AVS Forum banner
544K views 3K replies 221 participants last post by  damelon 
#1 · (Edited)
Black/Red Theater (Yes it was named something else before)
Construction by BIGmouthinDC and Damelon (Construction Time: 7/26/11 - Mid November 2011)
Inspiration from Sandman's/SMX Theater - Acoustical Plans by Bryan Pape (BPape)

Room Details (Trying to make this a table!)
Initial Space : 23’6”L x 16’4”W x 8’9”H
Wall Construction : Room in a Room. Second wall with 1” gap.
Space after Secondary Wall : 22’8”L x 15’4”W x 8’9”H
Wall Decoupling Method : RISC-DC04 Clips
Ceiling Decoupling Method : Clip & Channel
Drywall Method : 2 Layers of 5/8” Drywall with Green Glue
Door : 28” Wide, 1 ¾” Thick solid core door.
Soffit Size : 16” Wide x 10” Tall
Column Info : 6 Columns, 16” Wide x 10” Deep
Screen Size : 130” Wide (149" diag) SeymourAV Centerstage XD with horizontal masking panels
Stage Specs : 2x10s, Sand Filled, Double ¾” Plywood with Felt
Riser Specs : 2x12s, Insulation Filled, Double ¾” Plywood with Felt
Front Wall Treatment : 2” 3lb Dense Cotton – OC703 Corner Bass Traps
Side Wall Treatments : 1” 3lb Dense Cotton
Rear Wall Treatments : 2” OC703 with Paper Face + 2” air gap
Fabric Colors : GOM Black and GOM Claret Accent.
Paint Color : Behr (Home Depot) Antique Ruby (To Match Fabric)
Viewing Distances : 12’ Front Row, 18’ Rear Row (Approx)
Projector : JVC RS540 E-Shift 4K
Speakers : 3x Axiom M80 L/C/R, 4x Axiom QS8 Surrounds
Subwoofers : 2x Seaton Submersive HP+ (Master & Slave)
Amp : Sunfire TGA7400
Preamp : Denon X4500H (Previously Onkyo PR-SC5508)
HTPC : 50TB Unraid NAS & HTPC using Kodi with RTX2060
Carpet : Stainmaster "Silver Lake" (Lowes)

ALL PHOTOS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE ALBUM LINK BELOW.
BR Theater Build Album

Link to my complete cost breakdown of the theater, along with several links of where I acquired products
https://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...9#post21138019

Original Acoustical Plan design (See above for treatment variance on side/rear walls)
Acoustical Plan

Original Completed Photos - Theater (Scope Screen)




Theater Screen Conversion (to 16:9) & Star Ceiling Addition - 2015



 

Pool Information:
Size : (31,000 Gallons) about 42 feet long and 16-20 feet wide depending on location.
Retaining Wall Stone is Sequoia Rustic Ledge from El Dorado Stone
Pool Automation Equipment - Jandy Aqualink
Pool Lights : Hayward Colorlogic
Pool Pumps : Jandy
Pool Heater : Raypak 400k BTU Propane 

Beginning of Patio Project - End Phase 1 - Spring 2013 (Under-Deck, Bar/Grill, and Hot Tub Area)





End of Patio Project - Summer 2016
WINNER : 1st place / Cast-in-Place, Stamped / Under 5,000 SF Category from American Society of Concrete Contractors 2016




Basement Bar Project. Completed July, 2014


 
See less See more
14
#3 ·
This one sounds like one to watch! An experienced builder with great local mentors and a great space to work with. Very jealous of the space! Good luck!
 
#5 ·
Subscribed. Sound proofing plan sounds very similar to what I would like to do when my project begins this fall. Hope there are going to be lots of pictures...
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tedd
Isn't the stage a little on the tall side?
Yes, I was basing it off of another stage construction which I liked, but the height isn't set in stone. I may use 2x6's instead of 2x10s. The design would be the same, having a curved front lip and a second curve halfway down. I'm actually in the process of discussing reflection points now with Bpape so a lot of room dimensional adjustments will be hammered out soon.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC
I think Damelon likes Sandman's and this stage design. It is also my favorite. Screen wall may vary.





