Size matters?

[DonBattles]

OK, I have a small 9 X 12 room I might want to use as an AV room but I'm thinking it might be too small. Suggestions or input is greatly appreciated

 

[lsiberian]

I don't think any size is to small. Just make sure to match your system to your room.

Budget is always the first question to answer?

Room layout is the next.

Do you want to go projector or tv?

 

[DonBattles]

I don't think any size is to small. Just make sure to match your system to your room.

Budget is always the first question to answer?

Room layout is the next.

Do you want to go projector or tv?

For the TV in thinking 42'' or 46'' LCD.

Room layout would be TV on the 9ft wall with seating being approx. 10ft back. I might also want to run a 7.1 arrangement. Small towers up front along with center. In wall surround left and right and ceiling surround back.

The speakers I'm thinking of are Polk RtiA5 or 7's (my friend tells me I should be looking at some Martin Logan's but I think that might be overkill for the room. As for the rest of the speakers I'll still looking and need to do some listening.

AV receiver I currently have is an Onkyo TX-SR605, will likely start with this and make a change if I'm not happy with the sound.

 

[highfigh]

OK, I have a small 9 X 12 room I might want to use as an AV room but I'm thinking it might be too small. Suggestions or input is greatly appreciated

If you want a small room to work for HT, make sure the surfaces aren't very reflective. That will keep sound from bouncing around for too long and being distracting, annoying and keeping the localized sounds from sound the way they should.

 

[jostenmeat]

For the TV in thinking 42'' or 46'' LCD.

Room layout would be TV on the 9ft wall with seating being approx. 10ft back. I might also want to run a 7.1 arrangement. Small towers up front along with center. In wall surround left and right and ceiling surround back.

Are you against the idea of a projector? I played with my PJ's pic at the wall for a whole week and decided on 42 degrees. This equates to 106" from 10'. Now, I'm not saying that everyone would like this, but just wanted to put 42" in perspective. THX recommends 90" from that distance (equivalent to the middle of a theater). FWIW.

To add to highfigh's thoughts, bass trapping becomes more important the smaller the room becomes. While you might not have the money (nor permission) to put up treatments, DIY can be very affordable especially if you use mineral wool instead of fiberglass, and less that, strategically placed curtains, etc will help too. You can search the acoustics forum here for stealth or artsy type treatments as well.

 

[bpape]

Please....

Make sure you go about this the right way. You can use that room with no problem, however, deciding on screen size then doing seating position is backward.

Set the seats where they need to be for:

- good bass response
- avoidance of modal issues
- good surround performance

After you get that, don't move it. Set the screen size accordingly to that position while also considering what a given screen size will do to speaker positioning by pushing them potentially too close to the side boundaries.

Bryan

 

[Pyrrho]

For the TV in thinking 42'' or 46'' LCD.

Room layout would be TV on the 9ft wall with seating being approx. 10ft back. I might also want to run a 7.1 arrangement. Small towers up front along with center. In wall surround left and right and ceiling surround back.

The speakers I'm thinking of are Polk RtiA5 or 7's (my friend tells me I should be looking at some Martin Logan's but I think that might be overkill for the room. As for the rest of the speakers I'll still looking and need to do some listening.

AV receiver I currently have is an Onkyo TX-SR605, will likely start with this and make a change if I'm not happy with the sound.

10 feet from a 42" screen is getting to be far away. Take a look at:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41455

While you are at it, you might also want to read:

http://www.carltonbale.com/2006/11/1080p-does-matter/

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/assets/download/0602_tech_talk2_large.jpg

At 10', if you had a 50" (or smaller) TV, there would be no need for greater resolution than 720p. Of course, if you only watch DVDs, then 10' with a 42" screen will be close enough to see imperfections in the resolution (assuming you have 20/20 vision).

 

[john72953]

To add to highfigh's thoughts, bass trapping becomes more important the smaller the room becomes. While you might not have the money (nor permission) to put up treatments, DIY can be very affordable especially if you use mineral wool instead of fiberglass, and less that, strategically placed curtains, etc will help too. You can search the acoustics forum here for stealth or artsy type treatments as well.

+1...very good point and one I was going to bring up when I read this thread. Carpeting and/or area rugs will help as well. And this may not go over well for many, but if you can't afford acoustic panels or aren't inclined to DIY, hang some small area rugs on the wall.

Remember...we're audio/videophiles...nothing is out of the realm!

 

[DonBattles]

..

+1...very good point and one I was going to bring up when I read this thread. Carpeting and/or area rugs will help as well. And this may not go over well for many, but if you can't afford acoustic panels or aren't inclined to DIY, hang some small area rugs on the wall.

Remember...we're audio/videophiles...nothing is out of the realm!

The room has wall to wall carpet and would likely stay that way, one wall has a window and opposite that wall is the wall with the room entry door. I am looking at having the HT set-up on the wall with the window and was going to cover that entire wall with a curtain of some sort. As for acoustic panels I've not priced them so I'm not sure what I can and cannot afford at this point but I'm also fairly handy so maybe a DIY is in order.

 

[Shock]

I don't think any size is to small.

If only it were true.....

 

[no. 5]

And this may not go over well for many, but if you can't afford acoustic panels or aren't inclined to DIY, hang some small area rugs on the wall.

Just remember that a thin absorber like a rug will only have a useful absorption coefficient at higher frequencies (i.e. above 500 - 1,000Hz), and that a room that is disproportional "dead" at high frequencies doesn't sound too good.

 

[lsiberian]

The SR605 should have plenty of power for a room that size. I suggest you go with a projector over a TV. You can get a decent 720p projector for around 700 these days. Or you can even look on our classifieds area. One guy is selling one pretty cheap.

Before you do a hard seating setup or any acoustical treatment.

Put your system in there and try to get the best sounding spot by moving stuff, tweaking and so forth. If you can't get a great sound then it's time to hit up the acoustical treatments.

For speakers I suggest you at explore the small speakers systems out there kef has 4 lines of systems with 5000 being the best and 1000 being the cheapest. Mirage has nanosats which are supposed to be decent too. I use the 2001.2 system for surrounds and love them.

For the sub I think a 12 inch would overpower the room, but you can always try it. I think a 10 will be your best bet.

It can be done! Will take some work, but we will get you setup with a real theater room.


I personally caution you to not go 7.1. I think in that size space the gain would be negligible and could do more harm than good.

 

[lsiberian]

If only it were true.....

Nah I've setup a home theater for my ants too!

 

[DD66000]

For the TV in thinking 42'' or 46'' LCD.

Room layout would be TV on the 9ft wall with seating being approx. 10ft back. I might also want to run a 7.1 arrangement. Small towers up front along with center. In wall surround left and right and ceiling surround back.

The speakers I'm thinking of are Polk RtiA5 or 7's (my friend tells me I should be looking at some Martin Logan's but I think that might be overkill for the room. As for the rest of the speakers I'll still looking and need to do some listening.

AV receiver I currently have is an Onkyo TX-SR605, will likely start with this and make a change if I'm not happy with the sound.

You want to have the seating 7.5ft to the screen. Also being that close puts you closer to the speakers, which is better for such a narrow room, as the direct sound will have a much shorter distance.
And as you are using a 42" you'll be able to place your main L/R speakers further away from the side walls, probably around 30", which will provide a much better soundstage than if you use a larger screen and then have to stick the speakers next to the walls.