Advice for Audio for New Media Room (1 Viewer)

[djtech2k]

I am trying to get the hardware list for purchase on the media room I am going to build out. The room is finished (drywall), but there is no wiring done, so thats a big challenge. Its in the basement and is a strange shape. Its kind of a reverse "L" shape. The media room will be in the area thats 11.5ft wide and about 26ft long. Now the media room use will only go back to about 19ft. Behind that there are sliding glass doors exit to the walkout basement. So the usable space is about 11.5ft by about 19ft. I will attach a picture of the room. I am most likely getting a Panasonic plasma and Palliser theater seating. With all of that, it leaves me with about $2000 budget for audio, including any install costs. Because my room is not wired and I doubt I can do it, I have been heavily considering soundbar's. Now I know many people say not to consider them, but I looked at the Bose Cinemate SR1 for $1500 and it sounded pretty good to me. Then, a knowledgeable guy suggested the MartinLogan Vision 5.1 soundbar or Bowers and Wilkins. I just want to know with all things considered, whats the best audio option for me? I fear the full wiring install of everything, including surround, but I dont want to dump a bunch of money into a soundbar if experts tell me its garbage. Here is my room. The wall in front will be the tv wall.

 

[Al.Anderson]

Soundbars aren't horrible, but they pale in comparison to a surround system. It's a shame you didn't run wire before the drywall was up, but so it goes. If you really don't want to tackle it yourself, consider having an electrician do it. They can run the wire in less that an hour, it'll be well worth the price in the long run. Everything else is pretty easy. Not that you asked, but unless that room is dedicated for the theater, I'm not convinced that going lengthwise is you best choice. That door will get in the way for one thing, and with the seating in place you won't have much room on either side. I'd get some additional opinions on putting the TV opposite that window. It will hamper your surround placement a bit and prohibit rears, but the room will be less tight. Of course, if you had your mind set of two rows of seats, then you have to go lengthways. Oh, and no matter what you decide, don't get the Bose. There are much better choices.

 

[schan1269]

So, you gave up on the projector? The B&W, ML and "any" of the Yamaha YSP(4100 and 5100 especially) will mop the floor with the Blose Crapamate.

 

[djtech2k]

Thanks guys. Theres several reasons that I have to do the room that way, but it is what it is I guess. I just bought the house, so I have to deal with it. I am trying to get everything together, buy it, and get it put in ASAP. So far, all estimated costs for install from HT people are very high, so I have been assuming it will cost a ton of money. Thats kind of why I have almost "resigned" to just looking at nice soundbars. If I could get it done cheap and very quick, then I would have small surrounds in ceiling or sorner mounts in the back. I think I am going to wall-mount the plasma and put some kind of wall shelf below it. So if I have separate fronts, then I would probably have to figure out where to put them too. Like I said, I hate to harp on it but the wiring is a major hurdle for me. Its cost, availability, and time. I am so eager to get it done, I dont want to be waiting for a month to get this all done. I have decided against the projector for now. I hate to say it, but the install complexity/costs and the ongoing bulb costs scared me away for now. I was worried about the mount, wiring, etc. I still want to get one one day, but I think this is not the right time. I listened to the Cinemate at the Big Screen Store and I thought it sounded good. It includes the wireless sub too. The ML I have not listened to and it does NOT include a sub, so I still have to buy a wirelesss sub if I go that route. I just want a really cool experience with watching movies, sports, and playing xbox.

 

[schan1269]

You can't put floor standing speakers to the left and right? There is the KEF T-series. There is the Def Tech Mythos. There is Magnepan. All less than 3" thick. Why wall mount the TV to then put a shelf under it? There are TV stands where you mount the TV to it. No holes in the wall. If you need to "hide wire" to the surrounds, pull up the baseboards or use WireMold. Or give up and buy a soundbar.

 

[schan1269]

By the way, examples... http://www.amazon.com/KEF-T205-Home-Theater-System/dp/B004CXBJHY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359427086&sr=1-2&keywords=kef+t-series http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Technology-Mythos-Satellite-Speaker/dp/B000TD6QPG/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359427116&sr=1-9&keywords=def+tech+mythos+3 http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMGW (5ohm, so you'd have to buy something more than a total crap AVR) http://www.amazon.com/Wiremold-C210-White-Cordmate-Kit/dp/B00004W3ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359427265&sr=1-1&keywords=wiremold This makes SO MUCH SENSE IN YOUR ROOM http://www.amazon.com/Walker-Edison-60-Inch-Removable-Cherry/dp/B001O9CK3Q/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359427295&sr=1-5&keywords=tv+stand+mount http://www.amazon.com/Prepac-60-Inch-Plasma-Console-Storage/dp/B001KW0B8S/ref=pd_sbs_e_7

 

[djtech2k]

I really do not like tv stands. I do not want to have my TV setting on anything and prefer not to have any kind of console on the floor. I would much prefer the components be on the wall or in the closet. I found a decent looking wooden wall cabinet on amazon, but its like $500. I think the model is JFV60. So some of those things you mentioned look interesting. Are they speakers only? Are they considered only front left and right? I am asking to figure out what else would be needed, eg center channel, sub, surround, etc. I looked at the baseboard in my room last night. It is very tight against floor, so I do not see any way that any wires will fit under it. In the back of the room, I am not sure where/how I can put in surround speakers with wires hidden. I think I am going to spend the $100 and have Best Buy come out and give me an estimate.

 

[schan1269]

All of those examples I gave are "1" speaker in a set of 10 different ones with KEF. There are(through the years) 60-100 different Def Tech Mythos. There have been 300 different Maggies(rough guess). So I showed 3 speakers out of 410-ish. The baseboards need to be taken out with a hammer and put back. I did it in my house. Took maybe 30 minutes per side. May have to re-paint. Thought you were painting anyway(you can't paint with the baseboards in place...well you can, if you want to do it the hard way). And you are thinking of putting this in the room... http://www.amazon.com/Sanus-Foundations-JFV60-Cabinet-xTop/dp/B003EHV352/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359572147&sr=1-1&keywords=JFV60 But dealing with hiding wire under baseboards is hard?

 

[djtech2k]

Not sure I understand your speaker comment. Are you saying that the ones you posted represent single channels out of the 5 or 7 channel system or are they more "all in one" kinds of speakers? Yes, I think mounting that shelf to the wall is much easier than the baseboard. That one is just one that I like thus far, but tearing up all the baseboard in my room would be a bigger chore.

 

[schan1269]

http://www.amazon.com/KEF-T205-Home-Theater-System/dp/B004CXBJHY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359606189&sr=1-2&keywords=kef+t305 That 5.1 is made up of 4 different speakers. Baseboards are extremely easy to take out. They are supposed to be. IF you don't want to take off your baseboards, that is what the WireMold is for.