they are as follows:

3 klipsch kl-650 thx (LCR)
4 klipsch ks-7800 thx (surround inwalls)

Cool! I'm curious to read about your impressions - that is the same setup I'm planning. Now fire up that camera and post some pics for the masses ;)

here are some pics of the riser (prior to sheeting).
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Riser1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Riser2.jpg

step closeup
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Step.jpg


stage with completed curve
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Stage1.jpg


Sub Cavity
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/SubCavity.jpg

here are some details. the riser was constructed using 2x12's at 16" OC. screwed at a few spots to concrete and filled with 2 layers of R20 insulation.

the stage was made in 2 parts and built using 2x6's at 12" OC. the entire stage will be filled with sand, except for the curve portion which has insulation only. the curve took a bit of trial and error, but i made the curve using 2 layers of 3/8" ply wood, bent to shape and then cut 2x6 pieces as reinforcement. overall, i think it looks pretty nice and i am going to build a matching bulkhead.

tonight, i finished sheeting the riser completely. i also had all the MDF pieces for the columns cut (at home depot -- only cost me $5) but saved me a lot of work and the cuts are perfect. i assembled 1 column completely and plan to do a few more tomorrow. i have 6 total to build, plus build backer boxes for the klipsch inwall thx speakers that will reside in the columns. once that is complete, i am going to have a cabinet maker veneer and paint them. these will be the only finished wood grain pieces in the theater but the stain will be in the grey family which should blend very well with the rest of the grey/black theme. pics to follow!!

Looking very nice. What is that little recess to the right of the stage for?

Edit: Damm it, I need to learn how to read. It is the sub cavity.
Will that cause any acoustic problems?

Oh man, this is looking great. Where in Canada do you live, I want to come over. In fact are you renting any rooms? I don't drink, smoke or party :D lol.

Looking very nice. What is that little recess to the right of the stage for?

Edit: Damm it, I need to learn how to read. It is the sub cavity.
Will that cause any acoustic problems?


im really not sure yet, but that entire cavity will be filled with acoustical treatment from top to bottom. originally i had designed that area to house a massive 4 driver sub array that would end up making that area ideal for the massive sub box. now, i think im going to go with a ported 1 or 2 driver box (which will still be very big).

Oh man, this is looking great. Where in Canada do you live, I want to come over. In fact are you renting any rooms? I don't drink, smoke or party :D lol.


im in toronto. holler when your in town and i'll sneak you in ..... front row!!:D

here is the stage filled with sand. this was a very tedious process but im glad i did it.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/StageSand.jpg


i ordered fabricmate panel tracks for the lower portion of the acoustical panels on the wall, but i am in need of some advice as to what to do with the rear pj box. as shown in the 2nd post of this thread (sketchup pic), my theater will have acoustic panels on the bottom half of the wall, covered in black fabric. the upper portion of the wall will have wallpaper. so im looking for opinions as to how to best cover the pj "access hatch" for it to be least noticeable. unfortunately, the box is not dead center to the room but slightly to the right. only thing i can think of is to do something different for the back wall, but im lost on ideas.

can anyone help?

i have managed to finish the stage sheeting and bullnose. basically, i did 3/4" plywood as a first layer, followed by another layer of 3/8" with green glue in between. the stage feels very solid when you walk on it. i also managed to build the stage bulkhead to match its shape, although i built the bulkhead about 3' deep as opposed to the stage which is 4' deep. you can see it in the pics and i think it adds a little character to the front wall as it is slightly offset and not directly on top.

Screen Wall
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/StageFrame.jpg

Bulkhead
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/StageBulkhead.jpg

Stage Bullnose
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/StageBullnose.jpg

Very nice. I like the way you replicated the curve from the stage in the bulkhead. Have you considered colors yet?

im sticking with the grey palette with black fabric. the top portion of the walls will be wallpaper. look at my first posts and see the sketchup i did of the room with the proposed colr scheme.

Riser Step Bullnose
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/RiserStep.jpg

Anthony.. Nice job on the stage and soffit.

what did you make your bullnose out of?

