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Chartrand Family Theater Design & Build

38K views 159 replies 37 participants last post by  cdika17 
#1 ·
After almost a year of research and design, construction is about to start.


The theater will be approximately 14 feet wide by 20 feet long. The ceiling is 8.5f eet high. Screen will be a 120 diagonal cinemascope. LCR and main sub will be behind the screen. The room is going to be acoustically treated with Quest panels.


The best thing we have done so far was to hire Dennis Erskine from day 1. I bought the Signature level design from Dennis and I now plan to upgrade to the Reference level (Dennis comes over and calibrates all the A/V gear) The plans, including, framing, acoustics, HVAC, lighting, etc. we got from Dennis are amazing. This was money well spent.


Basic construction will be staggered 2x4 on a 2x6 bottom and top plate with two layers 5/8 drywall with Green Glue. Soffits run all around the theater which will hide all the HVAC.


I started last weekend by removing the existing carpet in the basement and some ceramic tile that was in the way of the new construction.


Before I can start framing, I still have some HVAC ducts to get moved and some plumbing pipes that are in the way of the backer boxes for the pot lights.


Friday PM, I am expecting a delivery for all the materials (drywall, OSB, plywood, insulation, MDF, cement board, lumber, etc.). I was able to pay a little extra to get the delivery guys to bring everything straight to the basement!


Stay tuned for some pics and also the exciting list of gear that Dennis has suggested (Dennis has champagne tastes!).


IMHO, this will be one cool theater!


M
 
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#129 ·
Absolutely incredible progress!! Looks amazing! The trim really adds a lot to the look!


Is there any construction left to be done? Maybe just chairs, screen, and calibration?
 
#130 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by michelmia /forum/post/21951209


As my door is almost 4 inches thick with the acoustic panel and as the walls have the 1 inch fabric track I had to get a custom strike plate for the door latch


I had to do this same thing, but I made mine black. Your theater looks amazing and I love the equipment door. Do your lights turn on automatically when the door opens?
 
#131 ·
thanks everyone. I am very happy with the way it turned out.


As for next steps; I need to repaint the projector cabinet (it got all marked up during my fabric install;, the seats should be in sometime at the end of May; screen is still in it's protective tube but that will go in after the seats are set up; the last step will be the audio and video calibration and Crestron programming.


Of course there are a few odds and ends I need to take care of, for example, I want to get my door handle powder coated the same color as the fabric, same goes for the hinges, I still have a few wires to terminate in the rack room, etc, etc.


I hope to be watching movies sometime in June or early July. I started researching for this project in 2009 - 2010 and finally hired Dennis Erskine in February of 2011. It's taken a while but the results speak for themselves. I am sure the audio and video will also be amazing.


None of this could have been possible without Dennis' amazing design and his support throughout all this process. If anyone is planning a build, do yourselves a favor and get Dennis involved NOW! It will be the best investment you make in your theater.


My next posts should be when the seats are in!
 
#132 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by AZGAMD /forum/post/21966940


I had to do this same thing, but I made mine black. Your theater looks amazing and I love the equipment door. Do your lights turn on automatically when the door opens?

no the light switch is just to the side when I open the door. as for the strike plate I will also likely get it powder coated in black or cumin like the fabric, I haven't decided yet.
 
#133 ·
Very impressive and professional finish. Your panels and wood trim are classy.


Dale
 
#134 ·
Seats update..... they were ordered 9 weeks ago and it looks like I will finally get them by the end of the week!!!


Stay tuned for pics.


Also the Crestron system will be programmed and the audio and video will be calibrated between June 18 and 22. Looks like we will finally able to watch movies on the weekend on the 23rd!!!!
 
#135 ·
Beautiful build...shows planning and patience. Can you share more details (pics if avail) on the construction of the raised platform? That's my next step in my considerably more modest HT room. I'm contemplating using I-Joists and 3/4 inch decking. What materials did you use and did you employ any sound abatement materials? Thanks!
 
#136 ·
The seating platform was framed with 2 x 10 around the perimeter and 2 x 8 with joist hangers. There is insulation between the joists. The whole platform acts as a bass trap. sorry I don't have any pictures of the build
 
#137 ·
the seats are in!!!!!


















Note that the tray tables can be stored on the side of the seats




Here are a few shots look towards the screen and the Procellas








I also got some sofas for the basement family room

 
#141 ·
Wow - fantastic! Icing on the cake!
 
#142 ·
#143 ·
Thanks, yes I was looking for a more modern/contemporary look.


I have the main Procella P18 and the 2 Procella P10si balancing subs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elill /forum/post/22086825


Looking good! congratulations.


+1 for the seats, I like them.


Its nice to see a more modern room designed by Dennis (not that I have anything against those coffers he does, just nice to see something with clean lines like this).


Edit: "just" the 1 sub?
 
