# SUBmarine Home Theater



## Todd Anderson

_This thread has gone through quite a few revisions over the last 6 months or so. The mains and subs are new as of the end of 2012. And we've done a lot in recent months... new jet-black carpeting... new rears... added some tables for drinks and food... and given the theater a name. I've tacked the most recent new stuff to the end of this original post in the form of edits... some of the other additions were simply edited in to the original post. Also, you can check-out photos of the rest of the man cave in this part of the thread._


Original Post 9/26/12

It's taken me a while to get around to posting pictures of my home theater reboot. Here's a link to my old HT. Gone is the plasma... enter a little DILA action! :boxer:



I was able to keep quite a few aspects of my old HT. I kept the acoustic treatments and was able to add more front wall absorption because of the new space available behind the movie screen (which was previously used to hang the old plasma TV)...My built-in equipment rack (to the right of the front viewing area) also remains however I increased the depth of it by 5 inches to allow me to make sure the gear could be pushed back a bit (I was concerned that the LED lights, etc, on the gear would be a problem, but the paint and the added depth soaks up all the light and it ended up being fine). I also kept our family favorite LoveSac Sactional Couch (with the bass shakers!) and was able to add a few more pieces to it to widen and give every seating position leg support (think ottomans) for supreme lounging! Unfortunately, my LoveSac movie bags did not make the cut --- their proximity to the screen was too close. So, out to the kids' playroom they went!

During this process I added some new equipment/gear:

- dual Power Sound Audio XS30 subs
- Polk RTiA5's for my mains (replacing RTiA3's)
- Oppo 93 BD Player
- JVC DILA RS45 Projector
- Carada 2:35:1 Screen
- More front absorption
- New wall-to-wall black carpeting
- New sofa tables for food and drink
- New rear channels (replaced the old RTi4's with RTiA3's)
- Black track lighting (which only is over the seating area) with smaller inconspicuous heads. The old lighting was white.

I installed heavy black suede velvet tightly tacked over my back window and finished with wood trim (Which really isn't visible because of the rear slat diffuser), and a custom black out curtain (made of the same window covering material) to black-out the entry into the room. Let's put it this way: The only light entering this room is at our choosing. And any light that does enter room dies!

The entire front 3/8s of the room was painted using a Benjamin Moore Ultra Flat black ceiling paint (which was tough to find... Benjamin Moore only had 3 gallons on hand in their stores in the DC northern suburbs). This paint soaks up light like a sponge, thus living up to its ULTRA flat billing. The only downside to the product is that you can't touch it... at all... or it will get white smudges that aren't cleanable. This isn't an issue for me because of the location of the painted surfaces and the fact that any wall portions painted with it that can be touched are covered with first reflection absorption (so there is some protection there). The transition in colors between the front half and the rear half was accomplished by adding in a screen door wood bead. It ended up working out great and tightly hugs the first reflection absorption on the walls and ceiling. Because the absorbers are black... they almost appear to be an extension of the black surfaces in the front of the room... bleeding into the back of the room (simply because the room itself has such low light, thus the illusion is created!). The rear part of the room is a very dark muddy brown (with some earthy green). In low light it looks black... with no light it looks super black! But, the camera shots made it appear a lighter brown! Ha! Who knew?:huh:

I also added in an 8X10 black wool rug in the front of the room (the carpeting in the room was a tannish-gray color during the reboot. It's now wall to wall black, but I've left the shag in there just because it gives the room some interest for the eyes). 

I built a frame to hold the screen away from the wall so that it didn't sit back in the bump out (you'll see this in the pictures). I addition, I rebuilt the wall bracket holding the center channel.

At the end of the day, the room can be thrown into a total blackout mode and the picture quality is phenomenal. The whole renovation worked out great - we've had a ton of great movie experiences thus far. I wish I had the ability to capture it better on film... it really has a much warmer cozier feel than the images convey. But, it be what it be:T

Here's a shot during the early demo stages:

 

Building the screen bracket:

   

Adding on the support that holds the center channel mount. Also, you can see the wood transition on the right wall...

  

Adding in the ultra flat paint:

    

This gives a hint at the transition between room colors:

  

Here's a shot of the back of the room during renovation and when finished:

  

Here's a shot of the front, pre-screen and post screen installation:

 

 


A shot of the A5's added in...

 

And here is a photo of the XS30's added in...

 

 

A not-so-great photo of my equipment "cubby". I built this in myself, and made the rear of the cubby accessible via an easily removable panel (that also houses cooling fans). Makes cord/connection adjustments a breeze!

 



The star of the show:

 

Here are some in-movie shots. The image quality and black levels of the JVC unit live up to the hype - these pics demonstrate how the inky blacks on the screen bleed right out into the blackness of the surrounding front area of the room:

        
 

So, there she blows!


edit: 3/2/2013

Just a couple of quick updates. We've now installed all black carpeting throughout the room. It was a great move! Here's a pic of the underside of the seating (as I re-wire the bass shakers)... you can get a good idea of the jet black carpeting. 



Front screen shots with black carpet. First is with some lighting and flash... second is a covered flash. 

 

 

edit: 3/20/13

We've also added a few sofa tables behind the seating for food and drink....

 

and I switched out my old RTi4's (the rear channels) for my RTiA3's...

 



And, finally, we have given the theater a name: The SUBmarine Theater. Here is the sign I created (note, I take no credit for the actual artwork... but I do take credit for the sign/mount woodwork along with the decoupage to fuse the image to the wood). The sign hangs outside of the theater in our games room:




edit 7/26/16

Lots of discussion on HTS about integrating dual subs...where they should be placed. Here's a thread I created when I tested integrating subs into my HT: http://www.hometheatershack.com/for.../64063-setting-up-dual-subs-input-please.html


----------



## ALMFamily

It looks great mate - nice job on the re-boot! :TT


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thanks! ;-)


----------



## JQueen

Nice Job looks great! :clap:


----------



## Rhuarc

Looks fantastic!