Brad

i used 1"x2" as a backer and 2 pieces of quarter round nailed together. i attached the 1"x2" wood to the plywood edges first, then i nailed the 2 pieces of quarter round together to make them a half circle. once that was complete (i used a finish nailer with 1" nails), i then nailed it to the 1x2. after that was all done, i pulled out the sander and sanded everything. the corners took a little time since i didn't mitre them but simply butted them against each other. once its all sanded, the corners come out perfect... you just have to take your time and make it right. its very simple to do and didn't take very long.

im am currently completing the fabric track around the room. i will post detailed pics of it soon. i used fabricmate fs100 1/2" panel track. i first nailed a 1/2" thick x 6" wide piece of poplar as a backing. then i nailed the panel track to the backing which effectively makes the thickness of the whole thing 1". i did this because i will be using 1" thick absorption panels. on top of the exposed poplar will go another piece of 5/8" thick x 4" wide MDF strip which will look like a border around the room. it ends up making the seam flush with the acoustic material.

Nice clean build! I can not wait to see the final results.

I am glad to see some more local talent, it constantly suprises me the number of people from Toronto putting together crazy nice HTs.

Just stumbled upon this thread. A few questions:

1. Why did you make the walls 1/2" short of the floor joists above?

2. Did you secure the stage and riser to the floor, or are they just floating? I know the stage is filled with sand, but I guess I didn't notice if you otherwise secured it down to the floor.

3. Will the sub be overly "boomy" sitting in that closet space off to the side? I don't have any experience with a sub cavity like that and I'm trying to learn.

4. Are you like a Sketchup expert or something? Man, those are some beautiful layouts -- I tried Sketchup for about 2 hours and couldn't even make a square box. And I have over 6 years experience with SolidWorks!

5. RE: Sketchup -- how did you make those recliners? Or did you get the models from somewhere?

6. Not to be too forward, but I live in Buffalo, NY, and I'd love to come see your build sometime on a weekend if you wouldn't mind. Unfortunately, I doubt there's a single HT here in Buffalo... it's not exactly a ritzy area :(


Your build looks great. Hope mine turns out as well...

gitSehT, thanks for the comments. looking forward to your ht progress as well.

drew_v,

1.) the walls were made short to avoid any contact with the floor joists. this is to minimize vibrations and sound transmission throughout the house. i used rsic dc04 clips to attach the walls to the floor joists. they are decoupling brackets.

2.) yes, both the stage and riser are secured to the floor. what i did was cut a few pieces of 2' long 2x4, screwed it into the concrete floor and then nailed the stage/riser to it. a few pieces at random spots for each keeps them attached. i know many here suggested simply to leave it floating, but i like to make things secure. by the way, i used a rubber dampener material called iso-sill from a local soundproofing company. i lined the bottom of all the riser/stage joists. so technically, no wood is touching the concrete. this method is similar to using u-boat floor isolators. i also did this with the 2x4 pieces that were screwed into the floor. (btw, you can kinda see them in the sub cavity pic and the stage with completed curve pic)

3.) to be honest, im not really sure yet. worse comes to worse, i will build an ib in that space, or i could simply build a box that is the exact size and have the woofers firing forward into the room.

4.) ha, to be honest, that took me about an hour of work. never used sketchup before, but i watched a few tutorial videos on youtube and voila! its very easy once you see how to do it.

5.) i did that design a while ago so i don't remember exactly where i got them from, but i do remember downloading it from a link either from here or searched on google.

6.) no worries, i charge admission.:D

4. Are you like a Sketchup expert or something? Man, those are some beautiful layouts -- I tried Sketchup for about 2 hours and couldn't even make a square box. And I have over 6 years experience with SolidWorks!


Must be that sketch up made for the average user, I have decades of CAD experience and I gave up on sketch up as it goes against my "grain".

ha, funny since i have a degree in civil engineering and i use nothing but autocad. not on a daily basis, but atleast once every couple of weeks. trust me, watch the youtube tutorials and you'll have a design like mine in a few hours. without the tutorials, i tried it initially then deleted it since i figured it was too much of a learning curve. a few months later, i tried it out and after the tutorials, it was super easy. give it a try in a couple weeks and im sure you'll end up liking it. its very easy once you get used to how things are done.

Nah, I just went ahead and did everything in Solidworks anyway. Overkill? Maybe. But much quicker for me. Probably did the whole room in less than an hour.

