My home cinema

[andyblackcat]

My home cinema.

Room 15 feet long, 10.6' feet wide (but I have to scale it down to 9' wide due to odd shape of the room) 7.8' feet high.

x6 Irwin rocker cinema seats and all is due to be refitted soon with the seating moved forwards by a few more inches.

Three Samson SRK21 19" racks 21U frame height.

I have to fix in timber and make a frame around the door area that will concealed all the cables as well give some support to a new set of soon to be fitted in JBL 8330 surrounds.

Hitachi LCD with HD ready 1080i only or 720p video projector behind the wall with small port window I knocked in the wall in few hours. A very temporary bed sheet for projector on with large new sheet of Spandex that will be used for a new screen once I get around to it.

The room is mono pole surrounded with x12 JBL control 1 and gives a good in head surround. Its not about loudness as the levels are set to be same as single stage channel and seamlessly smooth with the pans that move around the room.

Window is covered over to keep sunlight from distracting or washing out the projector when used. Rest of the wall will be covered over with acoustical tiles and narrow 1x1 timber fitted vertically down the wlal and a cheap warm coloured bed sheet king size will be stretched across and stabled to the timber or I might go with black, black room. Not sure the cat will like that?

Overhead surrounds to me is as old as going to see STAR WARS back around December 1977 where auditorium had side back wall surrounds and flush mounted surrounds in the ceiling. When working at UCI 10 screens 25 years ago all the auditoriums had EV surrounds fitted to the suspended ceiling and the effect of it worked quiet will with DOLBY STEREO A/SR with CP55.

Yes its a CRT that I happen to like and when I'm ready to buy a flat screen 1080 40 or +50" but for now I like the old CRT and have the projector for larger image when I bother to use it?

A few bits of timber knocked up for stage and with matched JBL control 12SR toed in a bit and tilted down so they beam the sound across the front to back row with clear HF directional sound loud enough for the room size. Bass mid can give a chest kick if it needs to. JBL 12" sub on the stage supports LCR with an extra low end if I want it turned on. The larger JBL 18" sub can manage just below 20Hz with tow ports blocked up and roll off below 30Hz and can vibrate the concrete based floor if need to at 126db levels. Another JBL 12" sub below to left stage also for LCR sub bass support.

Above is the bed sheet that works fine got a few creases but its bed sheet what else can I expect from it for £4.99. Once the spandex screen goes up fitted to a wooden frame it will be tight crease free I hope.

Cupholders are also good support for the remote control when not drinking.

Sound rack consisting of consumer and cinema grade professional.

Laserdisc AC-3 Pioneer
DVD multi-regional Pioneer
HD-DV Toshiba
Bluray Phillips
Bluray Sony

Onkyo TH SR-875 is used as decoder processor only while all speakers is powered by its own amplifier.

Behringer MDX4600 limiter/compressor
Harman Kardon AVP1a
Dolby CP500
dts CAD-5
Dolby CP45 for side wall surround wired up for expansion matrix overhead and below seating surround.
Dolby CP45 for rear back surrounds
Sony SDDS DFP-D3000
Lucasfilm Ltd THX Sound System crossover/monitor 3417 with all the original THX crossover cards. (this is one of two THX I have)
Dolby CP65
Dolby CP55
6 channel mixer
31 band 1/3 Behringer EQ GEQ3102

Surround sub bass at the back of the room on each side of the back for extra low end support.

I used some AVR's for powering other speakers since they all have 7.1 inputs and I can use the amplifiers for cheap cost. Some other vintage amplifiers and some studio amplifiers as well. projector sat on mounted wall brackets beside the fridge freezer.

A lot of cables coming though the wall. Processor amp cables coming though and speaker cables going out and return AMP cables for the THX sound system to monitor or check for alignment of phase frequency levels and more. RGB cables and video cable and S-Video.

Black cat, Sooty watches some highly logical Mr. Spock, TOS STAR TREK.