----------



## Owen Bartley

dnast, great job on the update. I still love that slat diffuser at the back, it looks phenomenal. Really adds some richness to the room I think (to say nothing of the acoustic benefits) and makes it seem more... technical? ...professional? ...I don't know what the word is, but "awesome" should cover it.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thanks, Owen, for the compliment! That thing is a beast, for sure... definitely works. Wish I could go back in time and make it a tad bigger! Maybe build an entire back wall?


----------



## Prof.

What an improvement!! Well done.. :clap: The screen shots look great! :T


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thanks Prof... it was a big leap in many regards. Really enjoying it, for sure.


----------



## BD55

Wow! That's quite the revamp! I think muting the brightness in the room with the darker paint made a huge difference! I especially like the DIY screen mount; looks like a kit build. Nice job! :T


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thanks man! I'm glad I took the time to make the room blacked-out. It's amazing how much light gets soaked up. Even with the house lights on full, the room has a very dim feel. I had read about the ultra flat paints on a web blog written by home theater designer... they definitely aren't for everyone, especially for high traffic areas. But, if your dedicated room is pretty much low traffic (kid controlled, for those of you with little ones) you could definitely pull it off.

I figured if I were to go this far, might as well try to seal the deal the best I could. ;-)


----------



## Sunlesstrawhat

The picture quality looks great. Good job. What other projectors did you consider or were on your short list? And if you do not mind, why the JVC? Thank you.


----------



## Todd Anderson

My projector list was rather short... because I installed a cinemascope screen I really wanted a projector with lens memory. My budget was about $3500... and the two that were on my list were the Panasonic AE7000U and the JVC RS45/X30.

I actually ended up buying both. I originally bought the Panny... and once I had it in hand and was able to use it, I found that some of the comments in the reviews I read about began to make more sense (primarily reviews from projectorreviews.com and projectorcentral.com). So, I bought the JVC and did an in home comparison. I wrote up a review of my findings here. I was careful to list my priorities in that thread... I know everyone has something different they are looking for. But, this will give you a good idea as to why I chose the JVC.

I've really been able to put it through its paces... absolutely love it. It has been a fantastic addition to my HT. Over the years I've made lots of tweaks and upgrades. The biggest impact has been from the acoustic treatments, IMO... the projector and screen are a very close second (and everything else is a very - very close 3rd... really hard to rank order... but I think if I had to go back and do this all over again I would still look at room treatments first).


----------



## Sunlesstrawhat

Thank you, 27dnast. This is very helpful. I enjoyed reading your very detailed review and comparison. I also liked your explanation of your priorities and why the JVC worked best for your situation. Thanks again.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Hey, no worries Sunless. Glad it was an interesting read for you... good luck!


----------



## 3dbinCanada

Very nice set up


----------



## Todd Anderson

Quick photo update, with the A5's added in as mains...


----------



## 3dbinCanada

27dnast said:


> Quick photo update, with the A5's added in as mains...


Looking good.  Every man's goal for his mancave, :hsd: which I think you soo close to achieving.


----------



## Todd Anderson

It sounds great to my hurting ears 

At this point, my next, and hopefully last, purchase (for a good while) will be one more HSU VTF2-MK4 sub. Right now I have one in the front left part of the room... and then an Energy s.10 on the right wall. The volume on the Energy is turned partially down... it's there because I found that including it in my system (volume about half of the HSU and phase slightly altered) helps to eliminate a null at the listening position. I used REW to get it dialed in. It's not the strongest sub, tho, and can't keep up with the HSU. But, with the volume limited, it still seems to have an effect on the null and it's not forced to bottom out while the HSU is still pumping away.

Overall, the bass sounds really solid right now and I could be content with it as is... but it is slightly unbalanced to the left side of the room. I know bass is supposedly non-directional... but I can hear a tilt to the side of the room with the HSU.

I'm a little concerned that adding a second HSU in the room might be too much for a small space, but I'm guessing that fear is just that: a fear. ;-)

Maybe next summer I can start looking into it...


----------



## ALMFamily

27dnast said:


> It sounds great to my hurting ears
> 
> At this point, my next, and hopefully last, purchase (for a good while) will be one more HSU VTF2-MK4 sub. Right now I have one in the front left part of the room... and then an Energy s.10 on the right wall. The volume on the Energy is turned partially down... it's there because I found that including it in my system (volume about half of the HSU and phase slightly altered) helps to eliminate a null at the listening position. I used REW to get it dialed in. It's not the strongest sub, tho, and can't keep up with the HSU. But, with the volume limited, it still seems to have an effect on the null and it's not forced to bottom out while the HSU is still pumping away.
> 
> Overall, the bass sounds really solid right now and I could be content with it as is... but it is slightly unbalanced to the left side of the room. I know bass is supposedly non-directional... but I can hear a tilt to the side of the room with the HSU.
> 
> I'm a little concerned that adding a second HSU in the room might be too much for a small space, but I'm guessing that fear is just that: a fear. ;-)
> 
> Maybe next summer I can start looking into it...


Have you considered building your own sub?


----------



## Todd Anderson

To compliment the HSU?


----------



## Wardsweb

Great read and thanks for the PJ comparison. Then only downside is I was set on the Panny, now I have to take a closer look at the JVC.


----------



## ALMFamily

27dnast said:


> To compliment the HSU?


Yes, that is what I was thinking. My knowledge base is pretty small in this area right now, but I would think that you would be able to find a DIY sub that would compliment your HSU well. As long as you a open to the idea of building one of course......


----------



## Todd Anderson

Wardsweb said:


> Great read and thanks for the PJ comparison. Then only downside is I was set on the Panny, now I have to take a closer look at the JVC.


Buy both and hang them side-by-side ;-)

Seriously, tho, check out the new JVC line. They are selling a model (I believe it is the RS48) that has 4K e-shift... along with a slightly cheaper model that does not include it.

I read somewhere that they have made strides to improve their 3D picture.. .might want to read up on that too


----------



## Todd Anderson

ALMFamily said:


> Yes, that is what I was thinking. My knowledge base is pretty small in this area right now, but I would think that you would be able to find a DIY sub that would compliment your HSU well. As long as you a open to the idea of building one of course......



I have thought about it... but I'm wondering if my wife will kill me if I start to build more stuff!! :devil:

I guess I'd have to weigh cost and time of a build vs just buying...


