Hi guys. First off I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who posts here. I've just started looking into building a home theater, and your posts have been the best source of information out there.

I have really started sinking some time into researching on this forum, but I can't seem to find anyone that has any type of door or openings in their soffits for future modifications. For example, I may want to run new cables through them. Is there a reason that this isn't done? Or am I just missing it?

Below is a preliminary design that I have come up with, but I'm a complete novice... so I would really appreciate any advice... The plan is to have the entire length of the front face of the soffit pivot up toward the ceiling to provide access. The only downside I can predict is that the gaps at the ceiling and corners maybe too visible, but I'm not sure.

Any thoughts?

https://umdrive.memphis.edu/johnneal/public/Soffit.jpg?uniq=n17t1a

I would make it easier on yourself and just run tubing to future proof your cabling. No need to open up the soffit that way.

I've seen a few soffits with removable fabric coverings (insulation inside) instead of covered with drywall or plywood. That way you have access to the entire run. But if that isn't an option for you, running conduit (3" to 4") is a very good solution.

I've seen a few soffits with removable fabric coverings (insulation inside) instead of covered with drywall or plywood. That way you have access to the entire run. But if that isn't an option for you, running conduit (3" to 4") is a very good solution.


But that is usually done only when the soffit is also being used as a bass trap. And I would do that unless I knew exactly to build the bass trap to fix that particular room's issues. I still think even in that case I would run conduit.

Thanks guys. It looks like I may have been over thinking the issue. I think the conduit is the way I'm going to go since bass traps are not really needed. Thanks for saving me the head ache.

PVC pipe should work right? I've seen the orange flexible conduit others are using, but I'm not sure where to get it.

-jn07

If you can build the soffiting after the room is already drywalled, then it allows you to have the access you want later and also to run cabling and lighting without compromising the isolation of the room.

You can design the bass absorbers into the soffiting if the above is an option and minimize the floor footprint required for additional bass control - though you'll still need some in the other dimsnions for other reasons. The amount required can be calculated and the balance of the soffiting just left open and non-absorbtive.

Conduit is your friend in any case. Run wherever you think you may want to add in the future (for instance expanding to 7.1 from 5.1.) Other than that, run where you need now and go plenty big - especially to the rack and to the PJ. You never know what kind of new connector will become a standard. I can't tell you how many people ran conduit only to find that they needed something bigger later.

Bryan

You can design the bass absorbers into the soffiting if the above is an option and minimize the floor footprint required for additional bass control - though you'll still need some in the other dimsnions for other reasons. The amount required can be calculated and the balance of the soffiting just left open and non-absorbtive.

Bryan - can you elaborate on what situation(s) this might apply to?

If you have the headroom and width to build your HVAC into the soffit and keep it isolated from what you want to expose, it will work. In some rooms, there are existing ducts and beams which need to be framed around prior to drywall so it isn't a viable option.

Bryan