Help me figure this out. (1 Viewer)

[teddysetgo]

I am in the process of building a new home. Construction has recently begun.

The game room is a 22' x 29'8" rectangle.

I have an existing 5.1 system that is nearly 10 years old. (Paradigm CC370, Monitor 7 Towers x2, ADP190 Surrounds x2, and a cylindrical SVS sub). I have always been very happy with this, but in a much smaller space. Do you think I'll be fine to stick with this setup?

Also, the room will be used for more than home theater (foosball table and a board gaming area). Because of this, the surrounds will likely be placed behind the listening position rather than to the side where I've always had them. Will this be okay?

I am hoping not to spend money on audio (and if I do, it will have to wait which I am okay with). Is it stupid to stick with 5.1? Should I absolutely be using this new construction opportunity to go 7.1? Based on speaker placement, 5.1 seems way more convenient for me.

The video is the bigger question mark. I currently use a fairly standard 50-inch LCD. I'm happy with it, and will be placing it in either my bedroom or the living room. I would like to upgrade in this area in the game room. It would seem as though I have the space for anything. I also will be able to control the light fairly well (there are no windows other than the sliding glass door in one of the corners). I want big. Maybe 70"? A projector is also not out of the question. 75% of my TV usage is streaming Netflix, Hulu, and MLB.tv. Another 15% is blu-ray. The last 10% is video games.

I'm feeling kind of lost. I haven't really invested time into home theater in almost 10 years. And honestly, it's not as important to me as it once was. ANY help or advice about setup, audio, video, or anything else is very much appreciated.

 

[schan1269]

Technically, no...your 4/5 should not be behind you. They should remain to the side. I assume as well that the Foosball/gaming area is behind the seating as well.

6/7 speaker would be "floating" in the room. There is zero problem doing that...I do that in one of my theatres...where the room is also "not dedicated". And yes, I do mean the speakers sit, essentially, nowhere near a wall. They are tower speakers that I run the speaker wire under a rug to them.

You could mount your speakers from the ceiling. The ADP aren't meant to be "off the wall" or their diffusement is lost.

There are many ways to ceiling mount speakers(how high is the ceiling?). You could get mounts to spin the speakers(6/7) around for "all-channel stereo" for the back of the room....then spin them back to the correct direction for the movie/TV/gaming.

 

[teddysetgo]

All of the space is available to be used in anyway possible (well, there is a post in the room that can complicate things, but it's open other than that).

I was actually planning on placing the TV on the long wall. With the couch directly in front (and about 5 feet away from the wall behind it). This puts viewing distance at approximately 16 feet. Placing the surrounds to my left and right on the wall would place them about 29 feet apart. I was hoping to mount them on the wall 5 feet behind me (and considerably closer together).

The ceiling height will vary between 101" (mostly) down to 87" (where the beam and duct work extend). I didn't consider ceiling mounting the ADP.

 

[schan1269]

What I would do(as an audio perfectionist)...

Move the couch further off the wall. At least 8 feet. (seeing no TV is, at the moment, bigger than 80-85", your viewing distance is way too far)

Use your current ADP as 6/7 on the wall...then get either...in-ceiling 4/5...or a traditional bookshelf-ish speaker to hang where they should go.

The biggest mistake made in HT is cramming furniture up against the wall. Your "seat" should be in the center of the space provided. Move it back as much as to the 60% point(which would be closer to the couch at 8' off the wall...instead of 5')

Aside from arranging the TV on the "long wall"(which I would never do), you have to make the situation fit your goal.

I'm going to guess this room is 21x29. Let's say you bought a 65" TV...

Your "seat" would be 8' from the screen(and to me, you still aren't close enough). So your couch would be smack dab in the middle of the room(they do upholster the entire couch for a reason). Then your speakers would need to be hung from the ceiling...in their correct spots. Cause your theater is only using 1/3 of the entire room.

 

[teddysetgo]

Before we go further, thank you for the advice.

Here's a picture from the blue print. https://twitter.com/teddysetgo/status/432590417683828737/photo/1

I am completely willing to use the "short" wall instead of the long wall. It just seemed more difficult to me. One of the short walls contains the sliding glass door. The other side of the room contains a post (about 10 feet from the wall). But after reading your advice, I think I've been going about this wrong.

So you're suggesting 7.1 over 5.1 for sure then? No doubt?

Thanks again.

 

[schan1269]

What I would personally do...with this room.TV on the bottom. That post would be the perfect place to mount a surround speaker. The opposite wall, put the other one. The 6/7 would be either...Mounted from the ceiling with mounts you can spin. Or in-ceiling. You could even get a 9.1 situation going and put another pair at the back wall(as a zone 2).That is assuming you stick with a TV. If you projector(with extended seating), Then the post no longer works for surround. Then all 4 go in-ceiling/ceiling mount.I would not use an ADP on the post(no wall to create the dead zone).

 

[schan1269]

Oh yeah, The 6/7 would be mounted along the line that says "finished".

 

[teddysetgo]

If I abandon the ADP, then I would likely go to in-ceiling only for the surrounds. What would you recommend?

Also, the center of that post is 10 feet from the bottom wall. What size screen do you recommend for that distance?

 

[schan1269]

Whatever Paradigm SA meet your budget...for 4 speakers(I'd buy all 4 the same one).

Based on the post being 10'...and the surrounds being slightly behind...so the seating is 8-9'...

120". I sit just shy of 9' from a 2.40 113". The 16:9 is 120". But I use my projector, almost exclusively, for widescreen disc/HBO/Cinemax. The 50" plasma is used for everything else.

I agree that I "sit close" compared to pretty much everyone on this forum. I'm inside THX and SMPTE. But...the "third standard" is what I use. A "multitude between 2x and 4x of height". I sit at 2.4x height. Which many people prefer 2-3x height for 2.40.

 

[schan1269]

By the way....since I have a twin display...I maxed my projector for picture. I sit at 9'. It is mounted at 15'(just behind the 2nd row of seats).

I can not play Wii with the projector. IF I were to play Wii on the screen, I would have to buy a 2nd projector and mount it within 9' of the screen(or else I'd block the light while playing RockBand).

 

[schan1269]

According to THX standards...for 120". I "should be" at 13'.

Letting you know seating distance is subjective...