 

[andyblackcat]

Black cat Sooty, watches a logical Mr. Spock, TOS STAR TREK.

I allow my cat to use the speakers as climbing tree as he's a trained very good boy.

Another JBL is on its way and should be here soon and I need to get more.

Removed bass driver for inside visual inspection and my cat approves.

TOS HD-DVD STAR TREK Dolby TrueHD 5.1 nice.

Also original mono mix STAR TREK and yes there is a difference over the DVD region 2 original expect the sound mix where some new sound effects added to the DVD or HD-DVD and some off-air ones on VHS to DVD-RW from the mid 80's with reel change over dots, so "best of all worlds" to watch the classic tv show.

Aura AST-2B-4 Pro Bass Shaker fitted inside two front row seats and 4 more seats to do, the remaining 4 seats have the smaller Dayton Puck that has provided a vibration enough not for me to sit down easily after playing "the big one" EARTHQUAKE (1974) twice and found afterwards it wasn't the brown note, it was my ass that was tingling form the vibration effect, kinder like "white finger" only white ass, lol. Brown note is myth.

When I use the video projector. Cutthroat Island (1995) THX laserdisc AC-3.

GRAVITY (2013) bluray 1080i on the projector "I still prefer my CRT tv".

 

[andyblackcat]

Another JBL 8330 arrived today.

A quick visual inspection inside found one of the coils was lose and not a problem to fix with some tacky strong glue or maybe some liquid nails as that stuff really holds.

Played some pink noise though it from the Dolby CP500 and it checked out fine. Disconnected the present side wall surrounds and wired the two 8330 up for listening to TOS STAR TREK region 2 Dolby 5.1 tonight and listened to a few chapters from Dances of Wolves (1990).

A wall bracket that arrived last week for tv flat screens will be able to hold a single 14ilb 8330 when I get a few more I'll start the slow install. Bracket was £3.99.

 

[herbu]

Holy Cow that's a lot of stuff!!! How long have you had this "hobby"? I admire your persistence, and can only imagine how it sounds!

 

[andyblackcat]

herbu, I had a while now.

 

[andyblackcat]

Finally testing the paw claws THX test. Approved.

 

[andyblackcat]

More JBL 8330 (THX Approved) arrived from Twickenham film studios on Tuesday.

x4 more to buy.

The slow install of the current x4 and maybe a 5th one before, mid December 2014, and should be completed around January 2015 with all x8.

I wasn't surprised to find a JBL 8330 MKI

JBL 8330 MKII

I did a visual inspection of each surround speaker and run the Dolby CP500 pink noise and frequncy sweep across each surround channel and all checked out fine.

The 8330 will be tightly fitted within 2" from the ceiling on side wall and back wall on the tv wall bracket so it would be an easy lift push towards bracket half way and it would slid in and drop down in locked into position.

 

[TheWarrior]

I love when form follows function! Have you been doing Dolby Atmos since before it was cool!?

 

[andyblackcat]

No. Its the UCI overhead surround 25 year concept. If it worked back then I see no reason why it wouldn't work today.

 

[andyblackcat]

My Sony CRT has had a good run for an early 1992. This is what a tv graveyard looks like down at the tip.

My dad let me have the LG Full-HD and my dad has sights set on maybe OLED for next year?

Had a snag trying to fit the flat screen on Sony tv stand to rise the flat screen up front row seated eye level. The wheels on the stand wouldn't allow it to fit as there 2 1/2" too high and tried undoing them then looked at it and flipped the stand upside-down and flat screen fitted under the stage.

Tried some STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE laserdisc to DVD-RW with Onkyo TH SR-875 upscale 1080p that looked okay.

Played some 20001: A Space Odyssey laserdisc letterbox and compared the video output from the Onkyo to SCART input AV1 and image looked noisy.

Switched to HDMI on LG and wow cleaner and smoother. Camera mode Manual ISO was set too low at ISO400 and should have tried ISO800 or higher but I can see how the two pictures look.

