AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › General Home Theater & Media/Game Rooms › Haven't even started and already overwhelmed.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Haven't even started and already overwhelmed.

post #1 of 15
9/19/12 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
Hello everyone, been lurking around for a bit and decided it was time to join this great community.

I'll be in the market for a new home in a little over three months and one thing we decided on was building a theatre room in the new place. I obviously don't have the dimensions yet but I am looking at buying a house where I'll have a 16x22 space to work with. My plan is to buy somethings in the mean time so that I don't have to buy everything once we get started.

My plan is/was to get a projector and a 100-120" screen. For the audio I was just gonna buy a 5.1 surround system and install it. Then I started reading some threads in here ad OMG I'm so lost when it comes to audio. I've never used a sound system, always just used the tv speakers. Blashemy, I know. With my recent purchase of a Samsung 60" I bought the corresponding sound bar and thought it was pretty good, lol.

Now I'm reading all this about how sound works and what not and I feel like I may be in over my head. I was setting a budget of about $6-7000, but knowing me I'll go way over (my motorcycle build was supposed to be 10k but it went to about 25k).

Was looking at the epson 5100 at about $2,500 and seating was gonna be about $2,500 as well. Leaving 2k for sound. Now I'm thinking that won't be enough.

From what I've seen around here I like the builds that put up a false wall and put the front speakers and subs behind the screen. I think it saves space and looks more aesthetically pleasing, at least to me. I also like the idea of in wall speakers, really I just like the hidden element.

I guess what I'm asking is what is a realistic price that I should be expecting? I'm looking for a good sound system, but nothing amazing.

Hoping someone can lead me in the direction of a thread I might have overlooked, or a link to some info, or just some friendly advice. I honestly know nothing, zilch, zero about sound, but I do want to do this on my own, well me and my girl, but after reading so much on here I'm thinking of maybe scrapping the idea and just buying an 80-90" tv and mounting it in the living room and being done with it.

Thx guys and sorry about the novel.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 15
9/19/12 at 8:38pm
Well, I can at least tell you that your dimensions will work... biggrin.gif

Don't buy a projector until you're ready to install it. Don't pick a screen size until you've got the room designed and have the projector and seating placed so you can test the final sizes... $2k is a fine budget for a 5.1 speaker setup, put a lot of that in the L/C/R's and a fair amount into the subwoofer (which is more important in a theater than a music system).

The Epson line is a fantastic value for a PJ. If this is intended as a dedicated theater space, you'll absolutely want to go the PJ route instead of an 80-90" TV. Very different feel.

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 15
9/19/12 at 8:45pm
Welcome and for goodness sakes don't scrap the PJ for a 80-90" TV! Just not the same. Here are some suggestions. First decide how you want to use your room, such as a dedicated theater, multi-media room, large type family room, bar/pub area like a sports bar etc, etc. What type of viewing/ listening do you do? Gaming, TV, movies, lots of music 2 channel, multi channel? What is your realistic budget is it 5k or 10k? Do you have buyers remorse, or are you pretty happy with what you purchase? What is more important to you audio or video or are they equal? Read, read, read, and when you're finished reading then read some more. Are you interested in sound isolation/insulation? How many people do you typically watch with or how many people would you like to accommodate? Instead of buying equipment now just set back some cash and hold it until you know more about your actual space and the layout. I think your initial thought of 2k for sound is a little off. I spent more on my speakers than any other element of the theater. Why? Speakers and subs are the one thing that will hold out the longest and not be eclipsed by newer/better models each and every year. Here is a rough breakdown on how I spent my money on equipment.

PJ - 1.1k
A/V receiver 800
BR player 500
Amp 500
Power conditioner 500
Speakers and sub 5k

Not saying this is right or wrong, but just giving you a breakdown of what I did. Good luck and welcome to the madness. Don't get frustrated as this is supposed to be fun!

Oh and keep asking questions!

Good luck!

Regards,

RTROSE

Oh I see Jeff is a faster typer/submitter than I am.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 15
9/19/12 at 10:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE View Post

Oh I see Jeff is a faster typer/submitter than I am.

FIRST! biggrin.gif
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 15
9/20/12 at 12:49am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the reply guys. A lot more info then I expected.

It's definitely gonna be a dedicated theatre room. No music. 60% TV, 40% Movies, and 10% gaming. Normally it's just me and my gal but with football I can get up to 6-8 people. So I want to accommodate 7 or 8. So row of 3 and row of 4 or two rows of 4 is what I'll be doing.

To be honest my budget is very flexible if it's worth it. I say 5k but if it has to be 10 or more I won't hold back. I prefer video but that's really cause I've never had audio or experienced a great sounding room. Hearing one might change my mind.

Can someone lead me to some info on the Acoustic Transparent screens. I've been searching but really haven't found much. I'd really like to have the fronts and subs behind the screen, just love that.

