New Theater Equipment start list - advice/comments (1 Viewer)

[Vagabond]

Hello eveyone, Ok, getting down to the start of things. Permits in and design pretty much set between the wife and I (dont have pic right now will post soon). But here is a list of audio equipment that was suggested to me. Please let me know any and all thoughts. I am not really up to speed on these things and well may not actually have the time i would like to learn enough about them to stand on my own judgement.


[SIZE= larger]Paradigm Studio60 front speakersParadigm CC290 center speaker
Paradigm Studio10 rear speakers (two sets)
Paradigm DSP3400 14" powered subwooferYamaha RXV2065 surround receiver
Samsung BDP3600 Blu-Ray player w/ NetFlix [/SIZE]

[SIZE= larger]SIM2 D60 front projector [/SIZE]
[SIZE= larger]92" Black Diamond II screen

This set up is a little heavy on the price side of things since it does not include cables and a cool remote (expensive on its own).


Thanks

Vagabond[/SIZE]

 

[Jason Charlton]

What can you tell us about the room that this is going in? I assume it's NOT a basement, and is probably a pretty bright room (hence the Black Diamond screen)? What about size?

I can see that a good chunk of the budget is going into the projector ($4k+) and screen ($2.5k+). I suppose if ambient light is a major concern, then perhaps the extra money is necessary, but if it's not a major issue, then you should maybe research some of the new 1080p projectors that are coming in at roughly half the price (and are very well-reviewed). There are also many other less expensive screen options.

If you haven't already, check out projectorcentral.com and projectorreviews.com for detailed reviews of projectors (including a number that have just recently become available).

Edit: As far as the speakers and reciever go - I think those are fine choices. I've always been a fan of Paradigm, and the Yamaha looks as though it's got all you'll need to experience the best of what's out there.

 

[Vagabond]

Jason thanks. And actually this is a basement media room and light I would think is not an issue. This is a list i was quote from HiFi house sales guy . I asked him for a list of items so I could at least start asking for advice from those who know and that I can start really learning about these things.
Below is an image of the current basement layout:
The thin black lines are walls the brown ugly box is a place holder for a small window. Other windows are on the right. The second row of chairs are on a ~6 inch riser. All windows will have curtains and are small 30 inch wide basement 1/2 windows. The double door will also have curtains. the Door on the far left is to the outside. thanks

 

[Robert_J]

I built a screen for $75 and it matched anything I saw in the local stores. If I need more gain, I'll paint it with one of the dozens of paint formulas that are floating around the 'net.

 

[Robert_J]

I'd go with a DIY or internet direct sub. You always get a better value that way.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Eric, that looks like a nice, open basement layout. You've got a good-sized area set aside for the theater. It'll look great when it's done!

How high are the celings? Since it is a light-controlled room, I would strongly suggest doing a bit more research on the projector and screen. The room geometry (including ceiling height) will have a strong impact on whether or not a projector will work for a given screen size.

Speaking of screen size - did you have a size in mind? At a seating distance of roughly 10 feet, a 100" screen is not out of the question - especially for a 1080p projector. If anything, you can probably shift the seats back a foot or so, and you may discover that a 6" riser is not enough, but that doesn't really impact the equipment any.

Mounting the surround speakers may be your biggest challenge - since you have an open area to the right, and the doors to the left. Do you have a plan for that? It is good that you have some room between the back seats and the rear wall for the rear speakers - and any theater that has a "bar area" gets major bonus points in my book!

Oh, and to your comment about cables and a universal remote - get cables from monoprice.com. Their HDMI cables are excellent and inexpensive (even the 25 footer that you'll need to run to the projector). They also carry in-wall rated speaker wire at very good prices. As for a remote - a good Harmony remote that will serve you well should run less than $200 (though you could go higher for more bells and whistles).

 

[Vagabond]

Hey the room height is 8 foot. Was thinking of getting a 92 inch screen.
As for the right speakers that plan is not set yet working on it any suggestions?

Tanks for the links. I check them out. How high of a riser would you suggest?

 

[Jason Charlton]

8 foot ceilings should give you some extra flexibility when choosing a projector - you won't have to be as concerned with the offset as you would if you only had 7 foot ceilings.

As for the surround speakers - their optimal placement will be dictated by the seating position (have you seen the Dolby recommended speaker layouts?). With two rows of seats, you can compromise a bit - wall-mounting the right surround speaker right near the corner of the wall may work out, or you could place them on stands a little bit further back.

I've never built a riser, but have read several other threads here from people who have. Some folks have gone as high as 12" (average seems to be about 8-10), but it really depends on how complicated you're willing to go.

 

[ShanonS]

I would second looking at some of the internet direct subs. I would also recommend also looking at either Onkyo or Denon receivers over the Yamaha. The biggest difference would be the Audyssey sound processing. You can find a lot of information about it by doing a search.

 

[Vagabond]

Any thoughts on using say 2 - 10" or 2 - 12" sub woofers in place of the 1 -14"

ShanonS txs for the info I will read up on it..

 

[Robert_J]

Originally Posted by Vagabond

Any thoughts on using say 2 - 10" or 2 - 12" sub woofers in place of the 1 -14"

You can't look at the size of the driver or how many watts the sub amp puts out to determine if it is a quality sub or to compare different subs. For example, this 15" driver - http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=295-206 can be outperformed by this 10" driver - http://www.audiopulse.com/products/subwoofer-drivers/revo given the proper enclosure and amp.

That being said, I am a fan of multiple subs. The more cone area the less each sub has to work to reach my goal of extension and SPL.