----------



## ALMFamily

27dnast said:


> I have thought about it... but I'm wondering if my wife will kill me if I start to build more stuff!! :devil:
> 
> I guess I'd have to weigh cost and time of a build vs just buying...


Don't forget to weigh in the fun of building!


----------



## Todd Anderson

I hear you --- I had a blast building all if my traps.

Right now I'm staring down three projects: building a shed. Refurbing our mud room... And refurbing out master bedroom and walk in closet. I've got my work cut out for me! ;-)


----------



## ALMFamily

27dnast said:


> I hear you --- I had a blast building all if my traps.
> 
> Right now I'm staring down three projects: building a shed. Refurbing our mud room... And refurbing out master bedroom and walk in closet. I've got my work cut out for me! ;-)


Yikes mate! I thought my list was long! :bigsmile:


----------



## Todd Anderson

ALMFamily said:


> Yikes mate! I thought my list was long! :bigsmile:


Could be a long winter....


----------



## Todd Anderson

Getting the bass shakers re-wired after installation of the all-black carpet. The home theater is now basically a 100% light trap. Black carpet all around, black ultra flat paint on all sides of the front half of the room. The result is a block of light trapping space! Image on the screen is great.

Also, we've officially named the theater:

the SUBmarine theater

In the process of creating a wood theater sign that will hang on a wall mounted bracket outside of the theater in our games room. Here's a shot of the primary image... It's a 12x17 sign.


----------



## JQueen

Cool name looking forward to seeing the sign


----------



## Todd Anderson

The sign is going to be black... With that image affixed to it. I added the text and had it printed. I'm thinking if trying decoupage (which I've never tried before) and then some kind of poly coating.


----------



## ALMFamily

27dnast said:


> Getting the bass shakers re-wired after installation of the all-black carpet. The home theater is now basically a 100% light trap. Black carpet all around, black ultra flat paint on all sides of the front half of the room. The result is a block of light trapping space! Image on the screen is great.
> 
> Also, we've officially named the theater:
> 
> the SUBmarine theater
> 
> In the process of creating a wood theater sign that will hang on a wall mounted bracket outside of the theater in our games room. Here's a shot of the primary image... It's a 12x17 sign.


Very nice Todd! Looking forward to some updated pictures!


----------



## DruNewp

Awesome setup. It's great that's it's so dedicated to movie-viewing and not a multi-purpose room. Wish I could do that!!


----------



## Todd Anderson

Just a quick update with some photos. I've added a few new photos of some theater changes to the end of my original post on this thread an edit.

The basement as a whole (where the theater room resides) has been officially finished as of just a few days ago. When we first moved into our home, it was technically finished, but only partly usable --- the usable part was primarily a play room (and our HT). The rest of the space was simply piles of boxes in storage. 

Over the past six years I've worked pretty hard at transforming the space - I've done about 80% of the work myself... pretty much a labor of love (or a love of trial and error... however you want to look at it :devil.

The first room I attacked was the home theater. It has gone through quite a few iterations. Color changes, equipment changes, etc. As far as I'm concerned, it is, at this point, a finished project... and we definitely are enjoying it. Of course, someday I'm sure I'll upgrade equipment, etc... :whistling:... but as of now, I really get a huge kick out of watching movies and enjoying the feast for eyes and ears!


As for the rest of the basement, we've have built a dedicated storage room/tool/workshop with loads of shelving and work bench... a finished home gym... and our latests addition: the games room (a space for my other hobby: pinball!)

Here's a quick peek! It's hard for a mediocre photographer to capture everything... but I tried! :nerd: So here we go:

 

Here's a shot of our jukebox. This relic takes me back to some good memories... just the touch and feel of the machine, right along with mechanical noises it makes as it sorts through the CD cards, are really cool. Clunky compared to iTunes? Of course. But clunky in a very endearing/nostalgic way. I even embrace the "jukeboxy" sound quality of it's powerful amp... totally has the sound quality that so many of us are familiar with from these old machines.

 

And of course... the newly named home theater sign, hanging outside of the entrance to the SUBmarine Theater!


----------



## ALMFamily

Simply fabulous Todd! :T

I was beginning to wonder where you disappeared to - had not seen a post for a bit. Now I know where!


----------



## Todd Anderson

Yeah... it has been a crazy month. Trying to balance everything with real life --- and getting work done so that contractors could come and do their parts... I did disappear. Really missed the Shack, but I'm back!


----------



## JQueen

The room looks unreal man fantastic job love all the pinball machines and hockey game.. A+++++


----------



## JBrax

That space looks like a really good time. I could spend days playing all of those arcade games.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thanks for the kind remarks, guys!


----------



## 95silverstallion

I was gonna compliment you until I saw the bubble hockey, now i'm mad and jealous. :sob:


----------



## phillihp23

Todd Anderson said:


> Quick photo update, with the A5's added in as mains...


How those A5's treating you? I recently moved my A5's to L/R Wide and placed A7's as my L/R Mains.
Hoping to order an Emotive XPA-5 this week so I can get my Front Height A1's up and running.
Then its just saving to get my two SVS subs....thump thump...from the loooks of it you have plenty already. :bigsmile:

By the way I love your Media write ups on HTS.


----------



## Todd Anderson

phillihp23 said:


> How those A5's treating you? I recently moved my A5's to L/R Wide and placed A7's as my L/R Mains.
> Hoping to order an Emotive XPA-5 this week so I can get my Front Height A1's up and running.
> Then its just saving to get my two SVS subs....thump thump...from the loooks of it you have plenty already. :bigsmile:
> 
> By the way I love your Media write ups on HTS.


Sorry I missed this...

The A5's are awesome. They project a wide soundstage...I love them. 

How do compare the 5's to the 7's?


----------



## Nec

Looks fantastic!


----------



## kevin360

Gee, that's one amazing basement, and people think heaven is up - looks like the downstairs is pretty heavenly to me. It certainly looks like a lot of fun :devil:. It also looks incredibly nice - the theater, the game room, the gym; it all looks great! You've created a wonderful retreat down there.


