Dreaming: Home Theater for $15,000

[strube]

This is sort of a just for fun thing (I dream a lot instead of doing real work). It is difficult to say right now whether I would call this dreaming or planning (it would certainly be a dream right now, but could easily become reality 1.5 years from now when I am out of graduate school and have a real job), but I want to come up with the best dedicated theater for between $15000 and $17500. It would likely be used as a 95% movie, 5% Xbox/music/TV system. This budget would be for any non-construction/furniture items, such as

5.1-7.4 Speakers
Reciever/Separates
Projector
Screen
Blu-Ray Player
Acoustic Room Treatments

I certainly am a bang-for-the-buck/function-over-form type person but I am also a big fan of quality and reliability. My future wife would be concerned about the aesthetics of the speakers and screen. She probably wouldn't care about the looks of the components as they would be in a nice cabinet behind the seating. I would also most likely use my somewhat competent woodworking skills to build a box for the projector as I have now that would reduce concern over projector aesthetics, versus a simple ceiling mount.

I like Paradigm, and have good rapport with a decent (not great) dealer of Paradigm and Denon, but Paradigm is really all I have had since my purchasing days began, so I am sure open to new brands. My Rotel RSX-1065 has served me well, but Rotel seems to charge more for their name and have less features than competitors these days. I like the idea of separates from the standpoint of upgrading just the processor when a new technology arrives, however, it seems that may not be the best cost-wise for a movie theater. It may be fine for this budget.

Lets assume a basement room with dimensions of 16' by 24' with no windows, 8' 6" ceilings. This or other options may be possible if we were to be able to build a home of our own design right away out of school, which is probably not realistic.

Let the opinions and recommendations begin!

 

[highfigh]

This is sort of a just for fun thing (I dream a lot instead of doing real work). It is difficult to say right now whether I would call this dreaming or planning (it would certainly be a dream right now, but could easily become reality 1.5 years from now when I get out of graduate school and get a real job), but I want to come up with the best dedicated theater for between $15000 and $17500. It would likely be used as a 95% movie, 5% Xbox/music/TV system. This budget would be for any non-construction/furniture items, such as

5.1-7.4 Speakers
Reciever/Separates
Projector
Screen
Blu-Ray Player
Acoustic Room Treatments

I certainly am a bang-for-the-buck/function-over-form type person but I am also a big fan of quality and reliability. My future wife would be concerned about the aesthetics of the speakers and screen. She probably wouldn't care about the looks of the components as they would be in a nice cabinet behind the seating. I would also most likely use my somewhat competent woodworking skills to build a box for the projector as I have now that would reduce concern over projector aesthetics, versus a simple ceiling mount.

I like Paradigm, and have good rapport with a decent (not great) dealer of Paradigm and Denon, but Paradigm is really all I have had since my purchasing days began, so I am sure open to new brands. My Rotel RSX-1065 has served me well, but Rotel seems to charge more for their name and have less features than competitors these days. I like the idea of separates from the standpoint of upgrading just the processor when a new technology arrives, however, it seems that may not be the best cost-wise for a movie theater. It may be fine for this budget.

Lets assume a basement room with dimensions of 16' by 24' with no windows, 8' 6" ceilings. This may be possible if we were to be able to build a home of our own design right away out of school, which is probably not realistic.

Let the opinions and recommendations begin!

Move room treatment to the top of the list and you'll be able to get better sound from less expensive speakers. The proportions of the room make a big difference, so use the link to make some little changes.
http://www.marktaw.com/recording/Acoustics/RoomModeStandingWaveCalcu.html

Make sure you can demo the speakers in your listening environment.

Install some kind of raceway for cabling, to keep it from ever becoming obsolete, install access panels where necessary, make sure the equipment can be cooled effectively, isolate the HVAC from the rest of the house (use a separate system, if you can) and don't buy cabling based on marketing BS.

 

[jostenmeat]

5.1-7.4 Speakers Not touching this one right now.

Reciever/Separates If today, receiver acting as pre, add amp. My personal vote on the receiver is with the best room correction available for reasonable money. Example, today, a superceded Onkyo 705 for $300-400 can still get you Aud XT. Won't be like that for long! Cheapest will be Denon 2xxx series very shortly, or so is my guess.

Projector With the pace of the PJ world, who knows what we can have just 1.5 yr from now.

Screen a function of: viewing distance, gain, AT vs not, lumens of PJ, light control, fixed vs manual, etc. Cost = $200-$3000.

Blu-Ray Player Pana BD35 or PS3 if today, depending on particulars.

Acoustic Room Treatments A must. A whole suite of them. Least double digit with said budget.

 

[strube]

Projector With the pace of the PJ world, who knows what we can have just 1.5 yr from now.

