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Moving to home with smaller HT room! HELP! (1 Viewer)

Adam_R

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 10, 2002
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395
Ok, so here's the problem. We are moving to a bigger home with a smaller home theater room. We have decided that the family room is no longer the place for all the HT stuff, so we chose to put it in a seperate room. The room is 12'x12'x10 with a 3 or 4' opening, no door.

Here's my equipment list:

Sony 57" widescreen RP HDTV
Denon 3802
Pinnacle bookshelf fronts w/ 6.5" woofs and 1" soft dome tweets
Pinnacle bookshelf rears w/ 5.25" woofs and 1" soft dome tweets
SVS 20-39 PCi Sub

Well, those are the basics. I'm having a hard time conceptualizing the couch against one wall and the TV against the other. With only 12', is it going to be too close?

Anyone have a similar space/setup?
 

Jeff Gatie

Senior HTF Member
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Aug 19, 2002
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I sit 7 ft. (eyeball to screen) from a 56" Toshiba and the picture is great, HD is phenominal. My surrounds are wall mounted 3 ft. above my head and the couch is against the wall. You should see similar results with your setup, since you'll be about 9-10 ft. away.
 

Adam_R

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 10, 2002
Messages
395
Cool. Thanks.

I did some measuring, and it looks like my eyes will be about 8 feet from the screen. Seems close.

Do you have your surrounds pointed down?

I've read two differing opinions on surround placement:

1. Three feet above ear level.

2. Tweeters at ear level.

I have my surrounds three feet up now, but may try tweets at ear level in this room.
 

Ron-P

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My first HT was in the extra bedroom in our house. It was 10'x12' with an 8' ceiling. A bit smaller than yours. It worked very well considering the size. I had a 46" RPTV in there with 2 rows of seating. The front row was 6' and the back was 9' from the screen.

I had my surrounds roughly 3' above ear level slightly angeled down, facing each other.
 

DaveHo

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Messages
605
I'd be most concerned about the square room size. Be prepared for some potentially ill behaved bass response.

-Dave
 

PaulDA

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Option one is considered best for film soundtracks, gives a more diffuse, immersive soundfield.

Option two is considered best for multichannel music, as having the tweeters at ear height makes for better "sweet spot" listening. High frequencies are very directional.

My system is 70/30 music/movies so I favour option two, but if your usage is the reverse, option one is probably for you.
 

Adam_R

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 10, 2002
Messages
395
Thanks for all the great input!

DaveHo - Please elaborate on what the challenges may be with the bass.

Right now my 20-39 PCi is in a HUGE room with vaulted ceiling and openings all around to the kitchen, hallways, dining area, etc. It's a challenge to get the SPL high.

Are you suggesting that the bass will be overwhelming in such a small room? Or that there isn't enough room for the bass waves to reach my ear at full throttle? I think I remember hearing that a 20Hz sound wave is like 9 feet long, or was it 9 yards?

Keep in mind, there is no door on this room. It is a wide opening. Maybe 4 feet or more.

Thanks again!!!

BTW - Ron-p, I just went to your site. AWESOME HT! I'm jealous. That sub looks sweet.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2002
Messages
16
my HT is in a 11'x 11'x 8' bedroom with a 15" sub behind the sofa its hard to tune in small rooms but I kept playing with the position and found it had more impact than in the front.

An added bonus is when i watch Jurassic park I feel Trex walking.
 

Jeff Gatie

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2002
Messages
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This is a myth. The wave does not need to propagate (i.e. complete one wavelength) in order for you to hear it. It only has to pass through your ear. The real problem is your room is square. This aggravates the cancellation effect from the long waves bouncing off the walls and into each other. A square room causes more interaction between the reflecting waves and thus more opportunity for those waves to cancel each other out. You will probably have more bass peaks and nulls in your room due to this.
 

Adam_R

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 10, 2002
Messages
395
Thanks for the info Jeff.

Would it help to have sound absorbing things around?

Like long fabric curtains, furniture, shelves, carpet?
 

Dan Keliikoa

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
199
Hi Adam...

On that 4' wide opening into the room...I had the same situation with my HT room, and I chose to hang a long curtain that I could just pull open and shut. Helped to darken the room and provide some damping as well. An inexpensive solution that worked well for that room.




Cheers,
Dan
 

Adam_R

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 10, 2002
Messages
395
Great idea.

Unfortunately, my wife would never go for it.

I'll either have to leave it open or install french doors.
 

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