 

[andyblackcat]

THX Calibration test disc

Did a quick calibration naked eye.

Blue filter used with the tint to see if all letters are displaying same colour with the glasses on.

The camera has slightly shifted colour but with the eye its okay.

Colour test pattens.

Listened to what the pink noise had to tell my ears and LCR sound fine with surrounds but all the current JBL control 1, will be replaced with JBL 8330 around mid December.

 

[andyblackcat]

Another JBL 8330 arrived a few days ago from Twickenham studios.

It has small loosened front on the baffle due to those who can't read what FRAGILE means? Its a simple repair job with No nails and a little extra maybe black flat head screws flush mounted maybe depends if the No Nails gets a good grip. I'll repair over the weekend.

Otherwise in working order, cloth grill is in good condition.

x3 more to get now and more tv wall brackets.

Install starts on 18th December next week 2014 and will be completed around late January 2015.

 

[andyblackcat]

The other wall mount tv bracket arrived last week. For £3.99 it would be interesting to see how these fit.

 

[Nestor]

Dolby??

 

[andyblackcat]

^ Yes its Dolby home cinema.

Made repair last night to loosen join on the front baffle and left it for over 12 hours to dry with some weight placed down the top of the speaker so the two joints will bond together.

Early in the morning placing the bass diver back inside and attaching the cloth grill.

 

[Sheep]

Ah good to see Dolby is back posting.

SheepStar

 

[andyblackcat]

A nice chap popped over from a home cinema installers to lead a hand to get some timber up and will be back again sometime this afternoon as Monday was yesterday and today is Tuesday. Finish off some holes to drill in the walls for the metal bracket plates.

Timber fitting in snug after a little bit of standing it down a few millimeters.

The longer length of timber will fit across and sat inside by around 15mm so that I can fit in some cut to size MDF at later time for a finished flush down to racks and the most of the what is sat on the racks will be placed in the kitchen all the players with IR Emitter to control the players from the home THX cinema room and will reduce any disc spinning sounds. As I can hear the disc in bluray player faintly and HD-DVD a bit more due to fan noise and laserdisc easily so when all are placed in kitchen it would be getting quieter in the room.

The weight seems to be holding and the chap was willing to go into the loft to find a joist to take a longer screw though the wood into the joist above or maybe a few coach bolts would give extra strength but it seems to be holding and second 8330 will be fitted on to the timber around early January 2015.

The next two 8330 will be fitted up sometime around the afternoon today should only take a a few minutes as I removed all the JBL control 1, after the chap left and plodded on for a few more hours. Then called it a night as I was getting blured vision eyes fogging up due to sweating, so relaxed for an hour and itching to get the other 8330 up at least for the night as I was surround-less with just the LCR SW playing some Jerry Goldsmith STTMP.

I was recommended by the chap (cable trays basket) to place all the cables onto and that should at least keep them all tidy not that they'll be seen once the MDF panels are fitted up.

Seating will be moved forward by 20" away from back wall and extra few inches placed between the back row where the cup-holder is to the seat in front just needs a bit more inches there is plenty leg room at the back row and easy view of regular monitor and way more easy view of the projection screen.

The other two JBL control 5, will be fitted up repositioned on the ceiling sometime during the week or I might fit x6 or x8 control 1 for overhead surrounds but I have been looking at more 8330 and wouldn't mind x6 fitted to the ceiling its doable. So I'll toss a coin and see what side comes up. Heads control 1 tails put the other control 5 up but the row over the front row seating will have to be moved a bit further across the ceiling and its exhausting. Control 1 can be fitted to ceiling in matter of minutes and can be angled with ball bracket.

It was a bit hard to hold and fit up with back of the bracket on the speaker lifted about half way up where plate will be pushed in towards one fitted on the timber and then slides down locked into place. Got a workout from it.

