Almost done and new pics (1 Viewer)

[Robert Ma]

I am very close to being completly done with my theater. I have recently:
1. modified my wooden rack (chopped it) and moved it into the closet with a dedicated power line I ran.
2. built a raised floor for the back couch
3. Started decorating
All that is left is to update the lights.
I took some new pictures of the changes. If you are interested goto http://www.erols.com/rmahle and follow the links to PICTURES.
Any input is always appreciated.
Bob
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Goto www.erols.com/rmahle to see my theater

 

[Jens Raethel]

Looks really great!
Youve done a very nice job!
But one thing is sure, YOU will NEVER be completly done with your theater!
Theres allways something to add, or remodel,belive me!!

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Go see my new theater CINEMAX! updated 2001-08-01
Then please sign my guestbook!!

http://cine-max.tripod.com/cinemax/

 

[Robert Ma]

Yea, you’re right; I guess it’s never done! After the lights maybe a projector, or maybe a popcorn machine, or maybe ...... I can go on forever
Oh I forgot to mention that the rear speakers are also new. I finally replaced my old direct firing bookshelves with some Paradigm ADP-170 Dipole/Bipole speakers. I wanted the 370's but the price was out of budget. I am very surprised from the performance of the 170's though.
It took me so long to buy them because I was not sure how I would like the different sound but I now can't believe I lived this long without them.
The sound is definitely more diffused for surround effect. Scenes that have an echo are translated perfectly like the T2 scene when the motorcycle is in the parking garage. I definitely prefer this to the direct firing speakers I had.
It also makes the room sound larger than it is. I can't explain it really but it added something that wasn't there before, some kind of a sound ambiance.....err cant find the words for it...
Anywayz, they are perfect if you have a setup similar to mine with two rows of seats. The sweet spot is expanded to either row where the back row really suffered in the previous setup I had.
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Goto www.erols.com/rmahle to see my theater

 

[Robin Smith]

Hi,
Nice looking theatre. I am jealous as I am more than a year away from my dedicated HT.
One question/observation. It loks from the picture like your mains are very close to the wall (i.e. a couple of inches or less). Is this the case? If so, I thought it was preferable to have them pulled away from the wall a little. Not an expert opinion though, just something worth researching further... anyone have nay more expert opinions on this?
Nice equipment you have their too. I am at the "step-above-entry-level" stage right now and am still impressed with my gear (PSB Century speakers, Technics Blue Line receiver wiht outboard decoder, Technics SD2109 player) soI can imagine that your gear sounds pretty sweet.
I need money!
Robin Smith

 

[Robert Ma]

Robin -
Thanks for the comments and observations. I totally agree with you and wish I could pull them in about 4 feet from the wall. Maybe I'll try two feet tonight but my sub may get in the way.
The left one isn't too bad because if you look closely you can see its next to the wall but it is open next to the grill area. The right one is a mess!
I tried pulling them in but given the fact that the area is only 9 - 10 feet from wall to wall in that section of the room it made them too close together for sitting 12 - 18 feet away where the listening area is.
There is plenty of room from the back of the speakers to the back wall (4 feet) but only 6 inches from the side walls with the tow in.
The room stinks but I've made the best of it.
How come your a year away from your deticated room? Are you building?
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Goto www.erols.com/rmahle to see my theater

 

[TomK]

Bob,
Nice theater! Hey, where did you get the "Now Showing" DVD case holder? I need one!
Thanks,
Tom
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Link Removed

 

[Chad Isaacs]

Real nice.
I was just about ready to start working on a bedoom based ht but now the wife and I are talking about moving in the next few months...so that stopped my ht for now.
One day my friend,o yes,one day It will be there
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[Robert Ma]

TomK -
I found them from a link here at hometheaterforum. The site is www.showoffdisplays.com and they are very reasonably priced and extremely nice people. I bought two DVD displays, two poster frames and a DVD sign from them. Shipping was a little slow but it was worth it!
Chad -
My advice is if you are moving try and find a place that has a finished basement or extra room for a dedicated HT room. I used to have mine in the living room and a pool table in the current theater room. I enjoy my system much more now that its in a dedicated room.

 

[Scott-C]

The theater looks great!
You can also purchase the DVD Marquees at htmarket.com though I'm not sure if their price will be as good as showoffdisplays.com
Just curious: why do you think buying a house with a finished basement is beneficial? I'm not yet at the point where I can build a dedicated HT (hopefully soon!) but always had it in the back of my mind that it would be better to start with an unfinished basement so I could install soundproofing, put wiring behind walls, etc.