#144 ·
Ha yes how does it sound? I don't know! My QSC DSP's need to be programmed as well as all the other gear. That should happen the week of June 18! I can't wait

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon_B /forum/post/22087568


Awesome room! How does it sound with everything in place now?
 
#145 ·
thanks Ben they were well worth the wait!

Quote:
Originally Posted by AirBenji /forum/post/22087720


Wow - fantastic! Icing on the cake!
 
#146 ·
Oh just wanted to say that the color in the pictures do not do justice to the seats. In the pictures they look yellow. They are actually pear.
 
#148 ·
Wow. Love the way everything turned out. I'm sure it sounds amazing.
 
#150 ·
thanks Terry!


and thanks for your help with the HDMI issues I have been having with my Oppo.
 
#151 ·
So this past weekend, my girlfriend and I traveled to Ottawa to visit michelmia and his new theater. Michelmia’s family was incredibly gracious to invite us into their home for three days, to show us around Ottawa, and to allow us to watch movies and eat popcorn in their theater.
I thought I would pass along a few of our impressions…


First, the theater is beautiful; the colors blend perfectly and it is a cozy and inviting room from the moment you walk in (I’m giving michelmia’s wife the credit for that one
). And the cherry wood trim is the icing on the cake. The HVAC is also done right – silent and the room was always a cool comfy temp.


Another thing I noticed before even firing up the equipment…the seats are AWESOME. They have buttery soft leather, great support and an awesome adjustable headrest. The seats get a huge thumbs up. The hidden door to the equipment room is also really cool – you would never know it’s there if you weren’t specifically looking for it. And I think that you can see based on the previous pics that all of the gear in that room is seriously top notch.

Video

The video setup is the Runco VX-11d (with DHD controller) and ISCO IIIL anamorphic lens from an Oppo BDP-93. In short, it was the best front projection I have ever seen. The picture has plenty of brightness (michelmia said they actually had to turn the PJ down because it was too bright) and amazing contrast, and of course the lens speaks for itself. That thing is a monster. We watched two very different movies and both showed off the projector’s capabilities. Battleship had plenty of fast moving action scenes and there were absolutely zero instances where I perceived any sort of picture degradation. Very very cool. War Horse was a sharp contrast with plenty of wide landscape shots. Once again, everything was beautifully reproduced – color and clarity were just amazing. Watching the trees move in the wind in that movie is quite incredible. I can’t find a single thing to say I would improve upon with the image.


The Stewart auto masking screen was also very cool. We didn’t watch much 16:9 content but we played with the masks for a few minutes and they were really impressive. Finally, I found that the projector hushbox is a must-have in my theater in the future. The feeling of true silence during suspenseful scenes (also due to the Quest Acoustics panels I’m sure) really helps to draw you into the movie. The projector is not audible at all in the theater.


Audio

Where to start? The gear is ADA Cinema Rhapsody Mach IV-B to QSC BASIS EQ’s to QSC amps to Triad and Procella Audio speakers. Couple that with acoustic design from Dennis Erskine, Quest Acoustics panels, and an expert calibration by Adam Pelz and I don’t think I need to say much more.



I have the same Triad surrounds, but no acoustical panels yet. The difference is immediately noticeable - panels and EQ/calibration make a world of difference. The imaging in michelmia’s theater is incredibly precise – we could tell exactly where explosions came from during War Horse and localize the bullets whizzing from one side to the other. But the surrounds can also create a diffuse field that made me feel like the room was 15 feet wider and deeper than it actually was – super cool.


The front speakers are Procella Audio P610 with P18 main sub and two balancing subs. The highs and mids are just awesome. No ear fatigue whatsoever. Comparing these speakers to mine really highlights the shortcomings of a 1” metal dome tweeter. And the imaging and spoken word was amazing. Voices were so crisp and clear at any volume. I didn’t move around the room too much, but from where I sat the sound was just breathtaking. After hearing them, they are at the top of my list for future theater upgrades.


The bass…the P18 could obviously hurt you if it wanted to. War Horse had scenes to show off the fact that there’s enough bass in that room to rattle your glasses off of your face. But we watched a scene from the latest Underworld movie where Selene shoots some automatic handguns that are firing a TON of bullets in very rapid succession. This was the best part of the bass for me. It had super power, but the articulation was the amazing part – I could hear each shot from the gun and feel the decay of the bass before the next round went off. Again, I’m sure that’s partly due to the acoustic strategy and calibration, but the subwoofers really hit it out of the park.

Overall

It was the best home cinema experience I have had. In fact, it puts everything else I have seen to shame. From the design by Dennis E. to the implementation by michelmia and calibration by Adam Pelz, it’s just an incredible experience.


Michelmia - thanks again for opening your home to us and congratulations on a truly outstanding theater! Hope to see you in Albany soon!
 
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