# Planing to Starting



## MTHelm (Mar 13, 2010)

Hello all.

I have been browsing the forums for a few months now and am ready to start my build as soon as I get the planning done.

The room is 13 feet wide and 19 feet long.
The walls are almost 6 feet to where they angle up to 8 foot 6 inches high in the center.
There is a window in the wall I plan to hang the screen, But i am going to place a plug of some type there.
I am going to add a simple 6 inch riser to the back 5 feet for future rear seating and also bring the Studio 60's up to ear level for the front row. So that should place the front row 13 feet from the screen.. 

Equipment so far

B&K surround receiver 
Paradigm studio 100's V2 for fronts
Paradigm CC
Paradigm studio 60's V2 for rear
HSU VTF sub

I don't have a blue ray for the room yet.. The oppo BDP 83 sure looks good, but should one wait for HDMI 1.4 to come out before getting that? I could use my pioneer until.

Now for starters
I plan on building corner traps myself, OC703 or 705? Both are available locally.
How much treatment should I place on the side walls? Reflection points to start, 2" OC703?
Ceiling? (Treat all the way across the corners?)
Front area?
Ill post some pics here and lets see what we can come up with..


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Start with the front corners floor to ceiling, full front wall coverage with 2" 703, and probably 3 2'x4'x2" 703 panels on each side wall for reflections and general decay time control.


The surrounds should be much higher - more like 6-6.5' off the floor. Besides, if they're at ear level for the front row, they'll be firing into the back of the rear row's seats 

You might also want to finalize your screen size and position to make sure that 6" is enough height for the rear row to see over the front row to the bottom of the screen. 

Bryan


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

I agree with everything Bryan said.

I'd probably go with a 12" riser so that it's the same height as the floor in that hallway (no step needed). I'd also go with 6' deep, instead of 5'.

What is that door at the top of the stairs? Are you going to add a door to the theater? It would be nice to have a door further down that hallway, so the entrance to the theater is a hallway lined with movie posters (for example).

How big of a screen have you measured out? Looks a bit small to the naked eye.

You mention rear speakers, but not sides. Are you going 5.1 (where there are no rears)? Or 7.1 (where there are)?


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## MTHelm (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for the responses guys. 

First Bryan, When you say cover the front wall, Do you mean full coverage? Even behind the screen? And on the ceiling above, something like the 242's from GIK? And along the sides in those corners where the wall meets the ceiling. 242's again? or would I be killing the room to much?

And I am using an older B&K receiver AVR305, So I am going with 5.1 for now. I will update to 7.1 later as I am worried to buy anything right now with HDMI 1.4 and 3D around the corner. And the older B&K unit just had an update from B&K.. It still sounds nice,I probably wont go 3D, but want the option. 

Should I place the rear speakers in the back of the room? Or more to the sides? I thought in 5.1 the rears were kind of behind you? What should I place them on to raise them up? Could I make a bass trap type riser for them?

And Stew thanks for the door idea ( I think, another project :sn My wife really likes that idea. I wish the hallway was longer but it is 40" wide so plenty of room for a door. 

If I add a door lets say 4 feet down, what does that do to treating the rear area? Like Mega traps? Or Line the hallway with 242 type panels?

12" deck is probably what Ill do then, give me a spot to run some speaker wire too. And 6' or 5' deck.. 5' leaves me 13' from the screen, 6' leaves me 12' putting me closer to the 38% from the back rule thing, Is that your thinking there?. 

Thinking 112" Criterion Series 2.35 to 1 from Carada for screen.. 120 would work too but I thought I would leave a little more wiggle room for speaker placement.

Seating to start will just be a sofa/ love seat type thing in the first row, as it is just my wife and I down here in Texas. We left all the other relatives back in Minnesota:heehee:

Thanks for letting me pick your brains guys.


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

Where in Texas?

Generally, the surrounds in a 5.1 system are to the sides of the viewing/listening area, or slightly behind. Since they're in the same spot in a 7.1 system (the 7.1 has rears), just wire for 7.1 now, regardless of how many speakers you'll be using. The side surrounds will need to be just slightly behind the first row of seating and you'll want the rears on the back wall. They should all be about 6' high (in your case, right where the wall angles).

I think a 6' deep riser is better due to seating. You may go with a couch or loveseat now, but if you ever want to go with theater recliners, you'll probably want the extra foot. Some people go 7' deep on their risers for this reason, but I think 6' is usually fine. A 5' deep riser would limit future options, however.


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## MTHelm (Mar 13, 2010)

Fort Worth ( Keller) 

Just came down this last fall. so far loving it.

Going to start with the deck in the rear soon, and maybe pick up some 703 and a few retail traps also.. 





I am Thinking of this for wires

Liberty 12-2P-UC THX 12-4 In-Wall Speaker Cable


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

I was thinking front wall coverage with 2" OC703 and cloth. Don't necessarily have to do behind the screen.

If you're looking at GIK products, the 242's would be applicable for the side walls. 244's or Monsters would work on the rear wall.

Bryan


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