Sandman's



I actually like the proportions of Cinema Murry's step a little better the wings come out farther on the sides.


100% correct, thanks BIG. I was too lazy to search for a link! I too like Sunset's proportions better, and the incredible background art helps too
 
#8 ·
About the same size I have, I'll be following to see how it comes along.
 
#9 ·
~ same size room as I have, ~ same design ideas...subscribed.


Only thing I'm doing different and you might reconsider is screen aspect ratio. Unless I read you wrong, a 130" 16:9 screen



I'm not going to have a lens either but I am going 2:4:1, will be doing the zoom method, there is a thread about that on the constant image height forum, it's worth a read. I have never heard of anybody who went with widescreen aspect ratio and was unhappy about that.
 
#11 ·
Somehow I was envisioning a single level stage.... The second step stage design reduces the visual heft that I envisioned.


I was also thinking that an 8' 9" height, with a 12" stage, plus the soffits, is creating several nearby boundaries to the speakers. And aren't the 1/4 wave lengths off these boundaries are going to cause nulls?


And that maybe less is more? Less sand, less work slugging the sand.
 
#12 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by nebrunner /forum/post/20747927


Only thing I'm doing different and you might reconsider is screen aspect ratio. Unless I read you wrong, a 130" 16:9 screen



I'm not going to have a lens either but I am going 2:4:1, will be doing the zoom method, there is a thread about that on the constant image height forum, it's worth a read. I have never heard of anybody who went with widescreen aspect ratio and was unhappy about that.

You read it right. And trust me, I've read the CIH thread a few times now. One reason I said to feel free to argue with me on that topic was because maybe I just need convincing. I did watch a fair bit of HDTV format things on my old screen, but probably more movies than shows. So I'm up in the air about it.


Quote:
Somehow I was envisioning a single level stage.... The second step stage design reduces the visual heft that I envisioned.


I was also thinking that an 8' 9" height, with a 12" stage, plus the soffits, is creating several nearby boundaries to the speakers. And aren't the 1/4 wave lengths off these boundaries are going to cause nulls?


And that maybe less is more? Less sand, less work slugging the sand.

Well it was a 10" stage plan not 12", and chances are the soffit will be about 10" or so around the edges of the room. Bpape didn't think the height was a big issue and plans to use the soffit as a treatment as well. I will likely lower it to 2x6s or 2x8s when the time comes. And you're absolutely right about the sand! a lot less work! I think SMX said he used 4,000lbs of it to fill his at a 2x10" height. Crazy!


---------------


Just finished a lot of discussions with Bryan (bpape) about 30 min ago and we're going to move the entry door to the left rear corner to make adding side treatments easier with the door opening inward followed by steps up to the back of the riser. We'll use ductboard for HVAC inside of the soffit, surrounded by MDF casing with supply in the front and return in the rear. Caulking around every seam, etc. The equipment room will also be de-coupled due to the rack opening to the rest of the theater.
 
#13 ·
For me, the aspect ratio decision was driven by what I plan to use the theater for (lots of movies - majority of them cinemascope; a fair amount of gaming - 16:9; not a whole lot of TV or sports). I had enough height and width really to go either way. I wanted cinemascope "epic" movies to have maximum impact, so started down the 2.35:1 path - but after shooting movies for a couple weeks on a temporary muslin screen to test out various screen sizes, I came to the conclusion that there are a fair number of 16:9 or variable aspect movies that I also wanted to have a high impact / level of immersion. So I opted for a custom aspect ratio that gave me the width I wanted for 2.35:1, and the height I wanted for 16:9 - a 2.125:1 ratio (136" x 64"), CIA more or less. CIH didn't seem to be what would work best for me.


I'm also zooming - no plans for a lens any time soon.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Here are my "BEFORE" pictures of the space.







The only pesky thing in the way is this drain pipe located at the front top left corner of the space, but since it's right where my inner wall will be, I will just frame around it. This will be hidden inside of the soffit, so no one will ever see the bump in.
 
