Why do a stage?

The primary reason is asthetics. IF you are going to do a stage and you want your sub to be on it, then it needs to be treated in such a way as to minimize reverberation etc. so you need to put Sand either under the sub or in the entire stage or at least use insulation, and an isolation pad such as a subdude or something similiar. also the stage and any risers should not be fastened or touching the walls.
But it mainly looks good adds a bit of a buffer, can help creat a shadowbox effect for screen etc.
If you do a search there have been many threads identical to your question.

I mainly did it for looks. I think it is definately a neat addition to my room.

Ryan

I was first hesitant to do the stage, but it really pulls the room together. That being said, I highly recommend do it. It was a simple, but worthwhile addition (1 day of work with lots of sand!)

Yes, I use the stage for asthetics-it makes the space LOOK like a theater, not just a screen and speakers.

It provides something for the subs to "push" against, without shaking the whole house down.

I also use it to give "mini-concerts"-it's a cool place to play the ol' guitar for my family and friends. Great acoustics...

Best,

Tom
Chinaclipper

Funny you should mention the live concert idea, I have started that with mine and even now working on a mini recording studio thing, Just got a Fantom X8 workstation keyboard for my birthday which is next week.
We also use the theater as a listening room for music it is fantastic to listen to good music in there with the lights out or very low, one of my favorite activities.

I was going to go for a stage too, but I have in floor electric cable heating, so was told it might be a bad idea with the sand over the top of that..

My stage is for looks and for my kids. My daughter (6 years old, into dance) specified it had to be the size of the kitchen table (we have a big table). When I had the floor by the screen cleared yesterday, I marked out a possible stage plan. She tried it out with small tap routine and gave it her seal of approval.

Since my stage will be carpeted, I'll likely need to build a wood floor to cover it when she wants to dance. Yet one more thing on the list...

It does one more thing. It tends to keep people away from the screen.

Not if you have kids . I built a stage mostly for looks, but I noticed it acts like a magnet for my kids and their friends. Had I known that would have happened I would have built it a little deeper.

I have never understood stages in home theaters. After all, the only reason movie theaters have stages is because they had them when they were live theaters. A stage has nothing to do with showing movies and you could keep people away from the screen with a rope or something, you don't need a whole stage to do that.

That being said, since many movie theaters have stages, I suppose many people building a HT want to have one too to replicate the feeling you get in a real movie theater. But I think they are even more illogical in a HT than they are in a modern movie theater, especially when you consider the costs and problems of building one. I'd rather put that money into better speakers.

I agree that logic has little to do with it. I think people planning their HT look at pictures of theaters with stages and theaters without and decide they like the look of the theaters with stages. It's not like they are planning on having performances on it (although I am).

However, you could say that about a lot of things in home theaters (fancy woodwork, star ceilings, etc.). It isn't logic, it's what makes them happy and proud to show off their theaters.

From a certain perspective, I think that stages and columns and curved soffits around the stage help draw attention to the screen and set it off. They may also make it look bigger and more impressive, don't know.

As long as they all disappear when the lights go down...

During construction, my 9 year old got in what was to be the front of the theater and started to sing and dance.

He thought it would be cool to perform on stage.

That sealed it for me. I ended up positioning 2 can light eyeballs toward the stage area, on a different circuit than rest of the lights of course.

Also, as stated above, it keeps the kids away from the screen.
The rule in the house is "Don't go on the stage!".

To me, home theaters without a stage at least a small one look like they tiny cheap cinemaplex theaters you know the ones that hold 20 people with screens smaller than mine!

Anyway it depend on the look one is after. for intstance mine is Art deco. Some might have a Victorian theme or Space or Pirates. So you go with what works for your ideas.

I am more worried about people near the screen with the stage. Of course the fact that I wired for a Karaoke screen on the stage and the bar is very close doesn't help my fears...

Curt