# quite possibly the smallest Home theater here...



## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Well, it's an achievement on it's own, I think?

Hi all, 

I'm a graduating sound engineer student, living at home with dad, and I'm building a home theater! 

Well, rebuilding, actually. A couple of years ago I bought a BenQ projector, nothing to special, but coming from a 19" PC screen, going to a 70+ inch screen, was quite the change...
Now a good month ago, that BenQ's DLP chip was starting to show alot of dead pixels, like a cluster on the upper right corner. At first, they went away after a couple of minutes, but gradually became worse.

Now, I've made a next step, and bought a new Optoma Hd131xe projector, and it's time that the theater would step up a little... 

Here is a photo of the current situation:
(Sorry for the bad pic, it was taken right before "demolition", with my cellphone)










As you can notice, this is where the title comes in. The room is an attic, all the walls are sloped (roof). The entire room is about 4m wide, and 5,7m long. The actual HT area is aboud 3,2m wide, and 3,5m long. Max height is something of 2,2m. 
Seating is a DIY bench, made out of big foam cushions from a caravan we don't use anymore. It's pretty comfortable, it's also the only thing that works, because anything higher is well, too high. 

Speakers are modified New Large advents, the center is a wharfedale diamond 10. I have Diamond 10.2 main speakers too, but after the modifications, I actually prefer the advents over the wharfedales. (the advents are incredibly fun speakers, and for editing and mixing, I prefer them too the wharfedales too.) 

I run the amps straight from my soundcard (a modified digidesign Digi-002), and use a standalone dolby/dts decoder for decoding surround from the PS3. This is fed to a Tascam M-308 mixing console, which serves as my preamp/volume control. This might seem a weird method, but as this is also my "diy studio", it works pretty comfortable...

over the past years I've been messing around, it started out as a white wall and a pc surround set, added the bench, properly painted the wall, and now I've recently tried to enlarge the screen a little more, and wanted to do a painted MDF screen. Then the projector died.

NOW.
As this is a small (tiny) room, I'm planning on building a 90" DIY AT spandex screen, and black spandex around the rest of the projection wall, where the LR speakers are, as well as the subwoofers. I plan on redoing the entire room, also the not HT part (storage/gear "rack"). There will be new carpet, new paint, finishing everything that hasn't been finished right now. Further sound proofing (I did add adequate isolation when I first "made" the room, there is rockwool everywhere, and structurally, the room is good...

I made a quick sketchup on how I plan the projection wall to be made











and a mock up with some person-like looking model in it, to show the scale.











I am still looking for a good color scheme (right now it's white-ish, and black, and some whacky green and yellow stripes on the wall (I don't know what I was thinking then...)
Lightning will also be changed, as of right now it's just 3 bulbs straight to the wire, hanging from the top bar.

I'm still looking for ideas for color schemes, lightning ideas, (screen tips too, I made a 100" spandex screen in the living room now, where the projector currently resides), and I'm fairly happy about that, but I want to know how I can get the most out of it, and what materials are best), and isolation tips. I plan on making some kind of a baffle wall behind the screen (the 2 subs between the LCR speakers are kinda most of the wall anyway), and above the screen will be a big bass trap)

a component list:

New large advent speakers (modified) LCR
2x DIY 12" subs (thinking of going 15" s) 
cambridge soundworks rears (4x one pair per side)
Yamaha CR-2020 (mains)
Behringer DEQ2496 (for mains)
Behringer Inuke1000DSP (subs & center)
Behringer EPQ304 (rears)
Tascam M-308 "preamp"
HTPC with XBMC (remote server)
PS3
Digi 002R sound card
DTS/dolby decoder
DIY input switch

Anyhow, thanks for reading, and I hope you'll enjoy the (mini) build... 

And Thanks in advance,

Regards,
Bert.


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## Blacklightning (Nov 22, 2011)

That looks like a good start so far... I'm looking forward to seeing your updates.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Looks great!, its a creative use of a small space but will function good.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Thanks, updates soon, hopefully 
Basically it's just like another small room, but without the bottom 50cm (that's how I interpreted the build)...

