Home Theater feng shui Zen masters needed inside! :D

[KASR]

You have my sincere empathy.
Would you put me in your will if just for the acoustic panels?

LOL! I'm sure in some weird way, she'll get attached to them...although, she'll undoubtedly hate them at first! Crazy how that works huh? (it's kinda how she feels about me!!! LOL!!!)


Ok, so I took a quick snapshot of the set-up against the proposed wall and noticed something that was throwing it ALL off:

If you guessed the light-toned shelving for the equipment, you were right on the money - it's throwing off my MOJO!!! So last night, I got the satin black spray paint, some duct tape and some card board boxes and went to town! Here's the updated pics, with the wifey loading up Left For Dead on the xbox 360 (gotta love a woman that plays Left For Dead....it basically means when we face the zombie apocalypse, my family will have two shooters! LOL!)

So I still need to wire the back speakers - but the system sounds pretty great. We're talking about painting the walls a different color as well. Then the acoustic treatments begin! I also was able to setup the humidor and the poker table - tomorrow morning, I'm installing the overhead light for the poker table! Pics to follow!!!

 

[Woogie526]

Looks good. Much better in black I must say.

 

[KASR]

Looks good. Much better in black I must say.

Thanks man! I definitely know more setting up the room this time around - I'm just glad that I took the time to setup everything just right and actually have a gameplan. You guys have been a tremendous help in that regard.

 

[KASR]

Ok, so since we've been talking acoustic panels so much - we better address the need for bass traps. I've plotted two places and two "possible" places for where these need to go - am I "off" or "on" for these trap placements?

 

[jostenmeat]

Ok, so since we've been talking acoustic panels so much - we better address the need for bass traps. I've plotted two places and two "possible" places for where these need to go - am I "off" or "on" for these trap placements?

Corner trapping is an excellent idea. I'm not sure how significantly important it is to trap the far right corner, but I'm sure it would still be ideal to.

Where you have the "early reflection point" panel at ceiling and wall at the back is another prime candidate for trapping. IOW, don't buy a super thin panel just for HF. Think bass trap as well.

I've been told that it's impossible to go overkill on trapping for bass. If you hit critical mass in trapping and treatments, you most likely will find that you have more freedom in how place your speakers and your subwoofer.

If the room's response is super flat, you can even corner load your subwoofer for greater efficiency of output, without having to worry about extremely boosted room modes. Best of both worlds.

 

[KASR]

Corner trapping is an excellent idea. I'm not sure how significantly important it is to trap the far right corner, but I'm sure it would still be ideal to.

Where you have the "early reflection point" panel at ceiling and wall at the back is another prime candidate for trapping. IOW, don't buy a super thin panel just for HF. Think bass trap as well.

I've been told that it's impossible to go overkill on trapping for bass. If you hit critical mass in trapping and treatments, you most likely will find that you have more freedom in how place your speakers and your subwoofer.

If the room's response is super flat, you can even corner load your subwoofer for greater efficiency of output, without having to worry about extremely boosted room modes. Best of both worlds.

So you think three should suffice? Also with sound falling off as it travels across the room to the right, is the need for panels in that area moot?

 

[jostenmeat]

So you think three should suffice?

No, I never said that!!

Also with sound falling off as it travels across the room to the right, is the need for panels in that area moot?

No, I did not say that either! If you have enough traps, then yes trap every corner! If you only have 3 traps, I would try them first in other places, but that's just me following my instinct, without measuring their impacts.

HOW MANY PANELS ARE YOU MAKING?

Those who do measure the impacts of treatments and their positioning sometimes have on the order of 50 panels. I seriously doubt 3 traps is the point of no returns . . .

 

[KASR]

HOW MANY PANELS ARE YOU MAKING?

Those who do measure the impacts of treatments and their positioning sometimes have on the order of 50 panels. I seriously doubt 3 traps is the point of no returns . . .

Ok, so when I say "traps", I mean bass traps - panels are the acoustic panels - just so I know we're on the same page. I can prolly get away with three bass traps in the above graphics' corner (that's before the wife goes berserk!) and I'm fairly certain I can get away with 4-6 acoustic panels.

