# The "Z" Family Theater



## yamahaSHO

I've been a member here for quite awhile, but haven't really posted anything until recently, so here is the theater/basement I've been working on for the last couple years. I'll cover the rest of the basement in the second post.

I'll start out with the equipment list:

- Epson 6500UB
- SeymourAV 100" XD screen
- Pioneer Elite VSX-92TXH
- Outlaw M2200 x3
- Klipsch RF-62 x3
- Klipsch RS-52 x2
- Klipsch RB-51 x2
- Klipsch RW-12d Sonosub
- SVS PC12-NSD x2
- Anti-Mode 8033c
- HTPC/PS3/Xbox 360/Wii
- iTach IR
- BlueJeans 10AWG in-wall speaker cable

After checking out a local theater, I decided that I just had to build a theater myself. Since we had an unfinished basement that we were going to finish anyway, the wife and I decided (I pitched it to her and she bought it ). I decided to go with metal studs as they are easy to work with and they give straight walls. To avoid rattles, I used liquid nails at EVERY joint where metal on metal contact was present. 

Here's when we got started:


















This is currently the latest:

































Insulating:

































A/V closet - future location of A/V rack (ready to install, just gotta do it)


































Working on the stage. It was filled with about 2,000 lbs of sand.

















Carpet!









A few components have changed since this picture.









False wall:

























I think I will add a riser and some more seating at the rear. Christmas proved that 3 seats weren't enough.









I still need a few more acoustic panels (these are ATS panels):









As you can tell, it's not complete, but we've already started using it. I am extremely happy that we decided to build a theater as I love watching movies and playing video games on such a setup.


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## yamahaSHO

I figured it'd be a good idea to separate the other space in the basement from the theater, but it's pretty enjoyable to watch TV/movies and play games in as well.

Equipment:
- Sony 52" TV
- Denon AVR-1610
- Xbox 360 + Kinect
- HTPC
- Polk Audio RC65
- Polk Audio RC60i
- Polk Audio TSi CS10
- DIY "Acoustimass" 

The beginning:

























I had some left over speaker cable (BlueJeans 10AWG), so I decided to add surround sound to the room. I also ran CAT6 throughout the theater and to the floor above for streaming from the server.
















I also built boxes into the ceiling for the rear speakers.









Insulation and drywall:









































Older picture. The Klipsch sub is gone and I have added a sub that my dad and I built in 1995 which I recently updated.









Missing from the picture is an HTPC that now sits right of the receiver.









Also outdated... My daughter has her kitchen set and a few other toys behind the couch now. 









We all get to play games in here 









This now sits above the door into the theater. The wife got it for me for Christmas this past year.


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## typ44q

Great theater! what are the dimensions of the room? are there any HVAC ducts in there?


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## yamahaSHO

The theater room is roughly 11.5' x 24.5'. The false wall sticks out abou 3' off the front wall with the stage sticking out 4 - 4.5'. 

I do have one register in the tray ceiling up at the front of the room.


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## TypeA

Impressive. What made you go with the subs behind the screen, trying to keep the room as clean as possible?


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## yamahaSHO

Yeah, the initial idea was to keep it all hidden, but it didn't work well for some frequencies at my seating position. Even the mains fell victim to room acoustics in the same frequency range. 

Before trying to move them around, I started building my own sono and although I'm not done with it, I tested it out near the rear of the room on the side wall and it completely fixed my problem. Once I'm done with it, I'll play with more placement options, but I think it will allow me to keep my SVS up front behind the screen. 

With all three subs in there (with one placed at the rear), I can make it sound like my old car in highschool with running through the test tones. I was even walking stuff off the table in kitchen above.


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## fusionrx

Sounds like you need some room isolation 

Or were you simply trying to "sonically" clean the dishes upstairs?


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## nezff

beautiful, what color is that on the walls?


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## nezff

I love the acoustic panels, where did you get the material. 

thanks


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## bambino

Nice room! It appears wider then it actually is. Again very nice!:T


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## yamahaSHO

fusionrx said:


> Sounds like you need some room isolation
> 
> Or were you simply trying to "sonically" clean the dishes upstairs?


If I ever get the hair to do this sort of thing again, I learned that I'll need to completely decouple the ceiling from the floor above for sound going both ways. I wish I would have thought to build a separate ceiling in this room completely decoupled from the floor above... Live and learn.



nezff said:


> beautiful, what color is that on the walls?
> I love the acoustic panels, where did you get the material.
> 
> thanks


IIRC, the color is Valspar Carmelized Onion, but I'd hav to double check as we have a similar, but lighter color in the living room upstairs and everything is a blur anymore.

I got the panels from ATS Acoustics, howver, two of them warped. I was going to build mine out of MDF, I should have stuck with that.



bambino said:


> Nice room! It appears wider then it actually is. Again very nice!:T


Thank you! I really wish the room were wider, but that's the best I could do.


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## HuskerOmaha

Cool to see you over here as well.

Can't wait until I have a house I can do a real theater in...

I finally get the metal stud idea with the rattling....and the reason for the dual drywall and isolation clips.

I like the Klipsch stuff, looks sharp.


:T


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## Stroud Creek

Very nice


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## TDO

Man, that is a lot of speakers. What are you using for your center channel, or are you using both?? Is this an 8.3 setup?


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## yamahaSHO

The RC-62 was sold and replaced with another RF-62. It is a 7.1 setup w/ 3 subs for the ".1".


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## TDO

Confusion abated, thanks. Very nice work btw.


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## mechman

Very nice Jason! :T


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## engtaz

Great builds. Congrats on a job well done. Very very nice.


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## Sirbrine

Yes, congratulations. Very well done. Do you have any specific plans for additional acoustic treatments? I think it is much easier to put them in a dedicated theater room as opposed to a shared home theater / family room like I have.


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## kipg

Nice room.


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## kipg

Sweet......owned a few of those SVS subs in my day.


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## yamahaSHO

Sirbrine said:


> Yes, congratulations. Very well done. Do you have any specific plans for additional acoustic treatments? I think it is much easier to put them in a dedicated theater room as opposed to a shared home theater / family room like I have.


Yes, I plan on a few more panels on the walls and some 4" thick panels on the ceiling. I will also experiment with bass trapping as it is needed. My bass just isn't where I want it, but I will also have to move a subwoofer out from behind the screen I guessing. 

The wife won't let me put any treatments in the other room. It could use some, but it still sounds pretty dang good for some in-walls and a [larger] DIY "Accoustimass". 



kipg said:


> Sweet......owned a few of those SVS subs in my day.



As much as I really like my SVS, I think I'll stick with DIY from now on. Not only can you really get some serious bang for the buck, but they're fun to do. I really like the cylinder subs and the Klipsch Sonosub I just built looks great and sounds even better.


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## Heath Cunningham

Awesome looking theatre room. Done with good thought behind it.


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## phillihp23

Great job on the room conversion. I'm sure its a highly enjoyable area and fun to show off to friends.


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## mpednault

Holy raised from the dead Batman!

If this member sees this post:

How did you like going from the RC62 to another RF62? I'm VERY curious as I'm on the fence about which to go with. I have the space for another RF and will be hiding the LCRs behind a false wall/AT screen...


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