Home Theater in a Loft

[Tin Ears]

I have a problem space for the home theater I want to install. It’s located in what amounts to a loft directly next to the kitchen. The back of the space opens down to a rather large and cavernous living room. To make matters worse, I have one useable wall that I have located a 52” Sony lcd tv. Here are some pics:

View looking at TV
Side view, from kitchen
View with back to the TV
Another view with back to TV showing kitchen
​

As you can see, there are corner windows on both sides and a wide wall-to-wall cabinet below that will hold my AV equipment. Thus, there is no room for either floor standing or shelf speakers without blocking things. Aesthetics are important to me. There are pre-wired j-boxes in the ceiling at the back of the viewing space, slightly in front of the rear chair, with wires running to the front cabinets. Nothing is pre-wired in the front. The initial plan was to use in-ceiling speakers front and back (5.1 system) but the more I read, the more people I find who hate them. I can hang speakers above the windows and TV or from the ceiling. Orb Mod 2’s are highly rated but I fear they might be too small.

I do have room on the floor next to my couch for a sub-woofer.

I visited a few audio stores and they all recommend either Sonance 1.0 or 2.0 in-ceiling Ellipticals and either a Denon or Marantz receiver. Frankly, when I leave some of these places, my head spins. They all have these acoustically perfect rooms that don’t reflect my space at all (pun intended). Plus, to be honest, my uneducated ears can’t tell many differences. Maybe that’s good. I’m not a hard core audiophile and will use the room for TV, movies, and light music listening. My favorites are the Eagles, Beatles, Country, and vocals (Suzy Bogguss, The Nylons -- anything a capella).

Do any of you have some suggestions for in-ceiling or hanging speakers, a sub-woofer, and a receiver? My budget is roughly $3000. The receiver should be able to handle my TV, a yet to be bought blue-ray player, DVR, & HD cable.

Plus, how do I shop for these? Thanks.

Jeff

 

[MidnightSensi]

If you aren't an audiophile, inwalls will probably be the most aestetically pleasing at your budget. But to really get good sound, especially ceiling mounted, good inwalls (generally with sealed backs and recessed enclosures so the speaker is actually pointing at the listening position from the ceiling) will leave you well above your budget. You could mount three identicle bookshelf speakers for a lot less and get better sound at your budget, and thats probably the route I would go, but it wouldn't look at nice as inceiling front speakers. For the rears, I would for sure get some inwall/ceiling speakers.

We can recommend brands once we have a better idea of the route you want to go.

Where do you plan to put the equipment/compoents?

I live in a loft as well and the spaces can be challenging but, when done well, very rewarding, homely and functional.

 

[Seth=L]

Nice living area.

I'd take a look at Triad products, although I am not sure what they have in your budger (surely somethign).

 

[MidnightSensi]

Triad was the inwalls I had in mind to recommend, although they would cost more to do.

 

[Tin Ears]

Thanks to you both.

I took photos before we insulated and closed the wall off:

View showing tv placement
Side view showing ceiling above tv
​

As you can see, the tv is mounted to a shear wall and there are deep headers above the windows. This leaves virtually no room for anything in-wall above the windows, but plenty of room for in-ceiling speakers. Running wires will be a challenge, but I’m good at drywall and confident I can pretty much do anything mechanical.

My equipment will be housed in the tall cabinet on the left (as shown in my first post). This cabinet is completely enclosed so I will have to vent it with fans. I also plan on getting an RF capable universal remote. My priorities right now are speakers and a receiver, however.

I love the look of the Triad sconce speakers, Seth. And the reviews I read indicate they would probably be perfect for me. Unfortunately, as with Sonance, you pretty much have to buy them from a dealer. This makes finding a good deal out of the question, unless I get lucky second hand, or unless one of you has an idea. My $3k budget is not hard and fast but I found another site where one Triad rep recommended an $8k to $10k system to someone -- speakers only! This is completely out of the question. In-ceiling looks like the way to go unless some smaller wall mounted speakers would work.

By the way, Sensi, I looked at your setup and am impressed with your home. We have similar taste in architecture. I love your stainless rails. With three floors of stairs in my home, I had to draw the line somewhere and went with painted steel.

Jeff

 

[MidnightSensi]

Thanks, Jeff!

You could do identicle bookshelves across the front on brackets or in ceiling speakers. You'll get more for your money with bookshelves, but obviously in ceiling would look cleaner.

Dynaudio makes great bookshelf speaker, I'd look at the Excites in your budget. They are also 6-ohm, so a receiver can power them comfortibly. Dynaudio also makes inwalls that are very good, not sure on the pricing though.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You could get away using good inceilings and a good sub. I always say to look at the Sonance and SpeakerCraft for such applications. Just so happens that I use the Sonance as my surrounds in my main room and SpeakerCraft as my mains in my bedroom.