[Bronston]


Hello,

 

My media room will be 25x20x10 in the basement.  I would like to get both a high quality hi-fi and movie viewing experience in this room. I would like to seat a minimum of 6 people and a max of 10 people.  Ideally I would like a large front projection screen, maybe 120 inches. However, the larger the screen size the further it moves the 2 channel speaker placement apart.  So something like 10 or more feet apart I would imagine would severely compromise achieving hi-fi sound with very good imaging and sound staging etc. Going smaller than 100 inches to get the 2 channel speakers closer together makes doing front projection rather pointless to me.  In my experience with using one speaker system for both purposes, one or the either gets noticeably compromised.  Either the cinema speaker lacks the ultimate refinement of the hi-fi speaker or the hi-fi speaker lacks the dynamic capabilities and output of the cinema speaker.  A speaker that can accomplish both may be very costly. 

 

The room is still being completed as a new build.  I'm not good with things like CAD drawing and simulations so I can't provide very specific design details at the moment.

 

Any assistance on whether the two systems can successful be combined, room layout thoughts, component recommendations etc. are greatly appreciated.  

 

Thanks

 

[Jonathan DA]

What you want can be accomplished if you're willing to be a little unconventional. You don't have to trade refinement for dynamics. In fact, many would argue that in order to reach the highest fidelity, you need excellent dynamic range. Take a look at the SEOS constant directivity speakers. They are primarily DIY designs, but if you read about the toe in that is optimal for a constant directivity speaker, you'll find that wide placement is often ideal for the best soundstage, which in turn creates space for the screen, and also lessens the need for large amounts of absorptive treatments typically found in good home theater designs. If DIY isn't your thing, commercial versions are also available.

 

[DGF]

Have you investigated acoustically transparent (aka "AT") screens? The down side is that you don't have all your bling on show (which may/may-not be an issue for you), but having an AT setup would allow you to optimize speaker placement and have a suitably large-sized screen.

 

[R Harkness]

A satisfying 2 channel and surround sound projection-based media room worked out very well for me (a long time audiophile).


See my signature links for build info.

 

[g_bartman]

what is your budget for audio equipment, 5.1, 7.1? I began my quest to do a combined system in my basement area similiar in size to yours about 5 years ago.I am very happy with the result. I made a few changes along the way, mostly equipment upgrades.

 

[Bronston]


Hi,

 

I have thought about the AT screen and it is an option, only real limitation is it still limits placement of the main L/R speaker with respect to front to back movement in terms of getting them positioned for best sound.  Unless I pulled the screen wall out around six feet from the front wall to give placement flexibility but then that starts to affect seating distance and screen size.  No free lunch.

It deems either get stand mounted monitors for 2 channel listening that are light enough to be moved in and out of place or find large floorstander that can handle being spread very wide and maintain a proper center fill and imaging.

 

[Bronston]



Quote:
Originally Posted by R Harkness  /t/1526456/is-it-possible-to-get-a-...lity-2-channel-and-home-theater#post_24589995


A satisfying 2 channel and surround sound projection-based media room worked out very well for me (a long time audiophile).


See my signature links for build info.

Wow, Amazing theater space Rich, that is something I would love to own.

That masking system sounds fabulous.  Would be nice to have those options.  I will try to study your place for some tips.

I did just learn that I should be able to but my gear rack in a separate room, so that's good news.

So for hi-fi listening do you bring the MBL's into the room?  Or are your 2 channel speakers hidden?

 

Thanks

 

[Bronston]



Quote:
Originally Posted by g_bartman  /t/1526456/is-it-possible-to-get-a-...lity-2-channel-and-home-theater#post_24590183


what is your budget for audio equipment, 5.1, 7.1? I began my quest to do a combined system in my basement area similiar in size to yours about 5 years ago.I am very happy with the result. I made a few changes along the way, mostly equipment upgrades.

Budget will be about $20K for 7.1 and 2 channel.  Not concerned about the decor of the space at this point so won't put a lot of money into that.  I'll figure a inexpensive way to add some design appeal.

 

[R Harkness]

Bronston,


My main L/C/R speakers are very high end speakers from Hales (defunct high end speaker maker). I love tube amplification so I have two different source equipment racks. One is my home theater sources - Blu-Ray player, AV amp etc. The other rack houses my two channel stuff - turntable, high end DAC, tube preamp, Conrad Johnson monoblock tube amplifiers, and also an old Eico HF-81 integrated tube amp. I ran two separate runs of speaker cable to my L/R speaker locations, so when I want to listen to my 2 channel sources/amplification, I just insert the speaker cables from that rack.


The Hales speakers sound amazing, and I often pull them out more into the room when doing "serious" listening, as I like nearfield listening.


I also have the MBL monitors sitting in my equipment rack room and when I want, I bring those into the room for listening.

 

[Bronston]



Quote:
Originally Posted by R Harkness  /t/1526456/is-it-possible-to-get-a-...lity-2-channel-and-home-theater#post_24590552


Bronston,


My main L/C/R speakers are very high end speakers from Hales (defunct high end speaker maker). I love tube amplification so I have two different source equipment racks. One is my home theater sources - Blu-Ray player, AV amp etc. The other rack houses my two channel stuff - turntable, high end DAC, tube preamp, Conrad Johnson monoblock tube amplifiers, and also an old Eico HF-81 integrated tube amp. I ran two separate runs of speaker cable to my L/R speaker locations, so when I want to listen to my 2 channel sources/amplification, I just insert the speaker cables from that rack.


The Hales speakers sound amazing, and I often pull them out more into the room when doing "serious" listening, as I like nearfield listening.


I also have the MBL monitors sitting in my equipment rack room and when I want, I bring those into the room for listening.

 

I see Rich, sorry skimming your build thread quickly and missed that detail.

I think I will hire an acoustician as well to help me get a feel for the room, I'm short on time these days.  My simplest thought was to do as you have with a separate set of stand mounted hi-fi speakers to be setup when critical listening is desired.  That seems the easiest solution.  One thing  I hope to capture is really great sound staging with a holographic presentation and for that one may be a slave to precise setup irrespective of other room concerns.  Manageable sized monitors would allow for that, although I do like a full range speaker capable of a big room filling sound.  I just don't want o get stuck trying to shoehorn it around the limited space left over from the HT arrangement.

 

I've  heard some MBL's but only playing polite music and they were very nice and present a sound stage and imaging quality like what I'm looking to achieve.  

 

[g_bartman]

The 2 channel part of my combined stereo/ht system consists of Aerial 7t speakers driven by a mcintosh m252 amp. I use a Martin Logan Descent sub, all driven by a Marantz AV8801.I'm very satisfied with the way my system sounds for stereo playback as well movie sound tracks. Aerial just released the 6t. a slightly scaled down model. Just Google the 7t to read some reviews about them. Just wanted to tell you what worked for me in a similar situation.