If you measure the viewing angle and the speaker angle, it's actually quite "correct" too, viewing angle is just shy of 40°, and the speakers are 45° apart. 

It needs some treatment, hence the bass trap, and at higher volumes, the high frequencies can be somewhat shouty, but nothing extraordinary, and much is because of the painted wall screen, I think. When I filled it with foam (that bench sure came in handy then), response was much much much smoother...

Regards,
Bert.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Okay, 

I finally took some construction pics (hooray), nothing much. it's quite the mess up there. 

I wanted to take earlier pictures, but I was busy building the theater, so... 


















So, I built the wooden frame, and painted it already. Now busy with wiring, the basics. Next up is starting with the rockwool. 

I also ordered 20m of RGB led strips, and controller. Will be attaching them to an L shaped piece of aluminium, under the wooden beams all the way across the room. (4 lengths).

I still haven't decided on a color scheme, I'm thinking about a dark blue carpet (midnight blue or the like), and a shade of neutral grey for the walls, combined with black/dark brown-grey, in a modernish shape. This also because of the RGB strip that's supposed to flood the wall...

As the led strips are more supposed to be moodlight, I still need some bigger lights, for actually lighting up the room, still no idea what I'm going to use for that. Was thinking about regular spots, but I'm afraid they'll get really hot, and they're in a relatively small space...

Anyone got ideas for the wall colors? especially for with the RGB ledstrips...

New updates soon! (hopefully  )

Keep them spinning,
Bert.


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## dougc (Dec 19, 2009)

Looks good Bret. I am using 40w LED inserts for 4" IC cans for my under-soffit lighting on dimmers. I think 6 or 8 of them would be plenty to get your room very bright when you need the light, and can be dimmed way down for when you need more light than the accent lighting provides.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Nifty setup, good use of space.


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## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

I love your theater. I think you will have a blast watching movies in that space.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

I made some progress with the rockwool today, and test fitted the LCR speakers already, the right speaker is a close call, but in the end, it all worked out! (made some "adjustments" to the drywall with a hammer and a stanley knife) fits just perfect.

As you can see in the pics, the center speaker/tweeter is slightly higher than the LR speakers, the difference is only like 5cm or so, but the LR speakers will be tipped slightly, so they aim at the same height as the center.

As you'll probably also see, is that the LR speakers are genuine advents, and the center, well, isnt.  I DIY'd the center speaker to the original specs. I don't have a correct woofer, but found a suitable replacement, correct parameters and measured pretty much the same as the original, so I went with that. Might change it out in the future, who knows 




























first and second photo is taken from slightly higher than listening/viewing height, but a good representation anyhow 

It's finally taking some shape, I guess!

now, more rockwool, deciding on a color, carpet, lights, paint, build the screen etc, lots to do still!

regards,
Bert.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Looking good sir, might i say.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Look what's drying in the garage... 











:devil:


it's nothing compared to what all you guys are building here (dougc's ceiling GJallahorns are the latest to impress me :gulp: )

but for what i've seen and used, these things are huge. Especially in the small room they'll be in. 
I would have glued up the second one, but I'm out of glue, and the shops are already closed... 

It's 920x720x260mm, making for a total of +- 120L. Filled with 2" rockwool on all sides. It's going to house a 12" subwoofer, for now, a cheapish one, of which I had 2 lying around, but it's future proof for a bigger and or different (better) subwoofer. For now, this will do (they always did fine in the past)

Anyhow, so much for the quick update!

Keep them spinning,
Bert.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Nice Bert!

That reminds me - I need to get some larger clamps...


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Looking good!:T


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

it's brother finished too now. 










:innocent:

now, getting them too the attic...
Unfortunately, I'm off to italy for work (not that I mind), so they'll stay where they are for this week.
I'm back next wednesday, hopefully testing the speakers in their current location and some first measurements (hopefully)!  

Regards,
Bert.


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

Great work so far, Bert. I like small spaces, and yours is certainly that! You've thought it out quite well and it looks like it's all coming together nicely. Can't wait to see more.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Okay, 
back from Milano, had a good time (but hard and long work, but fun)

and this morning, after some heavy lifting and serious moving, this happened:











The yellow tape is on there, because there will be acoustic foam on the subs, and the entire screen wall, forming a baffle...

