Putting speakers behind AT screen, need some advice. Room Layout in Post.

C

CMettel

Audiophyte
I'm trying to figure out the best way to put speakers behind my AT screen given my room layout. The room is built in a basement, with the screen wall sharing a wall with part of our storage area. Behind the screen wall is 3' of space and then the exterior concrete foundation. It was built with this gap due to the sump pit in the corner behind this wall.

Anyway, I feel like I have a lot of options. I'd like not to use in wall speakers, but I also don't want all the sound to get lost or trapped in this area behind the wall. Also, I'm not sure how the concrete wall might affect things. See attached picture for a more clear idea of what I'm talking about. What is the best way to get speakers behind this screen? Thanks!

TheaterLayout.png
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Ummm... You rip down the drywall where the speakers are going and then get rid of your sump pump or live with any noise it makes back there.

In reality, I'm not sure what the entire layout is, but it seems more ideal for in-wall speakers because it really isn't ideal for an AT screen and floor standing speakers.

Most often, AT screen walls are built in front of an existing and enclosed space to direct audio into the room properly. The fact that you have a noise producing item (sump pump) and a non-enclosed space behind your room are both things that make me cringe a fair bit. I would seriously look at other options which might be better to do within the space. But, I don't know how serious you want this space to be or if you have other things going on within the room that need to be addressed.
 
C

CMettel

Audiophyte
The sump pump is a non issue. It runs very rarely (once or twice a month in the spring) and only for a few seconds if it does. It’s nothing and can be ignored.

As far as the area not being closed off, I could easily frame it up and block it off if that will greatly benefit acoustic performance. Why does open space behind a room make you cringe? Isn’t that essentially what happens when people build false walls?
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Typically a false wall is built within the structure of an existing room. Then the AT screen is hung in front of it and speakers (and such) are contained within the cavity that has been created. What you have is a huge open pathway for the audio to escape, which really messes with the way the audio will perform overall. You also need to consider what type of speakers you want to use and their placement behind the screen area so that you can open up the drywall. That is, the entire point of an AT screen is to have speakers behind it somewhere, and there definitely shouldn't be sheetrock between the speaker and the next room. So, I would open up the drywall a fair bit if you want some decent speakers back there.

I've only done AT screens to this point in rooms using in-wall speakers. Sometimes, pretty high-end in-wall speakers.

But, I have a job coming up where I will have a false wall going into the room and full on floorstanding speakers behind it. I will be making the entire wall acoustically transparent.
 
C

CMettel

Audiophyte
I appreciate your input. So, if you had to choose LCR speakers for this room, would you go with in walls or open the drywall up for some quality bookshelves on a $500 per speaker budget. Assuming behind screen is a requirement....
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
I appreciate your input. So, if you had to choose LCR speakers for this room, would you go with in walls or open the drywall up for some quality bookshelves on a $500 per speaker budget. Assuming behind screen is a requirement....
SHRUG...

It's not a great decision. Overall, I think I might go with in-walls. I like a decent speaker over in-walls, but I think there is a lot of loss which may be going on with speakers being placed in a semi-enclosed/semi-open back area like that. At the end of the day, I think I might get more predictable results with in-walls. But, that's just my thought on things.
 
flyboylr45

flyboylr45

Senior Audioholic
Why not on-wall speakers and hang the screen in front of the speaker? Easy and cheap enough with a bracket from the orange store.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top