I'm planning a basement home theather with a 50% movies and 50% music mix. In a home theater environment with a DLP projector, is the High Gloss Cherry going to be too reflective? It sounds like a nice upgrade over Boston Cherry, but should I be concerned about glare? Any other favorite wood-grain vinyl finishes from the custom shop?

I think it would depend on how close your speakers are to the edge of the screen. If they are close on the sides or underneath, you'll pick up some glare. If they will be a couple feet away, it shouldn't be too bad. There will always be some glare from the light reflected off of the screen. But it really depends on how tolerant you are to it.

Hopefully some other HG owners with front projection will give their impressions.

Im not sure if it would be a problem or not. Considering that the light from a projector is focused on the screen you probbly wont see too much reflections. I suppose they could be somewhat of a problem if you put the center channel behind the screen and have some reflections off the finish.

Keeping the grills on will keep reflections from coming off the front edge which is where it would be most noticable. However on my HG cherry's I notice reflections the most off the chamfered sides of the front

I have the Charcoal Smoke finish and it's not too bad.

I don't notice any reflection off the speakers (there is some if you sit waaaaaaaaay off either side, but that's more of a cramped space thing, my speakers are right next to the screen isntead of say 2ft to the left :P)

I do notice reflections off the bottom of my center. That's only because it's mounted above my screen and due to space restrictions (and the bolt being stripped) I couldn't move it up some so the projector (ceiling mounted) reflects on it a bit if I have the picture up to high.

So basically if your speakers are spaced away from the screen, you won't have a problem at all. Walls / treatments are a good idea. I have black cloth from the bottom of the screen to the floor and it absorbs light beautifully, I wish I could cover my whole room in it

- D