My HT setup in progress

[Doug917]

Hello,

Finally got around to taking and uploading some pics. Here they are:

[Leprkon]

Mommy, can I go play at Doug's house ?? :D

[jaxvon]

WOW! That room must ROCk with two huge subs. *Envy*

[Doug917]

I started with a Def Tech PF-12 sub but I wasn't really hearing and feeling the low frequency bass, so I heard good things about the SVS subs and had a Carver 705ax amp laying around so I ordered 2 of the passive subs. Now I have all the bass I can handle and with 2 subs I never have to worry about driving just one too hard. I think in the future I will probably upgrade to a more powerful amp to drive the subs, but I have a lot of more important issues to deal with first, such as purchasing a fixed screen.

[Cygnus]

Mommy, can I go play at Doug's house ?? :D
Ill echo that! :p

[Takeereasy]

That is one awesome looking setup Doug. Really gives me something to emulate one of these days when I get the room. You are probably one of the lucky few who really can stay home and go to the movies at the same time.

[Buckeyefan 1]

I started with a Def Tech PF-12 sub but I wasn't really hearing and feeling the low frequency bass, so I heard good things about the SVS subs and had a Carver 705ax amp laying around so I ordered 2 of the passive subs. Now I have all the bass I can handle and with 2 subs I never have to worry about driving just one too hard. I think in the future I will probably upgrade to a more powerful amp to drive the subs, but I have a lot of more important issues to deal with first, such as purchasing a fixed screen.

Doug, that's a basement, right? Nice equipment! You have what 95% of the members here wish they had. Have a couple questions if you don't mind me asking.

Do you have insulation behind your walls? How about in the ceiling? I ask because paneling is very reflective. The acoustic ceiling tiles and wall behind your screen are great (to absorb sound), but with all that bass, you may be losing quite a bit if the walls are hollow. Two SVS subs should overpower that room at very moderate listening levels. If they aren't (you say you would like another amp), you may be able to benefit with some acoustical treatments or insulation-especially in the corners. Two things you may consider to improve the acoustics of the room would be to replace the paneling with drywall - making sure the studs have plenty of R-13 packed in, or install drywall over the paneling (next best thing), or to simply prime and paint the paneling with a heavy egshell paint (not the greatest, but would be better than paneling). I could be totally off base here, but in my experience, paneling really confuses the surround effect with multiple soundwaves not knowing where and when to stop. Simply doing that to the rear wall would reduce reduce the reflective properties enough to make a huge difference. If your system sounds great, then there's no need to do any of what I'm talking about. You may have plenty of insulation behind the walls, and may enjoy the reflectiveness of the walls. You have a small fortune in equipment, and it's all worth it. Just make sure your acoustics don't hinder their performance. When in doubt, check out the walls and ceiling of your local theater. They are built for optimal surround. Thanks so much for the photos - we definitely don't get enough of them. Very, very impressive system.

[Doug917]

Buckeyefan 1,

2 of the walls are studed over the concret basement walls. I have insulation in all the walls and there is sheetrock under the paneling for support. I don't have any insulation in the ceiling. The subs more than easily power the room. I would like to get another amp mainly due to space issues on my rack and the 5-channel I have now isn't enough of an improvment to use for the main channels. Someday, I will upgrade to more than likely an ATI amp for the main channels and just a good 2-channel amp for the subs. I am also looking into acousitc treatments, although the room sounds very good now. With the front wall carpeted, it absorbs a lot of the reflections from the front, and the reflections in the back of the room, I think, strengthen the disperse sound field. My first project is to counterskink more DVD shelving into the wall. I have DVDs in many different locations all over the basement. I would like to get them all into the HT room if possible. I will just build the racks using 1 X 6 pine boards with a 1/4 oak backing, then countersink the shelves in the wall so they only protrude an inch or two. I am just hoping I have enough space on the left side of the room to fit all the movies I have. I have no idea how many I own now as I stopped tracking them at about 1300 and that was a couple years back, but I don't buy movies as often now. I wish my room looked more theater like, as some members here do, but in the dark I guess it really doesn't matter much.

[Doug917]

Hey all,

Well, I actually got around to building the DVD storage racks I've been wanting to build for the last couple years this weekend. Now I have enough room to store all the DVDs I own and another 400 or so inside my HT room. Unfortunately you can't buy really large racks for DVD storage easily, and if you can find them they are really expensive. I was able to build both new racks for ~$100. I used to have DVDs all over the house and only one wall rack in the HT room which made it a real pain to find a movie. I still have a hundred or so movies I need to gather up and put in the HT room. Considering my carpentry skills, or lack thereof, I'm pretty happy with the way the racks turned out. The weird thing is they make the room look bigger even though they actually take up more space than the wall that used to be there. Now, I have to talk the wife into letting me upgrade my DVD changer, get a massive 5-7 channel amp, and install a fixed screen. Time for lots of chocolate and pampering.

[Takeereasy]

Seriously, that is one bada$s setup Doug. I think the new DVD shelves look great, I wouldn't knock your carpantry ability after taking a look at this room. If I had that room I'd be reported missing by loved ones and work. There would be no more reason to leave the house.

[RJB]

Very very nice Doug.

Once my cabinets and bar are installed I'll post some pics of my basement entertainment area. Things are just set up temporarily these days while I wait for the cabinet work to be completed off site.

[Cygnus]

If I had that room I'd be reported missing by loved ones and work.

:D Well said! hehe. You do have ALOT of DVD's though it looks like! :)

[Cygnus]

Hey doug, how many square feet is your theatre room if you dont mind me asking?

[Doug917]

Cygnus,

I beleive it is about 19.5' X 11.5'. The ceiling is low (about 7') as it is in a 35 year old house before basements had 10' ceilings. The room would hold about 6 people comfortably, but usually it is just the wife and I. I prefer to watch movies without many other people as there are not as many distractions. The room is just about perfect size to get the 92" widescreen (about 84" wide) on the wall and barely have enough room for the speakers to be properly placed on the sides. Anything larger would really just be fluff in my case where I don't entertain large numbers of people. By the way I finally got all my DVDs cataloged and have 1359 different movies/boxsets. Now I still need to get around to cataloging my CDs and LDs.

[korgoth]

very very nice room, makes me want to go get a job so i can build one.

ill have one like it someday.

[brian32672]

If I had that room I'd be reported missing by loved ones and work. There would be no more reason to leave the house.

I to agree, but being disabled I don't worry about the work thing.... I have a HT starting up this week. But its only 9.5 wide. But a decent 30 foot long and a 8'7" ceiling height. 120" screen.. Will post pics soon.... (Decent pics as well, like Doug's)

[Doug917]

Wow, 30' is a really long room. I look forward to seeing your pics. I wish I could stay home everyday. Oh well, just another 20 years or so until I retire and I can.

[Catdaddy]

Very nice indeed, Doug .. I have absolutely no wood working skills. Very envious of your DVD library and cabinet, very damn nice.

Ive been working on mine on a daily basis .. and have finally got it somewhat decently set up in there, having just added my X-10 lighting and seeing your pics has motivated me to get my pictures up, too.

Ill have mine up shortly .. maybe you can give me some advice on how to build a DVD cabinet like that for a $100 :)