Anyhow, it's a nice fit (pretty tight). Just now I put the drivers back in, and quickly connected the subs and main speakers for a test run. it's not EQ'd yet, nor is it hooked up as it will be, but I can tell you one thing:

That room sure is pressurized :innocent: :devil:
(and it sounds good so far!)

better pics tomorrow! (this one is from my cellphone, and that's a horrible camera)

Keep them spinning,
Bert.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

All I can say is that you have capitalized very good on the space you have to use. Great job. Look forward to seeing the finished room. Them speakers are sure big, better tie down the roof


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

phillihp23 said:


> better tie down the roof


YES! :gulp:


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

No worries, sturdy roof! 

it does feel new, though, I haven't been able to test with surround material, but rerouted everything and set the speakers up for 2.1 listening now, just to have some music during construction. Subs are amazing. hitting 20 now with ease! 

I'm back to the drawing board too now, sketching up some ideas for gear racks and storage.

Also, I built new rear speakers. And am now left with 4 small satellites doing nothing... I was thinking of using 2 of them to use in combination with the main surrounds, sort of like a "surround wide" option (without the receiver, of course), but I'm now thinking to to the same with the 2 remaining ones, for in the front. 

Main speakers are are in a 44° angle from listening position, and I'm thinking to place the 2 remaining satellites under a 85° angle from listening position, connected to the aux output from my DEQ2496, and delaying them as if they were on the same line as the main speakers. If that would work, of course...
They'd pass through the mixing console again, and be equalized again and use them as an "effect", especially for action movies, giving a wider soundstage?

Good idea, worth a try, or don't bother?

In the meanwhile, I finished the projection wall's treatment: all the rockwool is in place, and I started with placing the acoustic foam for the baffle wall...
pics very soon!

Regards,
Bert.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Update: I sketched out a simple drawing, showing the proposed speaker locations, visualizing what I ment in the above post.

The small cubes are the sattelites, the long ones are the rear speakers.
The purple cubes are "virtual" speaker locations. The "front wide" speakers, with the delay added.











Regards
Bert.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Worth a try if you already have the speakers...worst case if you don't like how it sounds take them down...(the little surround speakers).


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

It's been a while.
Time for some pics




























As you could have noted, I installed RGB led strips (hooray), will post night pics tomorrow or so. It's very cool and even they can be dimmed enough to be used as mood lights during movies...

the top of the room is a long bass trap. covered with leftover spandex. 




















AND, I also started work, and wiring on the "control area" (to give it a name), made a little desk to house my mixing console, amplifiers, the htpc, soundcard, patchbay and processing  




























Also, carpet is in, and the walls are painted. I chose for a light room, front will be entirely black. And black-ish stripes for the front half meter for reflections... I wanted a light room to make it appear slightly bigger 

Voila, a quick update. 

Regards,
Bert.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

and some nightshots 

(you'll also notice, THE SCREEN IS IN!) it's just a test fit though...





































The images are darker than the reality though... the ledstrips do really light up the room pretty hard...
BUT it's really cool nevertheless! 

regards,
Bert.


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

Very nice! Love the lighting!


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Peter Loeser said:


> Very nice! Love the lighting!


+1 - looks great!


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

Nice progress Bert! Front stage looks good, and the LED lighting is very cool. What's going on with that speaker in the back, looks like some kind of line array? I can't remember if those were mentioned before.


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## Basite (Nov 29, 2012)

Thanks! 

Yes, the rear speakers are self made line arrays! 
Made them out of a average HTiB system (well, 2 sets, first one broke down within warranty (amp died), and they sent a new one, which 2 years later also broke down. 10 tiny speakers leftover... modded them, made a new crossover, and separate woofers for them too... It's one of those things I'll replace when funds are available, but for now they do pretty fine. 

I used them in the garden too, occasionally in the summer, works very well there! 
(and, more importantly, they can keep up with the front speakers)

I'm now doing the rest of the black spandex in the front, it's looking pretty good so far! Updates soon!


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