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New basement in new house, need suggestions for build

post #1 of 10
9/15/09 at 8:21pm
Thread Starter 




This is the layout of my new house's finished basement I will be moving into in November. I'm going to set up a basement home theater, similar to what I have now. The only difference is that the space is a little smaller. So that I don't have to go with a smaller screen, I'm probably going to set up an acoustically transparent fixed screen with in-wall speakers behind it. I figured that'll work out nicely for timbre-matching anyway with 3 equally sized speakers, and will make for a very clean install. I will then have in-wall speakers for the surrounds as well.

I'm thinking I have two options as far as arrangement:

Option 1:


Option 2:


Blue = screen
Green = sofa
Red = speakers

I see disadvantages and advantages for both. 

Option 1 makes for an open-feeling seating, which could be good or bad. I may be exaggerating the size of the sofa, but Option 2 is "cozier". Option 2 has seating near the HVAC room, which may produce some noise. Option 2, however, allows for 7.1. I'm not sure how I would pull off Option 1 with 7.1, unless the side channels were ceiling mounted. Also, there's more potential for light reflection off walls in Option 1.

 

Keep in mind the window is a basement window that faces nothing. It's below ground level. I'm not getting the optional bathroom or fireplace, although I do plan on buying a little bar where the opt. bathroom would go.


One concern is acoustics. I realize neither is optimal, but am wondered what would be best.

I have a good amount of time before I will be installing the speakers in the walls. At least 2-3 months after move-in. So I can try both arrangements with my existing speakers and project against the wall in the meantime to get a feel for both setups. But I would love to hear some opinions on the matter either way.

Also very interested in hearing suggestions for reasonably priced:
  • In-wall speakers
  • Acoustically transparent fixed screen, preferably DIY for cost savings
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post #2 of 10
9/15/09 at 9:11pm
Thread Starter 
I have my source and preamp/amp all set. Running some pretty good stuff now. My sig is not current.

I don't want to spend much more than $500-$600 a speaker. I've been looking at the Triad Bronze in-wall LCR speaker for the fronts, and their Mini in-wall for the rears. Have heard good things about their in-wall speakers.

I'm a little hesitant to do an in-wall sub. Seems like that much bass directly on a wall would be troublesome. I'm in a new townhouse with very good sound insulation from neighbor to neighbor, but still. If you look at that layout, I'm an end unit... so the left side faces no one. Another consideration.
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post #3 of 10
9/16/09 at 9:43am
Utilize the mechanical room for an IB sub.  You can't beat the quality and extension with any comparably priced retail sub.

-Robert
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post #4 of 10
9/16/09 at 10:45am
Thread Starter 
Excuse my ignorance, what is an IB sub?
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post #5 of 10
9/16/09 at 12:00pm
Infinite Baffle.  It would use the entire mechanical room as an enclosure.  Here's a nice FAQ as well as dozens of pictures.  Most of them are ceiling mounted IBs in a manifold.  But I have seen many examples of a manifold in an adjoining room.

http://home.comcast.net/~infinitelybaffled/page2IB-IBmanifold.html
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post #6 of 10
9/16/09 at 12:52pm
Thread Starter 
So the driver faces out into the room, but the rear enclosure goes into the mech. room?
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post #7 of 10
9/16/09 at 3:55pm
If you go with an array design, there is no enclosure.  You make a baffle and mount it in the wall.  The front of the driver faces into the theater room.  The rear of the driver is in the mechanical room.  I like the manifold design because the opposing drivers cancel out mechanical vibrations.  All you hear is bass.  I'm working on a quad 18" IB right now.
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post #8 of 10
9/16/09 at 4:18pm
A manifold is like a 5 sided box.  The open side how the sound enters the theater room.  The only drawback is that it is just as loud on the back side as it is on the front side.  Since mine are going in the attic, it doesn't matter.
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post #9 of 10
9/17/09 at 7:28am
Thread Starter 
That's cool. I'll have to look into it. I could also do an in-wall subwoofer on that wall, I guess. Wouldn't bother the neighbors too much on that wall.
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post #10 of 10
9/17/09 at 9:36am
I'd never do an in-wall sub unless that was a last resort.  They don't have enough air space for more than a pair of shallow mount 10's.  If you use the drywall as part of the enclosure then it is not air tight and prone to harsh resonant frequencies.  To do it right, you need to build a box to fit between the studs.  By this time you could have built a real sub and have the ability to place it in the optimal location for the smoothest bass response.
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