Help picking out $20,000+ HT - ???

Hi, new posting here. I have an order from a wealthy client that wants me to assemble him a top end home theatre solution for a room about 15 x 15. The amount of money I was asked to spend was around 20,000 - 25,000.

I could pick out an awesome system for probably $10,000 or so, but i can't quantify the value to performance for the high end speakers and recievers and thick cabling.

I could splurge and purchase just really expensive products and hope it's all the best for the dollar, or I could get a system for $15,000 and pocket the rest.

A few of the specs I'm looking at are LCD 55+, 7.1 trueHD reciever, htpc, lg dual format hd player, Paradigm speakers, harmony 890, dvr, x360 and a few other odds and ends. (front projection is out. Room is too small).

Thanks for the input. I need to have a list put together soon, so any ideas are great.

Nick

I don't do this for a living. Otherwise, no I wouldn't be posting in here. - I have my own system at my house, that is nice, but nothing compared to what this guy wants.

I was at his house setting up his network (new home just moved in.) I mentioned that he need to set up a Home theatre to him and that I new how to do all the setup and configuration. Therefore, I figured he would want something nice, you know a nice TV, mounted and tuned proper, the a nice 7.1 sound system with HD DVD and a decent $2,000 or so audio setup and a HTPC. Nothing out of the ordinary. I can do that. I have that at my house.

He upped the ante and wants to go all out. 10,000 for a LCD, 10,000 for audio etc. - I can set it up no problem and can configure the audio and for a few things that I may not know I would like to figure them out ahead of time so that - NO this won't be a huge saga - If all goes well he wants me to setup his den as well.

Of course I want to do my best, the appropriate research and buy the most for the money he allocates to make a little more profit for me. Which I'll reinvest into my own setup.

If this is not they way to go about trying to get the comparisons on the uber high end gear then go to hell, I'll google the products and determine what products are the best and then do some comparison shopping. But as you all know, that is a tedious task (the saga) - But it is also something I don't mind doing. It will teach me something that otherwise I wouldn't have a chance of messing with till I could afford the products for myself - admittedly not this year.

So, yeah I got lucky and met a guy that has millions of dollars lives in a huge house and could spend more on the other professional guy, or he could support me and give me a chance to build him the best for his viewing habits and money. Plus, I guarantee that I will put a ton more effort into giving the best out there than anyone else around.

If this forum still doesn't like my request, i'll reply with a list of my chosen hardware and you can criticize or applaud me for those choices. I may be a noob to the $20,000+ hardware, but I've dealt with my fair share of A/V just nothing like this.

Thanks all for your opinions.

I know 75% or more of what all of you are talking about. I know plenty about lighting and room configuration because I shoot a lot on a Canon XLH1 - I can do well arranging a room for proper seating and I'm sure I'll copy a few of the schematics that I've seen online for proper room config.

My setup at home is decent and I think I have a good eye for visual adjustments, my main screen is a sharp lc-46d62u and my bedroom set is a olevia lt37hvs. The olevia was my first set before the upgrade to 1080p. The good visuals have a lot to do with using the Digital Video Essentials disc as well as the set which I think looks excellent. Audio, I have a a onkyo tx-sr604 and klipsch sub-12, paradigm studio CC-470 and paradigm Studio Reference 20. That's it, then some cheap rear speakers. Get those when I get some more cash. For dvd I prefer HDDVD because of the second video decoder so I got the 360 add on at the end of November. Have about 30 titles on the format. Looking to order the new Toshiba 1080p player that lists for 599 and comes out in spring. I got a custom built HTPC that is running vista x64 5744, c2d e6600 on a asus p5n-e, sli 7600gt ko (vista can't due sli yet), 2 gb of ddr2 800 and plenty of good software and games. I can set up a nice room, I live in a small little house with a living room about 20 x 15, if that. Viewing distance is probably 5 ft. Nice but not something that belongs in this forum. All connected through UPS. Not sure Brand.

The reason for that list is to show that i'm not new to this field, I have set up other peoples home theatres, but never had much of a chance to test or demo the Wilson, or the revel, to the aviamo 65". I haven't had a chance to test or configure this hardware. Probably wont unless I follow through with a proposal and then go to the various locations (someone enlighten me to where, North Bay CA) to test. I probably will talk to the guy about increasing the size of his room, or actually placing the theatre in his living room. Currently the room is to the side of the main living room and is, as someone else mentioned to small to get a proper experience for audio, but is easier to control lighting since it's closed off. I would and probably will speak to a professional, I'm sure some of you are, then go from the direction they lead me in. If I'm convinced a task is impossible or at least irresponsible for me to take on, then all oversee the task.