----------



## Owen Bartley

WOW. I love the room. The wainscoting panels, the lighting with all of the pinball machines glowing softly, the whole thing looks like a place I could spend some serious time hanging out in. Really great work.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Time for an update to the SUBmarine theater. 

Quite a few months ago I ditched the center channel and replaced it with a tower. The photo really skews the scale and size of everything (for some odd reason)...but you can see it fits just under the screen. The improvement in sound quality across the entire seating area has been huge...very happy with the change. Also, four in-ceiling channels have been installed for full Atmos. I occasionally kick around the idea of swapping out speakers altogether, but I'm amazingly content with where I've taken the RTI-A series speakers...so much of sound is proper set-up and room treatments. And I think they've proven to be fantastic home theater speakers. So for now, they stay as I fight urges of upgrade-itis :R. I have been keeping an eye on a potential change on the projector front. But I'd like to see where next model year takes us....just waiting for HDR to properly burrow itself into the industry before swapping it out. I've also recently become THX video cal certified and have the calibration gear - properly calibrating my JVC really put some extra polish on the already great image it was producing.

Now onto the rest of the basement compound (which has now become more of a lair of entertainment that is difficult to emerge from)... some of you know that my other "obsession" is pinball. Our game room has continued to morph as games have come and gone and I travel further down the rabbit hole of bizarre obsession and chasing better playing skills. I've expanded my collection back into my workshop...slowly removing shelving and possessions that we no longer needed, in order to make just a little bit more room for my collection. I still have a few more tricks up my sleeve to fit just a few more. :help: The game room has an old 100 CD wall mount jukebox from a bar up in NYC, darts, a Skittles table, an old Pioneer 55-inch plasma for sports and console games for the kids, and a SuperChexx Ice Hockey game featuring the Caps vs the Flyers. Lots of entertainment if the mood strikes.

Something happened to the old photos in this thread...so I thought I throw some in here as a refresh.


----------



## JBrax

That's quite the collection of pinball machines! A true recreation room no doubt. Looks great.


----------



## Todd Anderson

It's ever growing...have a new one coming in next week and an older one leaving. The downside to the hobby is the overall weight of the machines. (between 280 to 330-ish pounds) which makes buying/selling/trading an event unto itself. I had to pick-up a self-powered stair climbing dolly to make it easier on my back...just way too much for this old body. But, to me, the hassle is worth it. Really have enjoyed learning how to work on the games - bringing old non-working games back to life is pretty cool.


----------



## Savjac

That is a wonderful space Todd, comfortable, imaginative and fun. 

I wish I had your knack for building things... :T


----------



## Savjac

Todd Anderson said:


> Quick photo update, with the A5's added in as mains...



Did you build the absorbers and diffusers yourself from plans ??
They really look great they way they are finished.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Savjac said:


> Did you build the absorbers and diffusers yourself from plans ??
> They really look great they way they are finished.


No...pretty much built them all from scratch taking bits and pieces of tips and build instructions from a variety of different sources (and images). I took that info and then mixed in my own ideas and – viola – they were born. I received the most help with the giant binary slat diffuser...an acoustic specialist over in Europe helped me design and tailor the design to best fit my space.

In total, I built 6 traps and the diffuser. 

All of the rear room traps (with the exception of the binary diffuser) have craft facing on top of the 703 insulation board. The diffuser has 703 board behind the slats/black material. I guess I didn't take pictures of how I finished the back off...but it has burlap on it.

The date on the pictures is 2011. Yikes, how time flies. I vividly remember spending quite a few October nights in my garage listening to the World Series and putting the finishing touches on them.

Here are some images from the build:


----------



## Todd Anderson

Here are some notes about the materials:

_"Supplies are fairly straight forward. I found a distributor in Maryland that sold JohnsManville 703 insulation board and Knauf Ecose 705 insulation board. The primary wood I used was Pine #1 (I did use Pine #2 for the base of the frames and for the sides that aren't visible). If you ever plan on using/staining this kind of wood, plan on many MANY many hours of sanding and prepping the wood. Otherwise, your efforts will be for not. For the slat diffuser I purchased furring strips. And, of course, loaded up on tons of other supplies, countersink drill bits, screws, block sanders, stapes, brad nails, wood glue, sand paper and stain and material (Cloth) and finishing strips. In terms of tools, I relied heavily on: a drill (with a 3 1/2" hole saw bit), a power miter saw, an orbital sander, a jig saw, a Dremel (sanding and wood removal attachments), a pneumatic nail gun (both finish nailer and brad nailer), a staple gun, and a cabinet making Bessy Clamps. Honestly, making these without those core tools would be almost impossible.

For the cloth, I purchased "utility speaker cloth," burlap, and quilting cloth (which is nice because it is relatively thin like muslin BUT comes in lengths of 108" and can be purchased in a multitude of colors)... all at JoAnne Fabrics. 

For the bass trap frames, I opted to drill 3"+ holes into the framing... for those of you interested in doing this... there are several things you should know. First off... you need a solid drill with a ton torque. A cheap cordless drill will suffer and a low amp will flame out and die (believe me, it happened to me)... I suggest a good 9 amp or better drill (this is the one I used). Secondly, the drill and the hole saw bit make a nice hole, but they are rough on the wood and the resulting holes require a lot of sanding (note, MDF board might not have this problem... I chose pine though, because I wasn't comfortable using MDF due to some of its carcinogenic properties... especially when it is airborne with dust particles... also I've read it can smoke and release fumes when heavily drilled). I used various dremel sanding bits and then leaned on a randomly orbiting sander to finish off the smoothing of the outer rim of each hole. Talk about time consuming (and very tedious work!). 

...hole saw bits can cause a drill to kick back and bite. Anyone reading this that isn't familiar with using these tools in tandem should be aware of that --- especially if you have a drill that produces a lot of torque. I had a couple instances when drilling (I believe I drilled about 111 holes in making the 6 corner traps!!! Crazy, I know!) where the drill caught in the wood or kicked back - it was so powerful... almost scary.