#16 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Horstkotte /forum/post/20748342


I wanted cinemascope "epic" movies to have maximum impact, so started down the 2.35:1 path - but after shooting movies for a couple weeks on a temporary muslin screen to test out various screen sizes, I came to the conclusion that there are a fair number of 16:9 or variable aspect movies that I also wanted to have a high impact / level of immersion. So I opted for a custom aspect ratio that gave me the width I wanted for 2.35:1, and the height I wanted for 16:9 - a 2.125:1 ratio (136" x 64"), CIA more or less. CIH didn't seem to be what would work best for me.

Yeah I've noticed this a lot too. A lot of material uses the in-between aspect ratio. I'm so used to the bars over time that I just let them do their job, but a lot of the movies where you want it as big as possible are usually scope. What to do!?
 
#19 ·
Note to OP - you can go back and edit your prior posts and imbed the pictures that are attached to the same post.


Click the thumbnail to show full size.

Right click the thumbnail and click "copy image url" or something similar (put the url of the big image on the clipboard)

Go back to the original post and edit it.

Select the insert image icon, and paste the url you stuck on the clipboard earlier.


That's how I inserted the image of MJ above.
 
#22 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cdika17 /forum/post/20748813


be nice if pictures were larger for the build if possible

So I have the original pics, which are all high-res, but shrank them to 1024x768 so I could upload them. Some people are saying resize to 800x600 and others say larger... is 1024x768 adequate?


I also changed them to links on photobucket. Let me know if that is better.


I will upload all of the high-res pics to an online picasa album as well and link the enitre album as well (Like 4k x 3k res), so that anyone interested can get close-ups if they want.
 
#23 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by carboranadum /forum/post/20748752


Regarding the 2.39:1 CIH question...go for it! I too was on the fence but I jumped in and would not go back. There is something about seeing a widescreen movie as intended by the director. My screen is an SMX 2.39:1 with a 130" diagonal measurment. I LOVE it!


Good luck, and post a floor plan when you are able.

So let's cover this topic for a minute, as this is the time I need to really hammer down this decision. (Before I do my wiring and screenwall!)


If I get a scope screen, it would be SMX CineweaveHD or a SeymourAV CeterStageXD. I was initially looking to buy a JVC X3 as my projector. (I may do 3d eventually, but not active. And if I do it, it will be using the dolby method so I won't need a silver screen. This is future though, so don't worry about it. Basically, I don't need a 3d projector. So keep that in mind) Looking at the ProjectorCentral calculator, in order to fall in the green area with the 130" diag (And I'd even prefer the 130" WIDE one), I'd have to be at maximum 2x zoom at a 13'7" throw. Not sure if I should be considering another projector based on this. Though I consider myself generally well versed on a lot of things, I have to admit when it comes to how Zoom affects the image or how this will play into the "zoom" part of CIH, I really don't know much. So time to hammer me with suggestions.
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by damelon /forum/post/20750164


So I have the original pics, which are all high-res, but shrank them to 1024x768 so I could upload them. Some people are saying resize to 800x600 and others say larger... is 1024x768 adequate?

I would say stick with 1024x768. Resolution for pics on a forum can be a tricky thing to please everyone, since not everyone runs their monitors at the same resolution. Anything bigger than 1024x768 usually requires to scroll left and right to see everything, whereas anything lower (IMHO) looks just a little too small to get some good detail.


Looks like this'll be a great build, subscribed!
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by damelon
What can I say, if I posted earlier I had the risk of mentioning a future build plan and then I might run the risk of getting loganed.
That is still a very real risk! He's the type that rubs off on you occasionally. Some of us have been able to resist his "charms" and continue moving forward past the finish line...others...not so much!
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by damelon
I also changed them to links on photobucket. Let me know if that is better.
Much better, IMHO. When I started my build, I resized all of the photos to 800 x 600 before uploading to Photobucket. It mad ehte photos much smaller and I've not had an issue with exceeding bandwidth for Photobucket. Sometime during my build, they started automatically resixzing photos, so it's not necessary to resize. Also, monitors grew in size, so now 1024x768 is a great size to use. BUT, as Biggy said, watch the bandwidth usage.


Looks like a good build...SUBSCRIBED!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top