I was stuck for silicone to pump into the bolt screw hole, so used a good ole tissue covered in wood glue and wound it into the hole should work once it dries.

Looked around to see what I can use to place the other surround speaker up at around the same height as the one fitted on left side. A tower speaker and smaller speaker.

Acoustic tiles will be finished when I get the time. Once finished I'll liquid nails some 1x1 timber to wall and get a some new king size bed sheets (black) and stable and stretch to each beam until the walls are covered and should make it suitable for when the projector is used.

Played a few films tonight on laserdisc and bluray
ALIEN Dolby AC-3
ALIENS Dolby AC-3
and ALIEN 3 bluray, still playing.

Its going to sound great once the remaining x2 more each side wall are fitted and x2 on back wall placed behind left/right seating row and centre seat should have good sound just as all seats.

The bass response is a bit more extended and I can feel the surrounds and are easy to blend in with JBL control 12SR though the lows mid and highs.

Echo hallways in ALIEN 3, sounds like being at UCI watching it in DOLBY SR 1992, with the overhead surrounds.

 

[Bd2e]

Great setup, love to see you still use the LD player, my pioneer is also still going strong. I am looking at buying some 8330's too. Can I ask you some Q's, should I put a new topic up or should this be a PM? Sorry brand new to forums.

 

[andyblackcat]

Plenty 8330 mkI and mkII about the 8330A plastic ones should be considered if you can find them going cheap or the 8333 duel bass with small horn not many of them show up these days. 8340 wooden enclosure and 8340A plastic the 8330A still sell a bit hefty but the 8330 are ideal for home as more than enough been ideal in some best THX cinemas in the UK in the past and non-THX as well.

 

[andyblackcat]

Christmas day started fitting up the rest of the JBL 8330 to the walls.

Making positions for the bracket on wall to mate with bracket on the back of the surround speaker.
Drilling holes and wall plugging with bit instant nails poured in the hole as well.

I have meters of cable to tidy up and hide and most of the cables around the door will be hidden with some 15mm MDF cut and fitted around close to chimney breast and partly around the top of the racks with the players HD-DVD blu DVD and Laserdisc player in the kitchen with IR Emitters to control the players from the Home THX Cinema plus there would be no disc spinning noise heard.

Next 4 will be fitted up though January 2015.

Overhead surrounds back had to be removed as they where in the way so I'll reposition them on the ceiling maybe in few days after my arms legs and back recovers as its aching after lifting these 8330 into place. At least I got a workout. Might pumped the arms up a small bit.

The acoustical wedge tiles I'm repositioning them and need to get another cheap box 30 or so of them to fit around the rest of the room.

How do they sound now? They rock. I played some THX laserdisc ALIEN 70mm AC-3 ALIENS 70mm AC-3 and bluray ALIEN 3 4 nights ago, The back side wall row even have good immersive uniform coverage to front row and I sat even sat on back row seat BB2 middle, the sound of panning voices in the darkened corridors while inmates try to trap the ALIEN and music pinging around side to side and fronts while the ALIEN makes itself another meal. The bass on the 8330 can be felt in seats and on my body at certain times.

Middle range and highs are smooth and not sharp just calm and easy to listen too. They merge in well with JBL control 12SR LCR that use the Lucasfilm Ltd THX Sound System, active crossover.

The engine room on Enterprise STTMP original laserdisc DOLBY STEREO rumbles the back of the room smoothly. Wormhole sequence has cool mix with scene where there is high frequency appears to spin around, (even makes me look around side to side of the room) so I know its all working well just the THX cinema at Empire Leicester square, 25 years ago.

All panning voices across LCR sound transparent when Epsilon 9, calls the Enterprise voice pan on stage right then few seconds later pans to centre with transparency and smoothness. Doors shhh pan side to side or centre stage even when Kirk arrives at San Fransisco headquarters door on stage left, Shhh, Kirk, notices commander Sonak, and pauses and Kirk's footstep has nice clear snappy echo sound on stage right.