 

[jostenmeat]

Ok, so when I say "traps", I mean bass traps - panels are the acoustic panels - just so I know we're on the same page. I can prolly get away with three bass traps in the above graphics' corner (that's before the wife goes berserk!) and I'm fairly certain I can get away with 4-6 acoustic panels.

No, I don't think we are on the same page. Traps and Panels are not mutually exclusive. Sure, there are the "superchunk tritrap" types, but by far most of my own acoustical panels are indeed bass traps.

It's a matter of mass/thickness when using broadband absorption.

You will notice that with some companies, the fattest "bass trap" as a panel will usually have nearly the identical performance as something like a superthin HF panel (meant for something like a ceiling or something) when it comes to the upper frequencies. It's just that the thin panel will start doing nothing at a certain lower frequency, perhaps even falling off at the midrange when very thin.

Actually, often the "bass traps" have better HF absorption if only because companies make them to be larger, in the sense of square footage covered. Otherwise, the HF absorption is pretty darn even per sq in, as far as I have seen.

Broadband is broadband; you just need a certain thickness to be able to absorb the frequencies low enough for your satisfaction.

 

[KASR]

No, I don't think we are on the same page. Traps and Panels are not mutually exclusive. Sure, there are the "superchunk tritrap" types, but by far most of my own acoustical panels are indeed bass traps.

It's a matter of mass/thickness when using broadband absorption.

You will notice that with some companies, the fattest "bass trap" as a panel will usually have nearly the identical performance as something like a superthin HF panel (meant for something like a ceiling or something) when it comes to the upper frequencies. It's just that the thin panel will start doing nothing at a certain lower frequency, perhaps even falling off at the midrange when very thin.

Actually, often the "bass traps" have better HF absorption if only because companies make them to be larger, in the sense of square footage covered. Otherwise, the HF absorption is pretty darn even per sq in, as far as I have seen.

Broadband is broadband; you just need a certain thickness to be able to absorb the frequencies low enough for your satisfaction.

This is actually makes a lot more sense now - thanks....again!!! LOL!

 

[KASR]

Ok, a good chunk of an update! I was able to get quite a bit down today!
I crawled into the attic, dropped and ran the speaker wire for the two rear surround sound speakers - wired them, mounted them and then covered the wires with adhesive channel.
Then I was finished hanging up the Poker Room wall pictures and set up the table....THEN, I took out the old light fixture and wired up the 3-light poker table light...that was alittle nuts - just in time for Saturday night poker!

Of course, I had to appease the wifey! So I wall-mounted out 42" LCD in the bedroom and wired all the electronics accordingly...the wife then finished that off with elevating the DVR and DVD player so the HDMI could reach - we'll be also fixing the bad wiring in that room with some channels as well. here's the picture log!!

Into the dark abyss of the attic! It wouldn't have been so bad....had I not waited till 1:30P to do it! It was crazy hot today, so the attic was insanely hot and humid

All for the wall mounted surrounds!

Once I got the poker table light up, I decided to take some progress pics of the room:

From the middle of the room:

The equipment thus far:

The seating: (I'm thinking of adding a riser...just gotta plan the space just right....)

The wall mounted LCD in the bedroom (removing the base from the LCD was beeeeeotch!

Talk to my good friend who is quite the handyman in planning for the acoustic panels! Can't wait to begin that!!!

 

[mtrycrafts]

Looks like things are falling in place nicely

 

[jostenmeat]

The seating: (I'm thinking of adding a riser...just gotta plan the space just right....)

Yeah. I'd do it last. Truly, truly finalize viewing angle and/or screen size, have it mounted. Then you know the working #s you have will turn out to be the true ones.

As for the poker posters on the front wall (that will be the front wall, yes?), I am quite afraid of how distracting they will be due to the very very reflective nature of glass. Sorry to be a downer! But, maybe they won't bother you . . .

Otherwise, excellent job! Makes me wanna play cards!

 

[KASR]

As for the poker posters on the front wall (that will be the front wall, yes?), I am quite afraid of how distracting they will be due to the very very reflective nature of glass. Sorry to be a downer! But, maybe they won't bother you . . .

