Newb Questions

[sprayed99]

Hello All, my name is Dan.

I came here after sifting through pages and pages of garbage from "review sites" only to find that they must be similar to automotive magazines... No one seems to have a clear answer.

I'm here to learn and try to formulate a plan for my new system in my new custom built home.

Budget is a concern and I'm capped at about 1500-2000 for the entire system (wife totally blew up the budget). I prefer to stay with 5.1 or could even be a 5.2 if I bought a new receiver.

In ceiling speakers are an option as I can simply have the wires ran through conduit.


Room is 21' X 23' Ceiling height is 10 feet. Floors are wood, with a large area rug in the front of the sectional. TV will be mounted above the fire place at an approximate centerline height of 72".

I will have 2 18x36 cabinets to the left and right of the fireplace that will house equipment and I can either use larger bookshelf speakers or towers. The cabinets will only be 32" Tall.

I currently have an older Denon AVR-591 that I could use unless I'm told it needs a new home.

Here is a picture of how the living area layout.




Please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you!

 

[TheWarrior]

Hello!

I can relate to your dilemma, and offer the following advice.

My wife HATED the 'alien towers' (dual SVS PC12 Plus) in my 2.2 system, until I disconnected them. "What happened to the sound!?" "Bring them back!"

Given your budget, keep the receiver, and pick a PAIR of bookshelf speakers from whichever Internet Direct manufacturer you like. Many of them offer respectable subs in the $500 each range. For your size room, I recommend nothing LESS than TWO. So with this, you will have created a 2.2 listening experience, ideally placing one of the subs behind the listener for a more enveloping experience.

Get her a taste of what this home theater 'crap' is all about. With her thoroughly convinced of the value, you may then proceed to order some proper floor standing front speakers and a center to complete your system in the future, extending your budget.

Point is you have a very large room to pressurize. I do not feel that some of the less expensive options out there will give YOU the satisfaction you're looking for in a home theater. I have spent a good bit of time with some SVS Ultra book shelves, and think that might be up your alley. Not trying to be an SVS fan boy here... just happens to be the brand I know the best is all. And in the event your wife hates it all... they have very long trial periods so you can send 'em back!

 

[sprayed99]

Hello!

I can relate to your dilemma, and offer the following advice.

My wife HATED the 'alien towers' (dual SVS PC12 Plus) in my 2.2 system, until I disconnected them. "What happened to the sound!?" "Bring them back!"

Given your budget, keep the receiver, and pick a PAIR of bookshelf speakers from whichever Internet Direct manufacturer you like. Many of them offer respectable subs in the $500 each range. For your size room, I recommend nothing LESS than TWO. So with this, you will have created a 2.2 listening experience, ideally placing one of the subs behind the listener for a more enveloping experience.

Get her a taste of what this home theater 'crap' is all about. With her thoroughly convinced of the value, you may then proceed to order some proper floor standing front speakers and a center to complete your system in the future, extending your budget.

Point is you have a very large room to pressurize. I do not feel that some of the less expensive options out there will give YOU the satisfaction you're looking for in a home theater. I have spent a good bit of time with some SVS Ultra book shelves, and think that might be up your alley. Not trying to be an SVS fan boy here... just happens to be the brand I know the best is all. And in the event your wife hates it all... they have very long trial periods so you can send 'em back!

She wants a nice theater that has never been the battle. The battle is her spending all kinds of scratch on the finish out of the house. I'm very lucky and work as an operations manager for a architectural firm. One of our best builders offered me a killer deal on our house. She saw extra $$$ and went all nuts on finishes. In the end I'm fine with it, but we are coming from a much smaller 15x16 living area that we could easily make sound good with a limited budget. This 21x23 is going to be a bit different. I just got back from walking the house and they already have the rock up and textured, the hardwood in, and the trim on. So it looks like I will be drilling top plates and dropping lines post construction (DAMMIT!). Oh well, that's the price I pay for wanting the house done quickly.

I will investigate the SVS Ultra as you suggested. I have a friend that is a Klipsch fan boy but his living area is tiny.

 

[TheWarrior]

She wants a nice theater that has never been the battle. The battle is her spending all kinds of scratch on the finish out of the house. I'm very lucky and work as an operations manager for a architectural firm. One of our best builders offered me a killer deal on our house. She saw extra $$$ and went all nuts on finishes. In the end I'm fine with it, but we are coming from a much smaller 15x16 living area that we could easily make sound good with a limited budget. This 21x23 is going to be a bit different. I just got back from walking the house and they already have the rock up and textured, the hardwood in, and the trim on. So it looks like I will be drilling top plates and dropping lines post construction (DAMMIT!). Oh well, that's the price I pay for wanting the house done quickly.

I will investigate the SVS Ultra as you suggested. I have a friend that is a Klipsch fan boy but his living area is tiny.

Oh outstanding! Honestly, hiding wires is really no big deal. My front speakers are RBH Wall mounts, and it really creates a finished look with it all being hidden. Just cut NEAT holes in the dry wall, use a scrap piece of wood that is wider than the hole, screw, putty, sand, paint!

Klipsch have a dedicated following, but I encourage you to give a good earnest listen. Especially in your size listening room, higher volumes will be needed and it is my opinion that Klipsch have a tendency to sound overly bright. But again, the advantage of ID companies is the return policy. By a 6 pack, tell your buddy to throw his best in the car and convince you!

 

[TheWarrior]

Oh, and now that you're here.... post pics when done!!!

 

[sprayed99]

Oh, and now that you're here.... post pics when done!!!

It will be a bit... Still have metric S&*T ton of things to do, including selling our current home.

Here is a picture of my main Hobby.... 32 Ford Truck all real Henry ford steel. I built in over a 4 year span. My next project is a 64 Pontiac Grand Prix. The 32 was my wifes wedding present.