But dang, I wish I had those Sketchup recliners!! My recliners are blocky and I had to guess at the dimensions, since Berkline doesn't provide all the details for height and recline angle.

tonight i completed the panel track for the room. i still need to place vertical pieces against the columns, but this will be done at the end when i have veneered and painted the columns to ensure a tight fit. right now, i left the track about 1/4" short to allow for placement.

REAR LEFT CORNER
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Track1.jpg
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Track2.jpg


BACKER BOARD CLOSEUP
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Track4.jpg
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Track5.jpg

as you can see in the last 2 pics, basically i used a 1/2" backboard nailed and screwed to the wall, then i placed the 1/2" panel track on top for a total space of 1" from the wall. as mentioned previously, this is for 1" of acoustic fibreglass. at the right of the pic, you can see i added a piece of 1/2" MDF to show that the completed border will be flush with the panel track and the GOM material over the OC703.

Looking real nice, man! It's been a while since I checked your thread and it's coming together quite nicely. Makes me want to tear mine apart and start over again. :D OK, maybe not, lol, but there's some things I'd like to do over if I got the chance. Looking forward to seeing the final finishes.

hey mike, nice to hear from you again. its been a rather slow process in all, but i have most of my stuff already... just need to finish and implement them:D

i ended up deciding to forego that carada masquerade system and will try out a diy masking system taken from another member here. i already ordered all the parts from avoutlet and awaiting them. it will be interesting to hear your take on how it performs compared to your masquerade. be sure you make your way over here in the next couple months.

Well its been close to 3 mths now since your last update, how are things going? We need an updated (and some pics). :)

i know, i've been busy with a lot of other house projects so the theater had been put on standby!;) but i did manage to have a few items knocked off the to do list.

1.) i had wallpaper installed for the top half of the walls. you can't see it in the pictures (hopefully when the sconces are installed it will highlight the pattern a bit better), but it is black and looks like velvet from a few feet away. once you come closer, you can see a really cool pattern that is far to difficult to describe so hopefully i can take a pic to give you all a better idea later on. im very happy with its appearance and think it adds some nice character instead of just paint.

2.) i attached all the 1" acoustic treatment on the entire front wall (top to bottom) and the sub cavity. i still have a few pieces to put for the sub cavity as i ran out, but its only a couple of sheets needed. i also placed it around the entire room perimeter just under 4' high. the stuff i used is not OC703 but a local company that manufactures this stuff to the exact same specs and a bit cheaper. to install the 1" panels in my room, i used 3M spray adhesive to the wall first and then to the panel. it sticks perfectly and is a great way of attaching this stuff to the wall.

3.) i ordered and recieved GOM 701 FR material for the entire room where the acoustic treatments are. you can see on the front wall that i installed furring strips as i will be stapling the fabric here, as opposed to using the fabricmate channels that i have around the room perimeter. i am hoping to staple the GOM to the entire front wall this weekend. i just bought a nice crown stapler as well, so can't wait to use it.

4.) started painting the ceiling pot light trims the same color as the ceiling. i had to first paint it in gloss enamel to stick to the metal, now im painting over it with flat latex (same as ceiling) to avoid any reflectivity. i should have those done by this week.

5.) columns have been finished and sanded, and just sent off to a cabinet company that will veneer them and spray finish in grey (same color as the doors). once that is finished, i can attach them to the wall, install the speakers and make the grills.

6.) i installed the LCR front wall brackets to hold the klipsch kl-650 speakers. i ended up using an lcd mount rated upto 100lbs and pre-drilled holes. it seems to work fine so far, i guess time will tell. i will keep an eye on them as time goes by. its a pity that klipsch only offers 1 speaker wallmount for these speakers and its no longer available (as far as i could find).

7.) the carpet was installed. this process took quite some time. first, i found it very difficult to find carpet that had black and grey and that was not overly flashy with intricate patterns. i wanted something sleek but plush. well, obviously the 2 didn't go as i only found a few nice samples but all were too hard for my liking. i finally found one that i initially was not too crazy about, but it was nice and plush and the pattern would make the room jump a little (since everything in there is pretty much just black). my wife liked it the best too, so i went along and ordered it. with my luck after 2 weeks of waiting, the manufacturer sends the wrong one. great so i wait another 2 weeks and finally it comes in. then i have to wait for my installer another week, so the whole process took over a month. in the end though, it was installed and i am quite happy with the result. i just vacuumed it (it was installed this weekend) and i still need to staple a few spots, but overall im excited with how it looks. maybe a bit retro, but i don't care, it super soft to my feet and im glad i paid a little extra for a better underpad. finally, the room starts to look a bit more completed.