Thanks for everything.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 15
9/20/12 at 5:49am
One more thing to consider. I mostly agree with RT and jautor on equipment, but you really do need to consider the screen as well.

A decent 120" vinyl screen can be had for as little as $250. It can even be less expensive with a DIY painted screen. However, you expressed a preference for a false wall and speakers behind the screen. This makes for a good looking and good sounding installation, but not a cheap one. Acoustically transparent screens are anywhere from a bit more expensive to OMG more expensive. The cheaper ones are made of the same vinyl, but have little holes punched in them to let the sound through. Problem is that they aren't very efficient, blocking a lot of the sound. You can also see the holes from a normal viewing distance. The better screens are woven, and there is a lot of variation between the various manufacturers. In most cases you are talking $1k and up (sometimes way up) for a 120" woven AT screen. It is a good answer, but it needs to be worked into your budget.

I am not a big fan of in-wall units. For some reason, they tend to cost significantly more for equal performance. In addition, the wall itself becomes part of the enclosure, so care must be taken in planning and installation or they sound lousy. Finally, it is difficult to impossible to change your mind and upgrade in-walls. Basically you are stuck with them unless you tear it all out and start over. If you are intent on in-walls, do a lot of careful research and shopping because a lot of what is out there is poor quality.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 15
9/20/12 at 6:46am
Thread Starter 
Yea, I wasn't including the screen in my budget because i couldn't find enough information on the AT ones to determine a price.

The more reading I do, I'm seeing that the in-wall speakers are probably not the way to go, for me. That's really no big deal, the AT screen and hiding the fronts is what Im really after.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 15
9/20/12 at 5:51pm
Well you might like video better now, but with the right/correct audio setup when those larger than life explosions kick off and you FEEL them you will then understand it is a total package sort of thing. Just sayin. As I posted earlier read, read, read. With a little searching round here you can pretty much find anything you want. On the screen go to the screen forums and lurk, post there to start getting a feel for the AT stuff. If my room was 3-5 deeper I would more than likely gone with an AT setup. If I had even more room I would have incorporated an IB sub setup too.

Like I said welcome to the madness.

Regards,

RTROSE:cool:
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 15
9/20/12 at 6:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTROSE View Post

Well you might like video better now, but with the right/correct audio setup when those larger than life explosions kick off and you FEEL them you will then understand it is a total package sort of thing. Just sayin. As I posted earlier read, read, read. With a little searching round here you can pretty much find anything you want. On the screen go to the screen forums and lurk, post there to start getting a feel for the AT stuff. If my room was 3-5 deeper I would more than likely gone with an AT setup. If I had even more room I would have incorporated an IB sub setup too.
Like I said welcome to the madness.
Regards,
RTROSE:cool:
The more and more I read the more I think audio budget is going up, way up. The good thing is I have plenty of the before having to make any decisions. Thank you for the responses.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 15
9/21/12 at 10:32pm
You need not spend $1k+ on an AT scrreen. You can either go DIY and buy this material and build your own frame and use SeymourAV CenterStageXD from here:
http://seymourav.com/screens.asp

Or buy the same material and frame from here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Projector-Screen-120-Acoustically-transparent-Fixed-HD-/230854239793?pt=US_Projection_Screens_Material&hash=item35bffc2631

$565 shipped.. I would not worry audio quality loss or issues with this woven material. For the money, I don't think it can be

I personally 100% recommend the false wall or in-wall speakers behind an AT screen. You get a clean look, but you also get speakers prefectly placed with tweeters at ear level and a matching vertical center vs a horizontal center channel that is notorious for poorer off-axis listening. Consider:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/vertical-vs-horizontal-speaker-designs


As for speakers and sub, you can do this for $2K or more. I would direct your questions to the speaker and subwoofer subforums.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 15
9/21/12 at 11:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ack_bk View Post

You need not spend $1k+ on an AT scrreen. You can either go DIY and buy this material and build your own frame and use SeymourAV CenterStageXD from here:
http://seymourav.com/screens.asp
Or buy the same material and frame from here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Projector-Screen-120-Acoustically-transparent-Fixed-HD-/230854239793?pt=US_Projection_Screens_Material&hash=item35bffc2631
$565 shipped.. I would not worry audio quality loss or issues with this woven material. For the money, I don't think it can be
I personally 100% recommend the false wall or in-wall speakers behind an AT screen. You get a clean look, but you also get speakers prefectly placed with tweeters at ear level and a matching vertical center vs a horizontal center channel that is notorious for poorer off-axis listening. Consider:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/vertical-vs-horizontal-speaker-designs
As for speakers and sub, you can do this for $2K or more. I would direct your questions to the speaker and subwoofer subforums.