So, please, everyone, proceed with caution. If you do use a hole saw, start drilling the holes at a very VERY slow and controlled speed. Once the saw gets in the wood, it becomes more manageable you can run your drill at full speed. Eye protection and hand protection are a must -- and don't skimp on your tools or work set-up... make sure you have everything to do the job safely and efficiently. Cutting corners is bound to lead to an injury."_


Here's an image of the board that I drilled on ...Yikes!

This project was fun. It ended up being extremely time consuming...research, gathering supplies, and the build.


----------



## Savjac

Thank You Todd, this helps more than you could know. 
I have all the tools including a nice powerful and solid drill press, needed and can do this but I do see it will take some time...which I am good with. I am just finishing up the garage cleaning from the honey do plans I just finished so I can make a bit of an assembly line to cut the wood to lengths and then to cut the holes. No quick way to stain and frame everything proper although I do have jigs for that but its one at a time I see.

I have an odd back wall as it is open to the stairway landing and the washroom. I would love to cover this back wall in a diffuser similar to what you have so well created, but I may have to guess on the placement of the wood slats.

Wow I am actually looking forward to a tedious, dirty and smelly project, this ought to be good. 
Here is my back wall if you have any thoughts....Thank You again Todd, this is brilliant. Believe it or not the room is exactly 15' wide by 20' long. Knee walls are 48"


----------



## Todd Anderson

Cool! You could definitely create one for that space. Mine hangs from the ceiling (which obviously necessitated some creative internal bracing to keep it from sagging. If you get creative, you could possibly create a floor standing diffuser...or possibly one that inhabits the entire back wall with a door?

The slat positions are easy to calculate... you need to use a random binary sequence. Here's the one I used (I'm sure you can easily generate one of you own):

1= slat
0= no slat

position:126 ***** 1
position:125 ***** 0
position:124 ***** 0
position:123 ***** 0
position:122 ***** 0
position:121 ***** 0
position:120 ***** 0
position:119 ***** 1
position:118 ***** 0
position:117 ***** 0
position:116 ***** 0
position:115 ***** 0
position:114 ***** 0
position:113 ***** 1
position:112 ***** 1
position:111 ***** 0
position:110 ***** 0
position:109 ***** 0
position:108 ***** 0
position:107 ***** 1
position:106 ***** 0
position:105 ***** 1
position:104 ***** 0
position:103 ***** 0
position:102 ***** 0
position:101 ***** 1
position:100 ***** 1
position:099 ***** 1
position:098 ***** 1
position:097 ***** 0
position:096 ***** 0
position:095 ***** 1
position:094 ***** 0
position:093 ***** 0
position:092 ***** 0
position:091 ***** 1
position:090 ***** 0
position:089 ***** 1
position:088 ***** 1
position:087 ***** 0
position:086 ***** 0
position:085 ***** 1
position:084 ***** 1
position:083 ***** 1
position:082 ***** 0
position:081 ***** 1
position:080 ***** 0
position:079 ***** 1
position:078 ***** 0
position:077 ***** 0
position:076 ***** 1
position:075 ***** 1
position:074 ***** 1
position:073 ***** 1
position:072 ***** 1
position:071 ***** 0
position:070 ***** 1
position:069 ***** 0
position:068 ***** 0
position:067 ***** 0
position:066 ***** 0
position:065 ***** 1
position:064 ***** 1
position:063 ***** 1
position:062 ***** 0
position:061 ***** 0
position:060 ***** 0
position:059 ***** 1
position:058 ***** 0
position:057 ***** 0
position:056 ***** 1
position:055 ***** 0
position:054 ***** 0
position:053 ***** 1
position:052 ***** 1
position:051 ***** 0
position:050 ***** 1
position:049 ***** 1
position:048 ***** 0
position:047 ***** 1
position:046 ***** 0
position:045 ***** 1
position:044 ***** 1
position:043 ***** 0
position:042 ***** 1
position:041 ***** 1
position:040 ***** 1
position:039 ***** 1
position:038 ***** 0
position:037 ***** 1
position:036 ***** 1
position:035 ***** 0
position:034 ***** 0
position:033 ***** 0
position:032 ***** 1
position:031 ***** 1
position:030 ***** 0
position:029 ***** 1
position:028 ***** 0
position:027 ***** 0
position:026 ***** 1
position:025 ***** 0
position:024 ***** 1
position:023 ***** 1
position:022 ***** 1
position:021 ***** 0
position:020 ***** 1
position:019 ***** 1
position:018 ***** 1
position:017 ***** 0
position:016 ***** 0
position:015 ***** 1
position:014 ***** 1
position:013 ***** 0
position:012 ***** 0
position:011 ***** 1
position:010 ***** 0
position:009 ***** 1
position:008 ***** 0
position:007 ***** 1
position:006 ***** 0
position:005 ***** 1
position:004 ***** 1
position:003 ***** 1
position:002 ***** 1
position:001 ***** 1
position:000 ***** 1


Basically, keep everything evenly spaced and you end up with a random slats that help create a uniform distribution of the diffuse reflected sound. (I let anyone with a better grounding in theory explain further ;-)

The gentleman that helped me incorporated absorption simply because my seating position is so close to the diffuser (about 3 ft away). If you have more space (5 feet or more?) you could probably create your own diffuser that could mount on the wall. Checkout this site: http://arqen.com/sound-diffusers/


----------



## JBrax

I've seen some really nice setups with your same room. Is all of your gear in this room on the other side? If so can we see a pic? Here's a nice example of a setup with a room similar to yours.


----------



## JBrax

Was that binary code Todd?


----------



## Todd Anderson

Yes


----------



## JBrax

Todd Anderson said:


> Yes


----------



## Savjac

JBrax said:


> I've seen some really nice setups with your same room. Is all of your gear in this room on the other side? If so can we see a pic? Here's a nice example of a setup with a room similar to yours.
> View attachment 121785


That does look nice but my knee walls are a bit shorter. Of course you can see the mess, y'all are willing to provide great ideas I am willing to take the risk no one will laugh....so that I can hear it of course

Here it is without the newer curtains and of course me with my friendly movie buddy


----------



## JBrax

Savjac said:


> That does look nice but my knee walls are a bit shorter. Of course you can see the mess, y'all are willing to provide great ideas I am willing to take the risk no one will laugh....so that I can hear it of course Here it is without the newer curtains and of course me with my friendly movie buddy


 No laughing here Jack. Your room has real potential! Take a look at "Attic home theater pics" on Google images and you'll see what I mean. Nobody should be laughing because you've got some nice gear. I mean c'mon you're sporting some Martin Logan speakers! At least you've got a dedicated room. I'm trying to build a house with a stapler with my living room home theater.


