How will speakers sound in narrower room? (1 Viewer)

[Alan Pummill]

Any help on this will be appreciated!!

My current room is 20' x 24'. Please look at My HT Pics now to see current configuration. My goal is to install a front projector while still being able to use my RPTV for everyday viewing. I am going to be remodeling this room soon and have come up with 2 options. Our viewing and listening runs like this: 50% standard cable, 25% DVD/HDTV, and 25% music (2 channel stereo, SACD, DVD-A).

The first option would be to enclose a small room to the left of the stairs as viewed in the 4th pic down. That would accomplish 2 things: A) It would make the room a perfect rectangle of 15' x 24', B) It would move the center of the room further in from those damned support poles as viewed in the 6th pic down. (the recliner is currently in the center sweet spot) In this configuration I would use a pull down screen in front of the RPTV.

The second option would be to build a wall splitting the room along a line with the support poles enclosed in that wall. That would give me a dedicated HT room on one side of 11' x 24'. I would use a wall mounted screen in this room with new HT seating. The other side would be an area of 9' x 14' and would be used by me and my wife for everyday RPTV viewing. I would get a HTIB system to use with the RPTV.

I really like the idea of a dedicated HT room, but I am very concerned that my 2 channel stereo would suffer in the more narrow dedicated HT room. My system sounds fantastic in its current configuration. I just added a second amp, a Rotel RB-990BX, to run my front speakers. My Monitor 7's and PW-2200 combo sounds sweet!! But I have often heard that speakers sound much better without having large items between them. This would be the case in a dedicated HT room. So I guess the real question is will I loose the wide sound stage I currently enjoy in my large room??

I hope I haven't rambled on too much!! This is really a hard decision for me to make, and any help or advice would greatly appreciated!! Thanks people!!

 

[mark_john]

Allan,

Off topic but where did you get those stands for your Floorstanding speakers?

 

[Alan Pummill]

Mark,

I bought them when I got the speakers 5 years ago. I can't remember who makes them, but I bought them at SoundWaves in Ohio.

Now, help me on my decision....please!! I'm sure someone has some input on this issue!!

 

[Ned]

I would say keep it open if it weren't for the supporting posts.

A floorplan would help a lot in giving advice.

 

[Alan Pummill]

But Ned, those poles are in my way. I want a FP and screen. I have to move the center of the room away from those poles.

I wonder if it would be possible to move the front pole, (the one closest to my recliner), back about 4 feet. That would enable me to use the room as it is. I wonder if the 3 bedrooms and bathroom upstairs would come crashing down if that one pole was moved. The poles are under a large I-beam!!

 

[Bill Polley]

The solution for the posts will involve cutting out part of the ceiling and side walls, and from the looks of it...possibly slightly modifying some ductwork.

First, cut out the ceiling around the posts, exposing what should be a center bearing beam. From the looks of it, there MAY be ductwork running along side this center beam. If so, a small section may need to be modified to go around the new support beam you will install. If there is no ductwork or other mechanicals near that center beam, then the job will be easier!

what you want to do is add a steel beam (or 2) running perpendicular to the center beam directly underneath it. Use shoring posts over at the side walls to support the new beam or beams. box in the beams at the ceiling and you are done. You will lose some headroom because the beams will be about 6" deep, but if you open up the side walls where the shoring posts go you can put them inside the side walls and cover them back up.

Hopefully, you have the available headroom to add the beam, and then hopefully it will not interfere with the projector. This is an easy fix. If it is not feasable due to ductwork or headroom issues, then I would say to leave it the way it is.

Hope I helped somewhat.

 

[Alan Pummill]

Thanks Bill, but I don't think I'll have enough head room doing that. Good idea anyway!!

The question I'm really wanting an answer to is what will my speakers sound like in a 11' wide room??

 

[Greg-ST]

They would probably sound fine (as long as you take the necessary steps to prevent nasty sound reflections, which can be done if you build the new room). The only major difference would be that you'd just need less power to get higher SPL's.

 

[Alan Pummill]

I am using Sonex acoustic panels currently...see my pics. Greg, I would definitely have the room well damped. The speakers would be 7' apart and 2' from the side walls. My sweet spot would be about 14' from the screen which would make it 11' from the front of the speakers.

What part of Cincy are you from?

 

[Greg-ST]

In that case I'd say you shouldn't have a problem. The worst thing that I can think of happening is that the sound will be quite a bit different then what you have now and you'll just have to get used to it.

I live in Madeira (NE Hamilton county).