im also tempted to have my berkline 13175 recliners shipped from roman (rtheaters.com) that i purchased months ago from his powerbuy. i think i should wait though, atleast until i have the columns installed and the trim work completed in the rear of the room. he has been patiently holding them for me for months now, but i was very happy with his prices and service. i would recommend him to anyone looking to buy recliners and to wait for his powerbuys, which are done 1-2 times per year here on AVS. he frequents the theater room accessories forum for any who don't know.

so, without further ado, here are the latest pics of the room's condition. opinions/suggestions, let me know what you all think!!:p



STAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetStage2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetStage.jpg


RISER
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetRiser.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetRiser2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetRiser3.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetRiser4.jpg


FRONT WALL
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CarpetFrontWall.jpg

I love the carpet.

What pattern/brand is it? Can I buy it online? And what was the cost per sq. ft?


I also noticed you don't have any riser lights. Are you planning to install some rope lighting or something?

the carpet is made by shaw and i believe the model is solitude. here is a link with the specs.

http://www.shawfloors.com/carpetDetails/15'_0in/Grays/Cross_Street-Solitude

local suppliers were asking between $4-5 a sq.ft. definitely not cheap, and a bit more than i wanted to spend, but im happy with its appearance and quality (so far).

originally i had thought about putting in riser lights, but during construction stages i decided to do full carpet throughout (as opposed to my original idea of using wood steps), so i did without. now seeing it with the dark carpet i wish i had wired for it..... don't want to start tearing anything up though so i'll keep it as is.

managed to finish stapling the black GOM to the screen wall. wow, i can't believe how dark it makes the room feel. i love it!!

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/GOM1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/GOM2.jpg


also finished painting the pot light trims the same color as the ceiling. as you can see, it blends in 100% and is much less noticeable than if i had purchased the trims in black.


http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Lights1.jpg

Kinda funny how all that black sucks the light out of the space. Time to say goodbye to being able to take decent photos. :)

i know. i took many pics and these were the only decent ones. alteast i know it will be dark enough for my contrast hungry jvc rs35!!:D

Really like the color scheme, and I love that carpet. My theater is going to be black and grey that carpet would be perfect.

Really like the color scheme, and I love that carpet. My theater is going to be black and grey that carpet would be perfect.


My room is going to be burgundy, black, and red oak trim with red mahogany stain. I was originally going to go with the "Solitude" color Shaw carpet like Anthony did for his room, but I think that might be too much black/grey. When you combine it with black recliners, black ceiling, and black false wall, that's just too much of one color, in my opinion.

I think I'm going to go with the "Destiny" or "Mystical" color pattern for that particular carpet style. That should bring some of the wood color into the room and make it a bit less cave-like.

If you have some trim or wall colors that aren't black or grey, it might be better to choose a carpet color that complements those colors instead of more black and grey.

Just a thought.

its been awhile since my last update so i thought it would be a good time. here is a list of what i have done in the last little while.

1.) finished installing all the gom around the acoustic panels
2.) installed and painted the trim that butts up against the fabric panels
3.) installed all the columns and painted
4.) installed all of the speakers in the columns
5.) installed trim on the ceiling (similar to a crown moulding)
6.) installed the screen
7.) did a mock-up of the masking system and just sent it out to have the fabric attached to the rollers

left to do:

1.) paint the ceiling trim
2.) install the masking system
3.) install the pj
4.) fabricate speaker grills for the surrounds located in the columns
5.) install the chairs
6.) make side panels for the front stage
7.) make velvet wrapped frame for the screen
8.) design and make a killer sub!!!:)

details and pics to follow.

Your room looks great....... I looked at the same carpet that you put in, however, it would have cost me $1500 more than my second choice. Just couldn't justify the extra cash. Your room looks great. I also have the Klipsch THX Ultra 2 speakers (minus the subs). I built some home made speaker stands and just got all of the speakers out of their boxes (they had been there since February.)

Keep up the hard work, you will be there before you know it. I am looking forward to following your progress.

thanks for the kind words Matthew. my speakers sat in the box for about 6 months as well. its been a year since i bought them and yet to fire them up. hope they all work fine.;)

im hoping to get some major work this week completed and post pics by the end of the weekend. i have a goal to complete the theater by the first week of september. my last goal was completion for world cup. guess that came and went.:D

Looking really good!