----------



## Savjac

JBrax said:


> No laughing here Jack. Your room has real potential! Take a look at "Attic home theater pics" on Google images and you'll see what I mean. Nobody should be laughing because you've got some nice gear. I mean c'mon you're sporting some Martin Logan speakers! At least you've got a dedicated room. I'm trying to build a house with a stapler with my living room home theater.


:rofl::rofl:
Doesnt everyone have a stapler in their living room ??

Thank You for the kind words and I will do what you suggest. I no longer have the Martin Logans, I chose to go with something with a bit more dominance in the power region, for reasons many will not agree with. I still have to fill in a home theater subwoofer but for now the little velodyne and the REL in the left rear do fine. 

Here is an updated photo, as of today, I have to shed more light up there but there is only one window and it is otherwise occupied.


----------



## JBrax

Ohhh…Them looks like some old school Klipsch. Do tell more please…


----------



## Savjac

Good eye Jeff, you got some knowledge going on there. 

Yup old school Klipsch, efficient to a fault, including the C7 center channel. They may not be as refined as the Logans but when it comes to having the stuff that legends are made of, they have it. In the case of these Klipsch they can truly put out some mad reproduction in the 50hz to say 200hz zone where most of the power and dynamics of music live. Some would call it slam you can feel and be part of. With all the crites updates and some cabinet support work inside these big guys can also image like crazy, width, depth, height and when recorded properly, true holographic presentations. For me the 3 front speakers in a home theater that also does music are the most important and carry the main load and as such they must be up to the task of well anything be it quiet or raging to the point of hurting the listener with great speed and acuity.

I like these alot.


----------



## JBrax

Savjac said:


> Good eye Jeff, you got some knowledge going on there. Yup old school Klipsch, efficient to a fault, including the C7 center channel. They may not be as refined as the Logans but when it comes to having the stuff that legends are made of, they have it. In the case of these Klipsch they can truly put out some mad reproduction in the 50hz to say 200hz zone where most of the power and dynamics of music live. Some would call it slam you can feel and be part of. With all the crites updates and some cabinet support work inside these big guys can also image like crazy, width, depth, height and when recorded properly, true holographic presentations. For me the 3 front speakers in a home theater that also does music are the most important and carry the main load and as such they must be up to the task of well anything be it quiet or raging to the point of hurting the listener with great speed and acuity. I like these alot.


 No need for the long winded explanation of those Klipsch beauties! They are some impressive speakers. At one time I considered another brand for my 2 channel setup. Let's just say when I got everything up to speed in my setup my search was/is over. They can flat out JAM and sound good while doing so!


----------



## Savjac

JBrax said:


> No need for the long winded explanation of those Klipsch beauties! They are some impressive speakers. At one time I considered another brand for my 2 channel setup. Let's just say when I got everything up to speed in my setup my search was/is over. They can flat out JAM and sound good while doing so!


I feel a bit stupid, I did not know you had Klipsch albeit the new ones. You know better than most what I am speaking about so I will shut up.


----------



## Savjac

Yes indeed I have more than 5' and can create a floor standing diffuser with no issues....well except for the math. I have no idea how to generate a random binary sequence as I dont know what one of those is. Do I ask the computer voice for a random binary sequence generator ?? :smile:
I will look it up. Thank You Todd.




Todd Anderson said:


> Cool! You could definitely create one for that space. Mine hangs from the ceiling (which obviously necessitated some creative internal bracing to keep it from sagging. If you get creative, you could possibly create a floor standing diffuser...or possibly one that inhabits the entire back wall with a door?
> 
> The slat positions are easy to calculate... you need to use a random binary sequence. Here's the one I used (I'm sure you can easily generate one of you own):
> 
> 1= slat
> 0= no slat
> 
> position:126 ***** 1
> position:125 ***** 0
> position:124 ***** 0
> position:123 ***** 0
> position:122 ***** 0
> position:121 ***** 0
> position:120 ***** 0
> position:119 ***** 1
> position:118 ***** 0
> position:117 ***** 0
> position:116 ***** 0
> position:115 ***** 0
> position:114 ***** 0
> position:113 ***** 1
> position:112 ***** 1
> position:111 ***** 0
> position:110 ***** 0
> position:109 ***** 0
> position:108 ***** 0
> position:107 ***** 1
> position:106 ***** 0
> position:105 ***** 1
> position:104 ***** 0
> position:103 ***** 0
> position:102 ***** 0
> position:101 ***** 1
> position:100 ***** 1
> position:099 ***** 1
> position:098 ***** 1
> position:097 ***** 0
> position:096 ***** 0
> position:095 ***** 1
> position:094 ***** 0
> position:093 ***** 0
> position:092 ***** 0
> position:091 ***** 1
> position:090 ***** 0
> position:089 ***** 1
> position:088 ***** 1
> position:087 ***** 0
> position:086 ***** 0
> position:085 ***** 1
> position:084 ***** 1
> position:083 ***** 1
> position:082 ***** 0
> position:081 ***** 1
> position:080 ***** 0
> position:079 ***** 1
> position:078 ***** 0
> position:077 ***** 0
> position:076 ***** 1
> position:075 ***** 1
> position:074 ***** 1
> position:073 ***** 1
> position:072 ***** 1
> position:071 ***** 0
> position:070 ***** 1
> position:069 ***** 0
> position:068 ***** 0
> position:067 ***** 0
> position:066 ***** 0
> position:065 ***** 1
> position:064 ***** 1
> position:063 ***** 1
> position:062 ***** 0
> position:061 ***** 0
> position:060 ***** 0
> position:059 ***** 1
> position:058 ***** 0
> position:057 ***** 0
> position:056 ***** 1
> position:055 ***** 0
> position:054 ***** 0
> position:053 ***** 1
> position:052 ***** 1
> position:051 ***** 0
> position:050 ***** 1
> position:049 ***** 1
> position:048 ***** 0
> position:047 ***** 1
> position:046 ***** 0
> position:045 ***** 1
> position:044 ***** 1
> position:043 ***** 0
> position:042 ***** 1
> position:041 ***** 1
> position:040 ***** 1
> position:039 ***** 1
> position:038 ***** 0
> position:037 ***** 1
> position:036 ***** 1
> position:035 ***** 0
> position:034 ***** 0
> position:033 ***** 0
> position:032 ***** 1
> position:031 ***** 1
> position:030 ***** 0
> position:029 ***** 1
> position:028 ***** 0
> position:027 ***** 0
> position:026 ***** 1
> position:025 ***** 0
> position:024 ***** 1
> position:023 ***** 1
> position:022 ***** 1
> position:021 ***** 0
> position:020 ***** 1
> position:019 ***** 1
> position:018 ***** 1
> position:017 ***** 0
> position:016 ***** 0
> position:015 ***** 1
> position:014 ***** 1
> position:013 ***** 0
> position:012 ***** 0
> position:011 ***** 1
> position:010 ***** 0
> position:009 ***** 1
> position:008 ***** 0
> position:007 ***** 1
> position:006 ***** 0
> position:005 ***** 1
> position:004 ***** 1
> position:003 ***** 1
> position:002 ***** 1
> position:001 ***** 1
> position:000 ***** 1
> 
> 
> Basically, keep everything evenly spaced and you end up with a random slats that help create a uniform distribution of the diffuse reflected sound. (I let anyone with a better grounding in theory explain further ;-)
> 
> The gentleman that helped me incorporated absorption simply because my seating position is so close to the diffuser (about 3 ft away). If you have more space (5 feet or more?) you could probably create your own diffuser that could mount on the wall. Checkout this site: http://arqen.com/sound-diffusers/