Otherwise, excellent job! Makes me wanna play cards!

Actually, the poker table light will rarely be on when we're watching movies - so the reflection hasn't been an issue yet - but I can see what you mean.

 

[KASR]

OK, so here is the plan so far: Broadband treatments on the upper left and right corners, panels directly behind the left and right and a ceiling panel directly above and in front of the TV position. It's a good enough jumping point as any! Additioanl mucho thanks to Bryan over at the Shack!

 

[jostenmeat]

Ixnay on the rack in front, eh. I believe BMXTRIX once said here that this idea is an outdated one. No need. Distracting ambient lights (and for additional ambient lighting do you lose contrast at an exponential rate).

OTOH, if it is a closed cabinet, where no lights are visible at all, then I guess it doesn't matter.

I used to have my rack on the side. I used liberal amounts of window tint, and black electrical tape. Window tint will block your IR signal, so careful not to cover that up.

Now that my rack is in the back, I have zero distraction from it. I even peeled all of the tint and tape off. My $80 URC system lets me control it easily via RF signal.

Having no rack in easy view looks soooo clean, IMO.

 

[KASR]

Ixnay on the rack in front, eh. I believe BMXTRIX once said here that this idea is an outdated one. No need. Distracting ambient lights (and for additional ambient lighting do you lose contrast at an exponential rate).

OTOH, if it is a closed cabinet, where no lights are visible at all, then I guess it doesn't matter.

I used to have my rack on the side. I used liberal amounts of window tint, and black electrical tape. Window tint will block your IR signal, so careful not to cover that up.

Now that my rack is in the back, I have zero distraction from it. I even peeled all of the tint and tape off. My $80 URC system lets me control it easily via RF signal.

Having no rack in easy view looks soooo clean, IMO.

Whereas spending my dollars wisely counts, it's the only rack available - that's why I painted it to match the rest of the setup. As far as the equipment lighting interrupting, I use the dimmers on all of them...seems to work just fine.

 

[jostenmeat]

Whereas spending my dollars wisely counts, it's the only rack available - that's why I painted it to match the rest of the setup. As far as the equipment lighting interrupting, I use the dimmers on all of them...seems to work just fine.

What is it about the rack that precludes it from being elsewhere?

In any case, it's my opinion on the "ideal", and as with the intention of all of my posts thus far in your thread, it's with performance firstly in mind.

Outside of already having cut your wire, and perhaps with an HDMI cable that cannot be returned as of the moment, I don't see how it would even cost you a single cent more. But, you don't have to explain yourself... take the ideas you like, use 'em, toss out the other ones...

 

[KASR]

What is it about the rack that precludes it from being elsewhere?

In any case, it's my opinion on the "ideal", and as with the intention of all of my posts thus far in your thread, it's with performance firstly in mind.

Outside of already having cut your wire, and perhaps with an HDMI cable that cannot be returned as of the moment, I don't see how it would even cost you a single cent more. But, you don't have to explain yourself... take the ideas you like, use 'em, toss out the other ones...

Well, if I had my druthers, I'd either cut into the drywall and create my own custom rack space on the other side of the room - or convert a closet that doesn't exist into an area for it....OR run extra long component/toslink/HDMI through the attic to a cellar elsewhere and use IR emitters or a super fancy universal remote to control the entire setup from 100 ft away....but that's not happen either. Obviously, it's a delicate balance between what I can get away with and what I can afford in a room that is partially dedicated and used by everyone in the family (which includes my wife, our 5 kids, and a kitten!) LOL

So while I wanted to run the rack behind me, I wasn't sure if I wanted the noise directly behind...nor did I want to spend the money on a 35 foot HDMI or two 20-25ft HDMI's and a extended/adapter. Since the xbox is only capable of 1080i, that means I'm running toslink and component to the receiver and component out of the receiver to the monitor. So for the sake of saving all the money that it would cost to move the rack away from the monitor/speakers/etc., I'm opting for the traditional "rack by the monitor" route and using the money for acoustic treatments, upgraded speakers, etc.