Why GOM behind the screen wall though? Worried about the yellow fiberglass showing through an AT screen? Stray fiber containment? I would think something cheap but breathable would work just as well? (but maybe you just weren't up to looking like a fool blowing on fabric samples at JoAnne's)

Edit: are the acoustic treatments on the sidewalls above ear level? Just wondering if you went high enough to catch the first reflection points.

i covered the front wall for a few reasons. first, i wanted it to be as dark as possible since i will be using an AT screen. second, i wanted to protect the fibres from coming loose and inhaling them. and thirdly, i intend to put some lighting behind the screen to show off the speakers through the screen.

the GOM was fairly cheap when i bought it and there is no local joanne's where i live so i had to order everything from the interent. also, the acoustic panels are 42" high from the floor and at ear height for the first row, but not the second. it was a decision i made between form and function and i decided not to go the full wall height for acoustics. i guess i won't know until i fire up the system.

It really is looking good

decided to clean the theater a little today and post a few pics. im currently in the process of painting the ceiling trim so don't mind the half-painted/masked portions at the rear of the theater.


FRONT WALL
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/1-1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/2-1.jpg



SIDE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/3-1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/4-1.jpg



REAR (with flash)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/5-1.jpg


REAR (without flash)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/6-1.jpg

Did you staple the GOM to the wood above and below your acoustic panels? I know it's dark in there, but have any pics of how this is done and then covered up? I assume a chair rail will cover the top trim board and floor molding will cover the bottom? Is the depth of your top wall noticeably different from the bottom section?

no, i used fabricmate channel track for the GOM on the panels. i wanted the flexibility to adjust the fabric if in a year or so humidity causes it to ripple, etc. which does happen being that its in a basement. i only stapled the fabric in the front screenwall (behind the screen) since it didn't have to be neat and will never show up if ripples do start to form.

here are some pics that will help you see how i made the panels and trim.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Track4.jpg
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Track5.jpg

basically, i used a 1/2" thick x 5" wide pine backboard nailed and screwed to the wall, then i placed the 1/2" panel track on top for a thickness of 1" from the wall. the acoustic fibreglass is 1" thick, so i needed to have the trim be 1" thick total since i wanted a flush look all around. at the right of the pic, you can see i added a piece of 1/2" MDF on top of the pine backboard to show that the completed border will be flush with the panel track and the GOM material over the OC703.

after that, i installed the OC703 using 3m spray adhesive, covered it with the GOM and added a small 1" cove moulding on top of the trim (pine backboard and MDF) to cover the joint.

here are some more closeup shots to better describe the process.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CoveMoulding1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/CoveMoulding.jpg


Overexposed Image
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/PaintedTrim.jpg

and after some more work these last few days, i was able to finish installing all the rest of the theater seats and the projector. yes, finally took the pj out of the box that had been sitting in my closet for 7 months. i did a quick setup for screen size, but thats about it. i want to finish the room before i hookup the speakers or else i will just start enjoying it and never finish!!:D

LCR's behind the screenwall
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Speakers.jpg

PJ
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Projector1.jpg

I need to go look at that panel track, where is it from?

http://www.fabricmate.com/sfs.php

i used the fs100 and also got my GOM from them. good service and great pricing.

PS. check out cathan's build thread. i got this idea from him and he shows very clearly how to install it as well as how to apply the fabric. once you get the hang of installing the fabric into it, it is very quick an easy. it now takes me about 15mins to do 1 section, wheres the first one took me a few re-tries to get it right.

Did you build the screen frame yourself? The room looks awesome by the way. I'm jealous. How are you going to close up the front of the hush box? Are you going to use some port glass?

