# Help Me Finish My Room With an Awesome Riser!



## eiger (Aug 16, 2009)

Hey Guys,

I just got my back row of seating and I'm getting ready to start the fun design process with my riser. I've determined how far I am away from the screen, and all of the necessary stuff to use the riser calculator. 

I'm kind of struggling here with all of the details, so hopefully some of pros can get me off the ground. 

First things first:

*Structure*

Was planning on going 2x8 construction with standard pink fluff insulation. MDF over a layer of 3/4" plywood. couple inches of overhang for rope light etc. I'm leaving just over 3ft between my rows. 

1) The calculator suggested a riser height of 9 3/16". Would going 10" be a safer bet to be on the safe side? I have 8ft ceilings. 

2) The section of room I'm putting the riser on has carpet that will probably be replaced in the next year. I need your suggestions on an approach here. Would it be easier to cut out the desired section of carpet, and lay the riser over roofing material? I wanted to use Aurra U-boats to seperate riser from floor to add some acoustical benefits, but wanted opinions on best approach here. Basically ply floor, or forget it?

3) I'm trying to decide if running the full width of the room is a better plan. I have recepticles on both side walls, but do I need to make special considerations if the riser is up against side walls? Is touching one wall better than none? One of the walls opens into a closet that could be used for HT storage in the future. Hmm, did I just answer my own question?

4) To trap or not to trap? I don't have a math degree, and honestly people like Dennis Erskine make comments to scare me off from even attempting to any type of absorption techniques without getting a Phd in Math first.  Basically deciding if I should throw a couple of vents in the back or corners of the riser, and if that would really help or not or if I should keep it simple. I don't want a Hermholtz resinator, but anything to make the low end in my room sound better is a plus. I have dual 18" Sealed Subs. 

*Lighting/Power/Cabling* 

I'm getting hung up here because I want to make sure I pull the right cables for now and for the future. I want to plan for the future. Essentially a multi zone lighting solution that would control a Grafik Eye, but what do I need "now"? I have rope lighting, but I need some extra accessories to do the following

- Turn on the lights
- Dim the rope lights
-Should be doable from my Harmony 1100 RF Remote. 

Where do you reccomend installing recepticles on the riser? 

Behind this wall there is a small walk-in closet that could potentailly be used to store HT gear.



















Pull the bricks out of this fireplace and riser to the wall?


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

I would go to the 10" just to be safe. 

I would cut the carpet.

Using the U-Boats will give the riser a bit more 'feel'

For absorption, if you are going to carpet it eventually, just run the joists front to back and cut large holes in the face for each cavity to allow them to function as broadband bass absorbers with some very nice depth to them. I wouldn't try to make it a tuned absorber though.

Bryan


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## eiger (Aug 16, 2009)

bpape said:


> I would go to the 10" just to be safe.
> 
> I would cut the carpet.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback Brian. 

So you would reccomend sealing it with a plywood floor over concrete? Also I'm assuming that if I use the Uboats that I don't need to worry about putting any rubber isolators underneath the riser itself? I guess I want to make sure that by cutting holes that I don't create rattles or ability for fiberglass insulation to escape into the air. I haer those things are bad for the lungs. :bigsmile:

One idea I was to throw these covers over each vent between joists if you are talking about exterior holes.

Would these let enough air flow in/out to accomplish some broadband absorption in the riser?

I hadn't thought about how many holes I would put in or where they would be located. (front or back). My understanding is that having them at the front is ideal?


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

No sealing required. I was saying to lay the joists in U-Boats (or equivalent) so they are on the floor and the joists are above.

Once you carpet it, that will act as the cover.


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## eiger (Aug 16, 2009)

Getting closer!


Had to move seats around a bit, which required a re-calculation of my riser height to approx 11 1/2"

Given the Uboats I have, there are no reasons to put hockey pucks on corners of riser, correct?


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## eiger (Aug 16, 2009)

Can anyone help answer all of the above Q's, and if my Uboats should also be placed around perimeter/corners of my frame as well as inside?

Thx!


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

All depends on how you do the U-Boats. I answered in your other thread with 2 options.


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