So I would appreciate any kind of help in leading me in the right direction, so I can make the right decision for this guy. Maybe a list of what you would install (20 - 25 was what I thinking would be reasonable, he said to get the best, another 10 - 20 wouldn't kill him if it was worth it. - and no I don't think he'd go for a 100,000 to who knows price range, but I'll ask.) Again, how would someone without the assets, be able to move into this field unless they are handed a chance to actually purchase and use it. I've read a lot of the high end gear columns and a lot has when in one ear and out the other due to lack of vision, not thinking I would get to use it? I remember my price range, 1-5,000 but not the ultimate, because most of the time it's for bragging rights. Don't need that, just the best for my money. Same for this guy, whether he spends 20 or 100 grand.

Thanks for the hazing, now can we move on to something more enlightning.

Nick

You guys are missing what I'm asking, I appreciate that you respond, but you are all inadvertently or purposely preventing me from getting one real response of, "I would recommend this;" or "why don't you go here and look at these."

If someone was in the area, Northern California (sonoma county area) and was the "required expert" you guys say I need to find then PM me and offer you services, just be willing to show me what these tricks of the trade our and I'll give you a fair cut (half?). Though I'd rather just learn what to do for future reference.

I ask again, do you guys not want others learning the specialty of a/v installation and configuration. Or do you just believe that no one can do it unless they are specialist? I'm sure not everyone automatically knows all the information that I'm asking on this gear. They had to start somewhere.

So, I'll follow up this post with a list of what I plan on purchasing with a few options that will be used for everyone hear to praise or flame. I am serious about doing this right, I am putting in the time and if this gets out of control you can bet that I will be calling the specialist in my area to guide me through the rough patches. And of course I'll be posting an update and pictures of this project as it progresses. Failures and all.

I'll be watching for a reasonable reason for me to bow out of this project since you all want me to do that. Who can convince me?

Nick

Chu Gai - "how would you feel if someone who was qualified had originally gone to this guy's house to set up a home theater system and had mentioned to him he really could use a home network to tie in all the rooms"

I would say good for him. Maybe he wanted to learn how to do something besides home theatre. Me, I don't care to always do PC/Network config. I love film, television, and writing and then shooting on DV and then editing. I want my stuff to look and sound the best and the only way to do that is to learn how to work with the best.

So for all you a/v pros out there on site, ask them if they want they home networked and HTPC configured, PM me and I'll be happy to give you a qualified, professional responses.

Thanks again for the professional outlook on this HT.

Yesterday after reading through all the posts, some nice and some not. Regardless, I took some of it to heart and have now spoken with a friend that does high end audio setups for various people, such as ILM and others who require the best.

He looked over the thread as well and was a little dissapointed by everyones behavior, but that's in the past. I will be working as a supervisor on the project, making final descision on purchases and will be doing my part to adjust the video end of the A/V. From talking with him, he would be more than willing to teach me a few tricks with the audio end. So, for those that hate the idea of someone messing with someone's hard earned cash while not be up to date with this really really expensive gear. Smile. I will still be on the project and will probably be doing others. Just, not at this level from the get go.

I will be going over the first of my purchase thoughts on the order soon.

For those that are mad or threatened by someone who only wants to make money, fear not because I would do it for free. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time and will spend whatever profit on upgrading my own gear. Don't tell me that no one earns money working in this field. And again, everyone wasn't an expert from day one. I'm not as you all know, but I also do have more than enough expierence to install a setup just fine as my own at home would attest. Just not knowledgeable to all the 15k projectors or the rumble couches. Sorry.

As for learning on someone else's money, sort of but not really. I'm learning the difference between the 1k reciever to the 20k. A doctor who operates on someone without schooling. He's going to jail. The guy who is a midrange tech guy who setups up a ultra high end HT is just moving forward on previous knowledge. Happens everyday.

I would like to start chatting more in this forum, it's been fun. A lot of knowledge that I didn't know existed. I hope that when you see my post on the choice of gear, I'll get a little more respect in here.

Keep up with the ideas for hardware. I will be doing comparissons on all of them and talking with others on finding out what is the most appropriate. My audio guy will be ensuring that the client will not get a shabby, poor man's HT.

Thanks All.