 

[Ted White]

This place is lookin' good, my man. Very nice...
Ted

 

[Robin Smith]

> Maybe I'll try two feet tonight but my sub may get
> in the way.
Do you mean physically in the way or acoustically? I wouldn't worry about the sub being behind the speaker form an acoustice standpoint, and looking at your pictures again, it doesn't look like it will physically be in the way.
> The left one isn't too bad because if you look
> closely you can see its next to the wall but it is
> open next to the grill area. The right one is a mess!
I would say that even six inches away from the wall is better than nothing. Its probably a trial and error thing to see the optimal location, unless someone more knowledgeable can drop a dime of wisdom on this subject.
> I tried pulling them in but given the fact that the
> area is only 9 - 10 feet from wall to wall in that
> section of the room it made them too close together
> for sitting 12 - 18 feet away where the listening
> area is.
I hear you. My speakers are currently about 7 feet apart and one is near a wall and one is almost in the middle of the room so my current set-up sucks, yet I still love it! I am using my current environmental issues ot keep from spending more on better equipment as I figure there is no point in upgrading until I optimize my environment. I don't even have a subwoofer yet! ( am going to make a sonosub)
> The room stinks but I've made the best of it.
I'll agree with the making the bets of it, it look good. I like the curtain behind the TV, its more movie theatre like.
> How come your a year away from your deticated room?
> Are you building?
You guessed it. We are in the process of buying our first home, closing is Dec 14th. The basement is unfinished and I already have earmarked (with wifely approval!) a 14' * 23' section as my home theatre. I had the builder remove the windows from the plan so I could better control light and everything.
Anyway, the financial priorities don't leave much room for HT for the next year, so the project must wait. I am going whole hog though, with the staggered studs, double drywall, seating platform, etc. If I am going to do it I am going to do it properly! That the beauty of unfinished space.
So is your rom an "L" shape? Or is it just one end is a little narrower?
I say, smash the left hand wall down and your done!
BTW, what is your TV sitting on? Is that a stand you made or did you buy something? Irs gotta be pretty strong to hold the 55" I guess?
Rob

 

[Robert Ma]

Scott-C -
Good point. I guess I should have said a basement that can be finished. My house is a colonial built in 1950. The basement has a very low ceiling and the heat vents make it even lower. It is impossible to finish my basement and will look for something different in my next house. I guess I'm just saying be very picky when you buy your house and get everything you want because you will be stuck there longer than you think....
Robin Smith -
I didn't get a chance last night cauz I had to mow the lawn and clean the pool. But, yes I meant that there might not be enough room physically with the sub but I think there is.
>I'll agree with the making the bets of it, it look good. I >like the curtain behind the TV, its more movie theatre >like.
Thanks, the curtain in the front covers two windows but the one in the back is strickly to lower the acoustic highs a little and for decoration. You would not believe how long it took me to find those curtains. I looked everywhere for plain burgandy, Sears, JC Pennys, and many other places. Everything had some kind of pattern or not the right color burgandy. I finally found them at - WALMART of all places!
Man, it sounds like you have the perfect idea! I can't wait to sell my house. Maybe in a few years.
>So is your rom an "L" shape? Or is it just one end is a >little narrower?
It is rectangle but other rooms kind of expanded into it.
The wall in the front left is my bathroom downstairs. As far as I can tell they expanded a downstairs closet into this room and turned it into a bathroom so it must stay. I considered knocking down the closet until I thought about putting the rack in their. And the back wall where the door is by the back couch has been expanded into this room for the kitchens fridge. Like I said I made the best of it
>BTW, what is your TV sitting on? Is that a stand you made >or did you buy something? Irs gotta be pretty strong to >hold the 55" I guess?
This was fun. I took a huge Bush entertainment center I owned and took off the stereo rack and the sides and the top. I then used the wood from that and I used it to reinforce the base with three extra oak supports. I used a black curtain and a glue gun to secure it. I liked the way that turned out. I have friends that have seen it on the floor and now they are shocked at how much bigger it appears because it is higher in the air.
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Goto www.erols.com/rmahle to see my theater
[Edited last by Robert Ma on August 15, 2001 at 08:33 AM]
[Edited last by Robert Ma on August 15, 2001 at 09:39 AM]
[Edited last by Robert Ma on August 15, 2001 at 09:40 AM]

 

[Robert Ma]

Well I tried moving the speakers in. I got a tape measure out and they were previously setup with the back of the speaker 2 inches from the wall and the front towed in to 4 inches.
I moved them in last night to 12 1/4 inches in the back with the fronts towed in less to 12 1/2 inches from the wall.
If you look at the picture this brough the speakers in to right where the TV stand ends.
I did notice a slight difference sonically. A tiny less bass and an overall more accurate sound.
BUT, my imaging now sucks! I used video essentials and the part where the voice should appear to be coming from in-between the side speaker and center does not sound as good as it used to. It is still imaged but it seem too close to the center now.

I think I'm going to put it back the way it was. I wish the room was a lousy 2 feet wider!
I will do some more testing first.
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Goto www.erols.com/rmahle to see my theater