Screen a function of: viewing distance, gain, AT vs not, lumens of PJ, light control, fixed vs manual, etc. Cost = $200-$3000.

Well it would be a completely dedicated theater room and I am a fixed screen fan. Light control would be extremely high (no windows, probably different banks of wall sconces or can lights on separate dimmers, etc.). Today I would still purchase a 1.0 gain screen from Carada for ~$900, but that is because I have never been in the situation to be impressed by the cost/benefit of "higher end" screens from Stewart and the like. You are right about the projector, the technology sure does move fast. Today, I would still buy a Panasonic PT-AE3000U or an Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500 UB.

Acoustic Room Treatments A must. A whole suite of them. Least double digit with said budget.

Move room treatment to the top of the list and you'll be able to get better sound from less expensive speakers. The proportions of the room make a big difference, so use the link to make some little changes.
http://www.marktaw.com/recording/Aco...WaveCalcu.html

This is where I have absolutely no experience. I have put together only three truly dedicated home theaters for myself and others, and those situations didn't have either the budget or the understanding to encourage the use of acoustic treatments. I have always known in the back of my head with my electrical engineering/mechanical engineering/physics background that they would make a huge difference, but have never taken the time to educate myself on them. It will certainly be a large part of any future undertakings.

Install some kind of raceway for cabling, to keep it from ever becoming obsolete, install access panels where necessary...

After the first install that I did, I decided not installing conduit for future-proof cabling was probably one of my biggest oversights. My third install was a complete upgrade to the first, and I really felt the pain of that oversight (especially getting HDMI to the projector).

...don't buy cabling based on marketing BS.

Blue jeans cable are my favorite so far. I can't count how many times I have had to talk people out of Monster (and Bose) products. I haven't ever had to talk anyone out of Audioquest ones though - a little to rich for any of my "customers."

 

[jostenmeat]

Well it would be a completely dedicated theater room and I am a fixed screen fan. Light control would be extremely high (no windows, probably different banks of wall sconces or can lights on separate dimmers, etc.). Today I would still purchase a 1.0 gain screen from Carada for ~$900, but that is because I have never been in the situation to be impressed by the cost/benefit of "higher end" screens from Stewart and the like. You are right about the projector, the technology sure does move fast. Today, I would still buy a Panasonic PT-AE3000U or an Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500 UB.

If not AT, less money on screen, more money on PJ. At that budget? Get a JVC for the blacks alone in a light controlled room. Then use a DaLite high power screen for cheap. That's the combo I use. I just found out some gazzilionaire at AVS uses the exact same combo as I do, and his profession is in the industry, so to speak. He drives an Enzo, I drive a +10 y.o. pickup, but I can afford the same video that he has. (He put up screen shots of the Dark Knight Bluray already a couple days ago; he gets them in advance due to his profession).

edit: the JVC will also get you much greater fill ratio. Virtually no gap between pixels.

This is where I have absolutely no experience. I have put together only three truly dedicated home theaters for myself and others, and those situations didn't have either the budget or the understanding to encourage the use of acoustic treatments. I have always known in the back of my head with my electrical engineering/mechanical engineering/physics background that they would make a huge difference, but have never taken the time to educate myself on them. It will certainly be a large part of any future undertakings.

Welp, you've got time! And this stuff is not changing the way your other concerns are. Trap your bass, treat your reflections, pretty simple. The other considerations could be seating placement within the actual room for best acoustics. And again, just to impart my opinion, I think room correction is pretty kick *** for the money these days.

Blue jeans cable are my favorite so far. I can't count how many times I have had to talk people out of Monster (and Bose) products. I haven't ever had to talk anyone out of Audioquest ones though - a little to rich for any of my "customers."

I am more than happy with Monoprice for less money. I think my 35 ft HDMI cable is $43. If you told me that the cable cost $1,000 I might believe you.

 

[strube]

Wow, I had never taken a look at Monoprice before. Those prices are outstanding!

 

[highfigh]

I have always known in the back of my head with my electrical engineering/mechanical engineering/physics background that they would make a huge difference, but have never taken the time to educate myself on them. It will certainly be a large part of any future undertakings.

Since you have this kind of background, dealing with all of the theory and math shouldn't be a problem. That said, since you're still in school, ask around for faculty who is/would be interested in a project like this. If you use the room size you mentioned as a model, making the proportions work will be more important than the actual room size. Then, work with the initial reflections, look into "live end/dead end" treatment and diffusers (RPG is probably the largest company). If you want your lighting to be controlled by your system controller, with Lutron, Leviton and others using Z-Wave, IR and RS-232 protocols, there's no good reason to get out of your chair for adjustments. You would also be able to set up scenes, for lighting levels pre/during/post viewing. You could also put some footlights on the steps, if you'll have a riser.