[tokerblue]

Simple setup question. Just bought split level ranch. The blueprint is for the lower level of a split level ranch. Almost drawn to scale. The fish tank is built into the wall, so I dont want to put the TV there to block it. One side is thinner than the other, so I cant put the pool table on the other side (we tried).


Any suggestions on what would be the better setup? I like #1 better, because we can sit farther back from the TV. But dont the front two speakers have the backs to the wall for good bass response? I do have a SVS subwoofer, but I am also concerned with normal CDs.


System:

Receiver: Marantz SR-7400

DVD: Marantz DV-6400

Front: Paradigm Studio 60 v.3

Surround: Paradigm Studio 40 v.3

Center: Paradigm Studio CC-470

Subwoofer: SVS 20-39PCi

 

[tokerblue]

Forgot to mention. The TV will probably be a 50" DLP.

 

[Ethan Winer]

Toker,


> One side is thinner than the other, so I can’t put the pool table on the other side (we tried).

 

[tokerblue]

Sideways is the position we first tried for the pool table. It's a little too close to the wall and the people who play at my house hate short sticks.


What about if I built an entertainment center with an extended back to reflect some of sound of the front speakers? Would that be enough of a reflection?

 

[tokerblue]

Any other suggestions?

 

[sethwas]

I like setup #2 or a mirror of it. Meaning have one side of the room 'open' Now while this isn't ideal because one speaker will have alot more 'air' around it (you can thought when you calibrate turn that speaker up higher) it makes for a more functional room, and you can have your speakers not touching the wall. I'd bring the speakers out from the wall about a foot (so that the screen is now 'behind' the speakers. This way also when people get up or sit down they don't have to walk 'around' anything.

If one couch is smaller than the other, put the small one by the fishtank so you can pull the couch which faces the screen as far from the wall as possible so the 4th and 5th speakers which aim at eachother will be slightly behind the listeners and not in their ears.


Seth

 

[DMF]

I like #1. No the mains don't need to be against the wall.


The only problem I see is getting into the viewing area.



If you go with a projector instead of a RPTV, you can hang a motorized screen in front of the fishtank. All you have to do is turn off the tank lights when firing up the TV.

 

[Reality]

How attached are you to the fish?


Can you move the TV to where the fish are, put the L/C/R and sub on that wall, have one couch facing the TV, one couch on a side wall and the fish on the other wall, then the SR, SL could be just behind the main listening area, with the potential of adding two more speakers, SBL, SBR high and further back?


BTW, I've got a 61" DLP and love it. There are potential issues, so check out the rear projection threads. The new DLP's will be coming out soon.

 

[tokerblue]

I'm not really attached to the fish... but my wife is.


I’m having someone build a custom entertainment center. Going to have them build a back to help cover up all the wires. Also going to have them build a “door†in the back so I can get in real easy to mess around with components. That’s why I’ve been thinking of simply extending the back wall of the entertainment center to help reflect some of the sound from the front speakers.


I’ll get exact measurements for a more detailed picture.

 

[tokerblue]

Here's an updated schematic. I ended up with setup #1 (wife decided). Now I'm just trying to figure out where to put the subwoofer. Should I put it in the hall near the bed room?

 

[tokerblue]

I'm also building a custom entertainment center and was wondering if it would make any difference if I extended the back of the cabinet to allow the front speakers to reflect off something?


Drawing of the entertainment center is attached. The entertainment center is pictured in black and the extended panels are in red.

 

[DMF]

I don't like entertainment centers. In most cases they simply lock the components in to the wrong locations. They form a huge dark mass making the room feel small, and attract a distracting cluster of tchotskes right in the line of sight. If you need to raise the speakers, set them on stands. TV furniture should be low and minimalist. IMO you don't need to hide the back of your components from the pool room. Just dress your cabling. Or get a low component rack with a back to hide the receiver et al. while leaving the backs of the TV and speakers exposed.



Sonicly you don't want reflections off the mains (unless you have some of those direct/reflecting speakers that I don't like either ).



BTW, LCD and DLP RPTVs don't like a very dark background. It emphasizes the not-so-black blacks. Best background is a medium-grey, lit with low light.

 

[tokerblue]

I don't like entertainment centers. In most cases they simply lock the components in to the wrong locations.

> I'm usually not a big fan either, but the Paradigm CC is simply too large to mount on top of the TV or the ceiling (acoustic panels).

Sonicly you don't want reflections off the mains (unless you have some of those direct/reflecting speakers that I don't like either ).

> There are bass ports on the back of the Paradigm Studio 60's. I wasn't sure if I needed some sort of reflection for them. They sounded fine last night with a normal stand and my Sony 27" TV. But I wasn't sure if they would sound better with something to reflect off.

 

[DMF]

If the Center is all you're worried about, hang it from the ceiling (go above the tiles to where the false ceiling is anchored). Or place under the TV. Most people set the TV too low, anyway.


Bass ports aren't about reflections. They're about a) loading the driver, and b) providing some of the rear wave energy outside the box. Mostly they "tune" the enclosure to have a resonant frequency different from the enclosed volume of the box.


And that's another thing about entertainment monsters^Wcenters. They have big sheets of wood (or wood substitute) that wobble and rattle.

 

[tokerblue]

Any good sites that have the materials for anchoring the CC from the ceiling?

 

[DMF]

Home Depot?


I don't know of any kits other than normal speaker mounting brackets. Or you could jury-rig something with wires and hook-eyes.