I like the three seats, You, the spouse, and the mistress.
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/6-1.jpg

Did you build the screen frame yourself? The room looks awesome by the way. I'm jealous. How are you going to close up the front of the hush box? Are you going to use some port glass?

i actually got the idea from member "silverbullete55" on the seymour av screen thread. he used some pre-fabricated steel tubes from a company called frame world. take a look at this thread and see his comments and diagrams.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16343679&highlight=world#post16343679

post #441 (A) shows exactly what i used. i sent the dimensions to the company and had them cut everything to size and include hardware. it was a great way for me to attach the screen material without a border since im doing a masking system which i want to be 1/4" away from the screen. every other screen frame commercially available would not allow me to get this close to the screen material, so i opted for the frame world parts. im happy with how it came out and its rigidity. total cost was about $500 locally.


in regards to the hush box, i will post pics this weekend of the completed cover. its basically a 1/4" piece of MDF cut to size and covered in the same wallpaper as the walls. next i glued steel strips on the back of it and glued magnets on the hushbox. cut a hole in the center for the pj and used a potlight trim to make the cutout like clean. its very simply and easy to remove. you will get a good idea once you see the pictures.


EDIT: i just looked at your build thread and noticed that you got extruded aluminum as well from your local supplier.
http://www13.boschrexroth-us.com/Framing_Shop/Product/Default.aspx?Group=101
this link shows the stuff i used, but instead of stapling the fabric, i used plastic t-slot covers which snaps into the grooves on the aluminum. similar to a spline type setup. great minds think alike!!

I like the three seats, You, the spouse, and the mistress.

hahahaha, i like your style. :p

the room looks a little plain in that pic without the rear seating in place. now that the other 5 seats are installed in the rear, it looks a lot better IMO. oh, and i couldn't be happier with the motorized berklines. these things are the comfiest seats i have ever sat in. i don't know if its possible to stay awake through a whole movie after reclining them!!!:D

well after 2 months, my special order wall sconces finally arrived. they are handmade in vermont by a company called hubbardton forge. I painted them black to better match the rest of the theater theme. what do you all think?


http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce3.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce4.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce5.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce6.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce7.jpg

also completed the hatch for the pj box. i used a piece of 1/4" thick MDF cut to size and covered with the same wallpaper as used on the walls. i then epoxied steel strips on the back of it. on the pj box, i drilled some small holes glued in magnets. very easy to remove and very strong hold.


http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Hatch1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Hatch2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Hatch3.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Hatch4.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Hatch5.jpg

and finally, all 8 berkline 13175 motorized recliners installed and working. man, these things are sweet!:D


http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/7-1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/8.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/9-1.jpg

Nice. Got mine sitting in their boxes in the garage. Can't wait to get em out, together, and sat it.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Sconce4.jpg

Great choice on the sconces. Very classy and they go quite well with the overall decor.

The only problem is that now you've got me looking at lighting fixtures I probably can't afford. :mad:

hahaha, its true. i loved those sconces the minute i saw them in person over a year ago. since then, i have visited every single lighting shop within 100 miles of my home and none of the cheaper alternatives did it for me. after 1 year of looking, i just went and haggled the shop who i had bought stuff from over the years for a really great price. i ended up getting them for $300 a piece, regularly $580. basically half off, but still cost me $1500 in lights.:eek:

so yeah, for the last 2 months i have been cursing with myself thinking i spent too much even though i knew i would love them. now that i have them installed and dim them during movies (like the picture you posted above), they are the best choice i have made in my room. the pictures are decent, but don't represent the true beauty of the lighting accent they provide. pretty easy to install too. i did them all in about 1 hr. you should be able to get them online for less than $300 plus they are more expensive here in canada so i think you probably could get them for a much better deal than i did.

I love that carpet. I wish I had the budget for it. You made an excellent pick with your sconces.

decided to clean the theater a little today and post a few pics. im currently in the process of painting the ceiling trim so don't mind the half-painted/masked portions at the rear of the theater.


FRONT WALL
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/1-1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/2-1.jpg



SIDE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/3-1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/4-1.jpg



REAR (with flash)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/5-1.jpg


REAR (without flash)
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/6-1.jpg

Need I say anymore what a fantastic room.

:D

thanks for all the compliments. i just watched my first movie in it tonight (iron man bd), and it was a treat. i did use that same disc for testing the setup the last few days, but today i watched it from start to finish. after running audyssey and a few tweaks, i found a very nice sonic balance for the room.

i had also previously decided to build (DIY) subwoofer, but since i only had 1 or 2 spots available for placement, it was a tough decision as to what i would build. so, in an attempt to see what was available commercially, i stopped by my local svs distributor to listen to some different subs, and they recommended i use a pb12 plus. since they didn't have anything setup but offer a 45 day in home trial period, i decided to take one and see what type of response i would get. so after moving it around (in the constricted space i had), i finally found a spot that had tremendous impact. so it looks like this sub will stay and i will venture away from DIY for the time being. the gain isn't even half way and the room is pressurized more than your ears can handle at reference levels!:D

only problem now, is that i think i need to buy an eq for this thing since my pj lens is shaking when huge bass scenes happen. its a common thing with the jvc pj's as the motorized lens is very fragile to movement. the actual pj barely vibrates so i know that its pressure from room gain that is causing it.

any advice?