Thank you. I had actually been reading a thread about the Jamestown frame and the Seymour screens. When I went to the Jamestown website I found the eBay link you provided. That's definitely 100% on my to get list once I get the house. That's definitely what I want to do and that's a great price. Read a few people's posts about their experience and it definitely seems like the way to go.

I've also pretty much made up my mind on speakers as well, lol. Gonna go with the JTR triple 8s for LCR. So much for 2k for speakers. I should have known better. Will be adding single 8s or slanted 8s for surround. Haven't read which way to go there or the difference really. Will start with 2 for 5.1 and then later, if needed/wanted, add two more to go 7.1.

This is from someone who has never owned a pair of speakers before so I'm assuming 5.1 will be more than adequate to begin with.

Don't know about AVR or bluray players yet, still doing some reading but Onyko and Oppo are on my list.

Thanks for the advice. Luckily I have about 3 months to make up my mind on everything, but screen and speakers are done.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 15
9/22/12 at 6:20am
As far as BR player and AVR I'll chime in as suggest/recommend the Oppo 93, it is a fantastic player and has done everything I ask of it without issue one. For the AVR I have had experience with Onkyo and Yamaha and would recommend those brands as well. I would go the the product website find a couple of models that suit your needs and then go to the owners forums and check in there to see what the real world brings as far as user experiences. Glad to see you start to take advantage of the knowledge here.

Regards,

RTROSE
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 15
9/22/12 at 9:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JC507JC View Post

Thank you. I had actually been reading a thread about the Jamestown frame and the Seymour screens. When I went to the Jamestown website I found the eBay link you provided. That's definitely 100% on my to get list once I get the house. That's definitely what I want to do and that's a great price. Read a few people's posts about their experience and it definitely seems like the way to go.
I've also pretty much made up my mind on speakers as well, lol. Gonna go with the JTR triple 8s for LCR. So much for 2k for speakers. I should have known better. Will be adding single 8s or slanted 8s for surround. Haven't read which way to go there or the difference really. Will start with 2 for 5.1 and then later, if needed/wanted, add two more to go 7.1.
This is from someone who has never owned a pair of speakers before so I'm assuming 5.1 will be more than adequate to begin with.
Don't know about AVR or bluray players yet, still doing some reading but Onyko and Oppo are on my list.
Thanks for the advice. Luckily I have about 3 months to make up my mind on everything, but screen and speakers are done.


Seems like you're well on your way. I second the Oppo 93 choice. I have one myself and not one issue. It's quality. I have no experience with Onkyo , but have been a Denon-ite for over 20 years.

As far as screen, I would also suggest Seymour AV and would go one step further... as you've already expressed your ability to spend more, (like your choice of speakers), I would recommend you look at the Seymour Screen Excellence Enlightor 4k material. Still Seymour quality and service, but a *much* finer weave and more transparent. Better for shorter viewing distances. Fantastic screen.

Of course, I'm talking my own book here, even though I don't have any financial interest in what you buy. See my own theater thread in my signature.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 15
9/22/12 at 11:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JC507JC View Post

Thank you. I had actually been reading a thread about the Jamestown frame and the Seymour screens. When I went to the Jamestown website I found the eBay link you provided. That's definitely 100% on my to get list once I get the house. That's definitely what I want to do and that's a great price. Read a few people's posts about their experience and it definitely seems like the way to go.
I've also pretty much made up my mind on speakers as well, lol. Gonna go with the JTR triple 8s for LCR. So much for 2k for speakers. I should have known better. Will be adding single 8s or slanted 8s for surround. Haven't read which way to go there or the difference really. Will start with 2 for 5.1 and then later, if needed/wanted, add two more to go 7.1.
This is from someone who has never owned a pair of speakers before so I'm assuming 5.1 will be more than adequate to begin with.
Don't know about AVR or bluray players yet, still doing some reading but Onyko and Oppo are on my list.
Thanks for the advice. Luckily I have about 3 months to make up my mind on everything, but screen and speakers are done.

For for someone who was unsure, you seem to be all over it. The JTR speakers are an excellent choice, and well worth the money. If you can spring for a JTR sub, I would do that too smile.gif

If not look into something like the Hsu VTF 15H, Ryhtmik, or SVS subs. As for 7.1, the room really dictates whether 7 vs 5 speakers is worth the money.

Oppo player is another brilliant choice, and for a receiver I wouldn't overspend. $500-700 buys you a nice receiver, and I would look for one that has Audyssey MultiEq or MultiEQ XT.

Sounds like you are well on your way!
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 15
9/22/12 at 7:02pm
Thread Starter 
Wont let me multi quite from my iPad, so just wanted to say thank you to everyone for their recommendations.

Gonna wait to see what sub ill go with but the JTR one is definitely on the top of my list.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › General Home Theater & Media/Game Rooms › Haven't even started and already overwhelmed.