----------



## Todd Anderson

Just use the sequence I clipped... You can pick up anywhere in the sequence. Should be enough there.

Nice setup by the way! Love the gear. You need to start a thread for the space... I'm sure other members would dig it!


----------



## Anthony Chavez

All I can say is WOW, new to this board and your room blew my mind! Great Job


----------



## Savjac

Todd Anderson said:


> Just use the sequence I clipped... You can pick up anywhere in the sequence. Should be enough there.
> 
> Nice setup by the way! Love the gear. You need to start a thread for the space... I'm sure other members would dig it!


Thank You Todd, I do understand what you did now, I was able to print one out too so I will do it in the near future, say next week I should start as the garage rebuild will be done by then.

Thank You for the encouragement but my room is pretty plane thus far and nothing close to your stunning place. I will think on it.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Anthony Chavez said:


> All I can say is WOW, new to this board and your room blew my mind! Great Job



Thanks, Anthony...and welcome to HTS...good to have you here!


----------



## Todd Anderson

Savjac said:


> Thank You Todd, I do understand what you did now, I was able to print one out too so I will do it in the near future, say next week I should start as the garage rebuild will be done by then.
> 
> Thank You for the encouragement but my room is pretty plane thus far and nothing close to your stunning place. I will think on it.


I say go for it. It's a great way to share ideas...get ideas and inspiration. You have some great looking gear and a unique space...definitely some to be proud of...I guarantee others would enjoy seeing it and learning! :T


----------



## Savjac

Ok I need a cool name as well, how about any of these ?

The Enigma Cinema
The Rosebud Home Theater
Daydream Home Theater
Tranquility Home Theater
Vintage Home Theater
Prime Home Theater


----------



## Todd Anderson

I like tranquility home theater.... Although I'd probably tweak it and call it "Tranquility Base".


----------



## Savjac

Todd Anderson said:


> I like tranquility home theater.... Although I'd probably tweak it and call it "Tranquility Base".


Brilliant, I love the name and will steal it from your suggestion box. 
Now I have to get around to a new thread to discuss the future of the room.
I think this means work and some money followed by nights at Tranquility Base. :smile:


----------



## Owen Bartley

Make the name something that has meaning to you. Something that has a nod to your house, your neighborhood, your movie tastes, your kids... Give it some connection to make it really special, and it will always make sense.  

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk


----------



## Savjac

Owen Bartley said:


> Make the name something that has meaning to you. Something that has a nod to your house, your neighborhood, your movie tastes, your kids... Give it some connection to make it really special, and it will always make sense.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk


Thank you for this suggestion and I completely agree, thus my original suggestion of the tranquility home theater. When everything is working properly upstairs I find that at the end of a very difficult day there's not a better place for me to go and relax and try to shrug off the problems of the day. The room is quite quiet it's set off from the rest of the house in that my wife cannot hear a thing irrespective of the volume in the home theater which to be sure is rarely overly loud.

In this room I have comfy furniture a desk and plenty of reading material not to mention some 40,000 pieces of music on backup drives. As such I think Todd's suggestion truly encompasses with going on there.


----------



## Owen Bartley

Perfect! I think you have your name! 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk


----------



## Owen Bartley

Based on that last post, allow me to suggest something like "The Six String Theatre"... You could have a really fun music theme if all those guitars will be hanging in it. 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk


----------



## willis7469

Love the color on the SG! A sunburst les Paul too? Looks like a nice collection. I only know you as Savjac(salve Jack?) this brings my mind to something like "savage cinema " or Savage Home Cinema(or theater). However, I do like (even more) the name you've chosen. The inclusion of the word "base" makes me think of a retreat or centralized location. Nice job. Now I need to think of one. Alls I gots is "my living room" so far. Whatchuthink?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Savjac

I deleted the guitars from Todd's post as it did not fit. 

"My Living Room" is a good place to start but might need a "bit o work"

Thank You gents for help with naming. I started my own thread and will add more in a bit


----------



## Savjac

willis7469 said:


> Love the color on the SG! A sunburst les Paul too? Looks like a nice collection. I only know you as Savjac(salve Jack?) this brings my mind to something like "savage cinema " or Savage Home Cinema(or theater). However, I do like (even more) the name you've chosen. The inclusion of the word "base" makes me think of a retreat or centralized location. Nice job. Now I need to think of one. Alls I gots is "my living room" so far. Whatchuthink?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Savjac is a moniker I settled on when I lived in Savannah, Georgia at the time I joined this website. Yes I am a Jack but in a new state.


