I would like to move my HT set-up to my basement (where late-night movies won't wake up the kids), but I think I have a pretty challenging basement to with respect to getting a decent acoustics. I've modeled my house in Google SketchUp, and have attached images below. Any of the furniture can be moved to accommodate the HT, including the bookshelves. I plan to use a projector with roughly a 100" screen, and a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker set-up.
As I see it, the biggest obstacle is the furnace air return, which runs along my east wall. I am assuming that this can't be moved or reduced in size. My ceiling is pretty low, about 7', and about 6' under the air return. Another challenge is the "steps" in my wall along the north and west walls, which I will probably just fill the gaps in to create a full wall.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
No comment on the air return.
Are you going to paint it all black?
Just remember light control.
And if between 1/2 and 1/3... try to sit about 38% from either the front or back. As a general starting point for best acoustics. Budget for treatments.
I say no additional wall, if looking for performance first. Less bass issues as well. But won't look as sexy as a truly dedicated HT when the exercise stuff is in plain view. OTOH, when the lights are off, it doesn't matter anymore, does it now?
What's your budget? If you are indeed going for a more modest screen size like 100", then I would start thinking about AT screens. Weaves, not the perforated type. It still costs $$$$, but at least not $$$$$$$$$$$ with an even larger size.
After all, you are an audioholic.
I deal with reflections from my center sitting on the floor. Its on top of a rug, which is on top of carpet, angled up, sitting between two large treatments. I bumped up the x-over to 100hz to help ameliorate the situation.
The system totally rocks, I love it... but having three upright identical speakers on the same plane would be such the improvement. A really big one. Very big.
