TV stand recommendations (1 Viewer)

[Stan Welks]

I want to get an enclosed stand for my equipment and am looking for some advice. I will want to put the following in it:
- Denon AVR-3808CI
- A Blu-Ray player (do not have yet)
- A PS3 or Xbox 360 (do not own yet -- if PS3 then no need for separate Blu-Ray player above)
- A home theater surge protector/power conditioner
- a large powered subwoofer
- AppleTV

1. Is it a bad idea to place this equipment into a cabinet that has a solid back but the doors on the front can slide open to reveal the equipment and provide ventilation?

2. Should a sub be placed in a cabinet? I would like to do this to hide it, though is it a bad idea? I'm not sure if it is going to shake the cabinet too much and rattle.

3. It has room for either 2 components and a sub or 4 components. Am I missing any components that I might be overlooking for a good system?

Thanks!!!

 

[JohnRice]

1. It's probably best you don't do that, with the receiver anyway. They generate a fair amount of heat and need decent ventilation.


2. Don't ever do that. Don't even consider it. It might even cause damage to other equipment, will most likely cause any disc player to skip like crazy and will completely destroy the performance of the sub. Subs need to be unemcumbered.

 

[Stan Welks]

Thanks for your response.

How far should a sub be from the TV? My intention was to hide it. I would like to place it next to my couch, across from where the TV is. Should it be located close to the TV and front speakers or is placing it by the couch ok?

Thanks.

 

[chuckg]

Subs can literally go anywhere, though some locations will work better than others...the sub's long wavelength sound can cancel, or pile up and enforce the sound level in spots, and moving the sub can change these "null" or "hot" locations considerably.

My sub is sitting right behind the "sweet spot" chair, and works just fine.

 

[JohnRice]

I will clearly raise some dander with this post. I'm not going to argue the point though. You take whatever advice you choose to.

Yes, in some ways the sub can go anywhere, but when all factors are considered, it isn't the best way to go. Here is a simple explanation. If only one person watched movies and never moves from one spot, sure, you can place the sub right next to the viewing chair. The problem is, if thhe whole system is properly balanced and you have the sub 2 ft away from a particular listening spot, it is only good from that specific spot. Think of it this way. You have a love seat with the sub sitting at one end. If you sit at that end, you are 1 ft from the sub. If you sit at the other end, you are 5 ft from the sub. So, you changed your distance from the sub by a factor of 5, though you are roughly the same distance from the main speakers. The result is the volume of the sub dropped significantly while the main channels stayed the same. If you want fairly even bass distribution throughout the room, the sub needs to be up front, roughly in the area of the mains.

 

[chuckg]

I agree with what John said, but not because of the reason he gave. The sub wavelengths are so long that there is very little difference in loudness over smallish distances (you'd still get nulls and hot spots, no matter where you put it)....BUT sitting farther away will cause a delay in the sound from the sub, so that you could hear the "thwack" before the "boom" when the higher overtones coming from the mains get to you before the deep bass from the sub.

The only way you'll really ever know how a sub will work in different places in your room is to try it!

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I agree with John and there are some real physics at work in his answer. Because the sound intensity level of a source diminishes with the square of the inverse of the distance - SIL1/SIL2 = (d2/d1)^2 -or- SIL2 = SIL1 - 20 log (d1/d2), the closer you are to the source, the more of a difference you are going to hear as you move back from the source. Having the source equidistant or (at least a more even ratio of d1 to d2) away decreases the logarithmic effect.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Sorry, but the speed of sound in air is 770 MPH. You are not going to sense any large delays in your average size room.

Also, the "wavelength" has nothing to do with the intensity of the sound, the wavelength determines the tone. Sound intensity is a function of amplitude. As I stated above, the sound (any sound, any wavelength) intensity diminishes logarithmically, and the greatest differences will result from moving away from positions nearest to the source.

 

[JohnRice]

Jeff is correct. Wavelength influences how sound interacts within a room, but has absolutely no effect on how fast it dissipates in a three dimensional world. If you double your distance from the source, the level drops 6dB. It is physical law. Standing waves will also factor in, but that is a completely different phenomenon and does not negate distance. Proponents of "near-field" sub placement almost always conveniently disregard this incredibly critical factor.