:D

thanks for all the compliments. i just watched my first movie in it tonight (iron man bd), and it was a treat. i did use that same disc for testing the setup the last few days, but today i watched it from start to finish. after running audyssey and a few tweaks, i found a very nice sonic balance for the room.

i had also previously decided to build (DIY) subwoofer, but since i only had 1 or 2 spots available for placement, it was a tough decision as to what i would build. so, in an attempt to see what was available commercially, i stopped by my local svs distributor to listen to some different subs, and they recommended i use a pb12 plus. since they didn't have anything setup but offer a 45 day in home trial period, i decided to take one and see what type of response i would get. so after moving it around (in the constricted space i had), i finally found a spot that had tremendous impact. so it looks like this sub will stay and i will venture away from DIY for the time being. the gain isn't even half way and the room is pressurized more than your ears can handle at reference levels!:D

only problem now, is that i think i need to buy an eq for this thing since my pj lens is shaking when huge bass scenes happen. its a common thing with the jvc pj's as the motorized lens is very fragile to movement. the actual pj barely vibrates so i know that its pressure from room gain that is causing it.

any advice?

My RS2 lens vibrates and I still need to try the trick of using the packing foam around the lens. Not sure is your RS20(?) came with one or if the newer JVCs have this issue but that may be the easiest and first place to start.

unfortunately, my rs35 never came with the foam ring so i will need to hunt around the house to see if i can find some black foam to stuff in it. the problem with that "solution" arises if in the future i zoom, lens shift, etc. and forget to remove it. it will most likely damage the motorized mechanis, and then im stuck. i would like to see if it would be possible to eq that exact spot in my room and make it a null to avoid any bass energy. still seeing if that is possible, otherwise i may have no choice but to do the foam fix. annoying such a $$$ pj still has this issue dating back form the rs1 days.:mad:

well after equing my sub a little bit and running audyssey xt a few times, it seems that vibration has been lessed quite a bit. only when the volume is set at +10db from reference is there pj lens shake. im okay with that as reference is usually what i listen to and i haven't encountered the shake yet at that level!:)

hopefully i won't run into any crazy movies in the future that will have me doing sleepless nights how to fix this issue!!:p

in any case, some more baby steps. i finished painting the ceiling trim completely so im happy about that. i also noticed that i could barely hear the pj fan running in complete silence in the room so i build a few OC703 panels with fabric and placed them on each wall of the pj box. the noise is even less now so im happy with that small improvement. also, i painted the front stage pot lights black and installed some magnets in the ceiling to help keep them attached during bass heavy scenes. so far so good.

im hoping to have the front 2 acoustic panels covered and the trim painted by the weekend to finish the wall treatment portion of the HT as well as start making the screen frame and covered in velvet. pics to come.

Anthony, where in "Canada" are you? Would love to hear/see that system!

Great job, Anthony. Not quite sure how I missed your thread until today. Hope you enjoy it.

Very nice really like your setup. You'll love those Klipsch rears. For in-walls, or on-wall for that matter they create a very convincing surround field. The finished product should be something special.

I've been reading through this entire thread. Amazing room!! If you dont mind, now that you have your seats all in, can you tell me what the distance is between your back wall and the back of the rear row of seats, as well as the spacing between rows. Front row to the screen?

I hope to emulate a similar layout, and I'm very interested in the Klipsch Ultra 2 setup. Please let us know your impressions of it in a room that size once you have it all balanced out!

Cheers

Looks great, I'm new at this, so "why the independent ceiling?"

I've been reading through this entire thread. Amazing room!! If you dont mind, now that you have your seats all in, can you tell me what the distance is between your back wall and the back of the rear row of seats, as well as the spacing between rows. Front row to the screen?