----------



## willis7469

A "new jack...state of mind" 
Cue billy Joel.... Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Savjac

willis7469 said:


> A "new jack...state of mind" Cue billy Joel.... Lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not that is funny right there. I never did become a captain though. ?


----------



## willis7469

Ahhh! Georgia. I can hear Joe cocker now. Well, where I live we have lumberjacks, and jackpine savages(Google it lol) and things like that. Don't be insulted! Lol

Sorry Todd, back to your amazing thread. Btw, I'm super jealous of your Dracula pinball machine. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Todd Anderson

Ah... Bram Stokers Dracula... One of my favorites. A brutal game that will bring you to your knees and mock you while doing so!


----------



## Savjac

Ohh good idea, I really should watch this movie tonight...scary. I dont have the pinball machine so I will just flap my fingers during the movie.


----------



## willis7469

Todd Anderson said:


> Ah... Bram Stokers Dracula... One of my favorites. A brutal game that will bring you to your knees and mock you while doing so!




Yes indeed. Don't mess with the count!


----------



## willis7469

Savjac said:


> Ohh good idea, I really should watch this movie tonight...scary. I dont have the pinball machine so I will just flap my fingers during the movie.




Sorry jack. You'll be paralyzed by fear and won't be able to flap at all. Lol


----------



## Todd Anderson

The pinball machine was made for one year back in the early 90's... it has one of the neater gimmicks from that generation of games: a ball that floats across the playfield. It's meant to represent Dracula in his green mist state....

The floating ball is triggered by hitting a certain sequence of shots... then you have to hit the floating ball. If you do, you start a two ball multi-ball round that opens up jackpot shots. 

Here's a video someone took of it:


----------



## Tonto

Savjack wrote:



> Savjac is a moniker I settled on when I lived in Savannah, Georgia at the time I joined this website. Yes I am a Jack but in a new state.


Well you could always change to "Indianjack."


----------



## willis7469

Tonto said:


> Savjack wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well you could always change to "Indianjack."




Indiana Jack and the theater of doom! (Indiana jones of course)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Savjac

willis7469 said:


> Indiana Jack and the theater of doom! (Indiana jones of course)
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Youse guys are crazy....ya hey dere


----------



## willis7469

Ya sure you betcha!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Savjac

Todd I have a question if I may.

How many side wall speakers do you have ? I see you also have speakers in back of the room, does this add to more than 7 channels or is the one set of side speakers and one set of rear speakers ??

Does that question make sense ??


----------



## Todd Anderson

Yup... One set of side surrounds and one set of rear surrounds. So, a total of seven channels...also have 4 ceiling channels.


----------



## Savjac

Thank you Todd, I really do appreciate you helping us out on the subjects. In listening in my room I found that the in walls did us slightly better job at conveying what I thought to be a good surround sound space in that a tend to be semi-full range and face the audience had on so subtle cues coming from the movie tend to reach a greater area than would be something different. As time goes on with these surround effects I'd do feel that the pinpoint imaging of direct radiators has a very good placement with my walls as opposed to the definitive technology on walls Which are bipolar in that the sound emanating from the front side in the backside are equal.

I will try them again for all whole movie this evening to see if they do better with the newest of the best in movies. My last trial was somewhat short admittedly and I may not have given it perfect test at that time.The one thing that I really do want to try is having my rear channel speakers pointing forward rather than into the room. I do have a set of good front firing speakers that I can put up high on the back wall to see if that would be better than in walls and reproduction of rear channel information.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Just happy to part of the conversation, Jack! 

I believe, as you've pointed out, that every room is unique which means that one size doesn't necessarily fit all. You should definitely go for what sounds best for your ears! 

I do think, however, that getting your rear channels facing forward will, in fact, give you a noticeably different sound field. I'd put my money on you liking it more... But you never know! ;-)


----------



## Savjac

Todd Anderson said:


> Just happy to part of the conversation, Jack!
> 
> I believe, as you've pointed out, that every room is unique which means that one size doesn't necessarily fit all. You should definitely go for what sounds best for your ears!
> 
> I do think, however, that getting your rear channels facing forward will, in fact, give you a noticeably different sound field. I'd put my money on you liking it more... But you never know! ;-)


Agreed each room will be different and I respect those differences. Never the less I am quite intrigued by the suggestion to put my rears up on the back wall and you know what, I will do that this week.
Thank You for putting your money down. :laugh2:


----------



## willis7469

Savjac said:


> Agreed each room will be different and I respect those differences. Never the less I am quite intrigued by the suggestion to put my rears up on the back wall and you know what, I will do that this week.
> Thank You for putting your money down. :laugh2:




Hmmm curious to see what you find. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Savjac

I watched a very surround involved movie tonight, 13 hours with my regular set up and will now install the regular monitors in the rear of the room and watch it again tomorrow. I am stoked. :yes:


----------



## NBPk402

Savjac said:


> I watched a very surround involved movie tonight, 13 hours with my regular set up and will now install the regular monitors in the rear of the room and watch it again tomorrow. I am stoked. :yes:


13 hour movie?


----------



## Savjac

ellisr63 said:


> 13 hour movie?


:laugh2::laugh2:

13 Hours the movie. Michael Bay finally hit a home run.


----------



## Todd Anderson

New addition to the entertainment complex: The Walking Dead

This game is working me overtime!


----------



## drummerboy1962

Nice job on the theatre mate.


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thank you, sir!


----------



## Crisss22

That's one amazing home cinema right here!!
Congrats for the work...the end result is mindblowing!


----------



## Todd Anderson

Thanks for the kind words, Cristian!


----------



## Todd Anderson

Lots of discussion on HTS about integrating dual subs...where they should be placed. Here's a thread I created when I tested integrating subs into my HT: http://www.hometheatershack.com/for.../64063-setting-up-dual-subs-input-please.html


----------