I hope to emulate a similar layout, and I'm very interested in the Klipsch Ultra 2 setup. Please let us know your impressions of it in a room that size once you have it all balanced out!

Cheers

thanks for the compliments. the rear chairs are about 12" away from the wall which is just about right when fully reclined. the riser depth currently is 6' but i find it not enough as when the rear seats are fully reclined and the fronts are slightly reclined they are practically touching. next time, i will make the rear rise 7' deep and that should be enough clearance from the first row. the first row is 12' away from the screen, i would have preferred if it was 13-14' but no biggie as i usually like the back row anyway. the klipsch's are great speakers for the money. again, if i were to do it all over i would probably look at more expensive speakers like jtr or even seaton internally amplified. the midbass on the klipsch's are nothing to brag about whereas the others i mentioned put out some serious midbass punch.

Looks great, I'm new at this, so "why the independent ceiling?"

independant allows the room to be "more soundproof" in layman's terms but in reality it allows vibrations to not transfer to the upper floor as well as not allowing footsteps from above to be heard when in the theater. decoupling all walls is the main way to help reduce sound transmission in a theater room.

Anthony, where in "Canada" are you? Would love to hear/see that system!

toronto!;)

well, i can say for certain that its the WORST idea to setup your system before finishing your room!:cool:

i have been enjoying my theater immensely at the expense of leaving behind minor things to complete it. anyways, here are some further progress pics of what i've been doing these last few months.

firstly, i built my own masking system from several DIY threads found here on AVS.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=633842&page=25
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1251657
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=941076

seems simple and straightforward, but requires a lot of tweaking and cursing to get it just right. for now, im happy and haven't touched a thing for probably about 2 months. its working about 98% perfect. next time i will most likely just buy one from carada or smx as i can't be bothered with the time and patience it took to build. anyways, here are some pics of its mechanics and final product.

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking8.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking7.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking6.jpg

WITHOUT FLASH
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking5.jpg


CLOSEUP
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking9.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking10.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking11.jpg


2.70 AR
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking2.jpg

2.35 AR
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking3.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/masking4.jpg

also setup the speaker spot lights behing the screen which are a really nice detail. i have it programmed as a macro in my remote that whenever a movie starts, it dims the lights to the "movie" scene which basically slowly dims everything off except the speaker spots for 5 seconds, then fades those too as the movie starts. everyone who comes over loves it and it puts a nice smile on my face.:)

heres the detail pics of how it looks:

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/speakerlights4.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/speakerlights5.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/speakerlights1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/speakerlights2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/speakerlights3.jpg

its very hard to capture the right balance for a real-life photo of the effect. these pictures are not the same way it appears, but you get the idea.

also had the pj isf calibrated a few months back by Michael Osadciw from The Highest Fidelity (http://www.thehighestfidelity.com/). great guy to deal with, very informative and experience. he is local in the toronto/GTA area and i would highly recommend him to anyone looking to have this service completed. here are some pics of him in action:

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Calibration1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Calibration2.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/calibration3.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/Calibration4.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/calibration5.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/calibration6.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20Construction/calibration7.jpg

in regards to controlling the theater, im using a URC mx-980 remote paired with a msc-400 base station. the components are a mixture of ir and rs 232. here are some pics of the remote and the GUI i designed:

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remote.jpg

MAIN PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotemain.jpg

DEVICE PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotedevices.jpg

BLURAY PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotebluray.jpg

SERVER PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remoteserver.jpg

TV/PVR PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotepvr1.jpg

PVR FAVORITES PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotefavs1.jpg

MASKING PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotemasking1.jpg

LIGHTS SCENE PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotelights1.jpg

LIGHTS PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotelights2.jpg

AVR PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remoteavr.jpg

PJ PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotepj.jpg

PLEASE WAIT PAGE
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remotepleasewait.jpg

SHUTDOWN PAGES
http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remoteoff1.jpg

http://i471.photobucket.com/albums/rr72/anthony_arci/Theater%20remote/remoteoff2.jpg

The attention to detail here is incredible. Excellent work!

Amazing colors!

I just got an erection going through this thread! Man, if I only had the time and money. Not to mention a room to do this in and the skill.

I just got an erection going through this thread! Man, if I only had the time and money. Not to mention a room to do this in and the skill.

Dood... TMI! :)

hahahaha, thats the funniest post yet in this thread :D