Today I met a guy who built his own TV/media stand.
Naturally I asked to see a picture and he was all to happy to show it.
He built it to fit the 80" TV he's looking at and its also been built to support the weight of all his components, two built in bookshelf speakers and the center channel.
Looks like he did a fine job too.
Here's the good part. He said if I like what I see when I look at it in person he'll build one of my design for the VP180 or VP 160 for around $500.
$500!
The Brick almost got me a few weeks ago for a P.O.S. that would I would have had to compromize with. They wanted $650.
Any chance one of you have followed this same custom path and would happen to have a drawing/design/picture to share?
I've drawn a few since finding out about Axiom. I couldn't find any online that would work.

Leaning toward the VP160, not sure if that'll help.

I've never heard an in cabinet Axiom.
Placing a non in cabinet speaker in a cavity built for it should sound different than the in cabinet...
Using an in cabinet limits the next use of the speaker...
Using a built in should look better...
Anyone?

I'm using an in-cabinet Vp-160. But I have a lot of other speakers in the mix, so hard to say what just that one sounds like. One day soon, I plan on making a panel near the receiver, where all of the speakers are connected to it, then using short cables with banana plugs at both ends as patch cables, to make it easy to switch receivers and try different speaker combinations.

You really don't need an in-cabinet VP160, as the regular 160 is front ported so it can be stuffed into a cabinet very easily, but if you want the in-cab versions they will sound identical because the cabinet volumes are the same.

I was working on a system using sketch up that had in cabinet M80s and a VP180 but I can't find it anymore. It was a huge cabinet, similar to what I have only where I have regular M80s, I had made a cabinet for them to fit in as well as the VP160. The whole thing was ~14' long and 3ft high in the center with the outer 'towers' 4 ft high, the TV would have sat in the middle between the towers.

I would think a flush mounted incabinet VP160 would look better, mainly because the trim would be finished to match the stand.
It's a tough one. I've been undecided for a while.
My current center is only a year old. Its not as good as I'd like but everytime I consider upgrading I find myself enjoying what I have.
Theres no doubt the new center would be better.

I will be building my own media rack.. However, when i build something i don't usually draw it up before hand... I would say 500$ sounds like a reasonable price. What materials did he use? That would be the big factor.. When i build mine, i will be using Rough cut cedar for the frame. and probably use Cedar deck boards for the shelves.

If he is using Yellow pine, he probably has 1-200$ in materials. However, his time is worth something, and the cost associated with the tools he has had to buy to build you something..


There are only 1 or 2 brands i would consider buying. However, i think building something will result in a MUCH better end product.

I should say that i am a big fan of DIY projects and as much as i can on my own; this is the perspective i am viewing this subject with.

You may want to have a look at my photo in the "Wall O Fame". I am using an older stand from Costco and built a shelf using L brackets to hold my VP180 over the TV. Nothing fancy but it works. How big is your TV? How many components do you need to fit in?

What kind of wood is he proposing, and how big of a cabinet? I built a credenza type tv stand/av cabinet for around $300 in materials out of white oak.

I've got 5 wide components now and will need room for 2 more.
The PS2 and Wii are ontop next to the center now.
Not sure we can live without the drawers.
I'll need to wait until the PS4 is released...
Or TV is a 50" and with the 9-10' viewing distance its just fine.
We will go large with the next one.
I'd really like to incorporate the center which would allow the next screen to sit at a natural veiwing height too.
I currenty have nowhere to build one myself. I also like the idea.
With any luck our next place will have a small shop.

I'm starting to put this all together. Lots of little ideas that just might work.
It all started with the stand and then the room dimensions, being equidistant,
and the display distance.
So this might not make sense but here it goes...
24" tall x 96" wide x 36" deep cabinet with built in subs at each end.
The stand would sit 12' from the front wall in a 8'x24'x36 room with the sweet spot 12' from the center channel.
The screen would then be fixed on the front wall or would be the wall itself. The projector would be behind the built in center.
Two ADA1500 sit below the center, the power center and reciever below the projector. IR repeaters and my Galaxy Note control the works.

The viewer will look between the towers and over the cabinet at the 120"+ screen.
When not using the screen the towers will have room to work their magic. No furniture inline with them, only the main seating position. And...I went from a party of 3 to 9 with piles of room to spare.
The towers 12' apart, with all but the towers 12' from the main seats.
The towers in line with the cabinet an thus slightly farther away.

Its all just wishfull thinking but it looks good on paper.

I'm sure something here won't work. Please feel free to pick it apart.

$500 bucks is a really great price for a custom stand of the size you will need. I'd say jump on it if it looks good in person. Unless he is making it out of pressboard and duct tape, he is obviously just building for the love of building.

Speaking from my limited experience, people just don't realize how long stuff takes when they ask "hey, could you build me one of those?" I spent about 6 hours yesterday just making a yo-yo for a friend at work.

$500 would have been a nice price.
I'm pretty sure I'll need to site build this one, unless axiom was willing to build it...
Now picture that. 4-12" subs, 2 facing forward two to the rear, clean look, nothing on top,hand sanded no gloss rosewood finish.
I can see this is going to take a lot more homework.

This one's only 24" deep. Think I can get it to 22"x22"x86". Possibly 84".
I'd want 2.
1 for up front and 1 for behind the main chairs.

I'd turn the EP500's so the face was clean.
Hopefully having the subs facing my towers won't matter.
I might have to think about running 6.1 with 4 subs.
2 VP180's, 4 M80's and 4 EP500's.
I really like how that sounds.

I've never had 6.1 surround. Anyone care to comment on the pros and cons?
I'd assume a 7.1 signal can be changed.

I've got 6.1 and if there's something coming out of the surrounds, 5 channel or 7 channel, I have something coming out of the single rear channel.

How does the sound compare to 7.1? It should be roughly equivalent and could be adjusted at the Receiver. Would this be a fair assumption?

Roughly equivalent would be a good description, it also depends on how good the avr is with blending the surrounds into the rear channel and vice versa. I ran 6.1 in my old house. I chose this due to the fact I had the TV in a corner and the side surrounds were mounted in odd positions which left a rather large hole in the surround field, adding the sixth channel(no room for a 7th) really filled in the gap and gave me a nice surround experience.

If you have room behind the listening position(say at least 4')for a rear sound field, you should use two back surround speakers in a 7.1 setup. Either discrete 7-channel material or applying a mode such as DPLIIx to 2 or 5 channel source material sends different "stereo" content to each of the two back speakers, for a better surround effect.

I've never heard 7.1

That's because you experience it.

I was considering having it face the back of the room.
If this would work the room could be somewhat shorter.
If not I'll need to rethink 6.1.

I've never experienced 7.1

2 EP500 + 1 VP180 + custom stand= +/- $4500.
Got to find a room to fit this in.

So, it looks like building one is the only option.
I think its time to pull the trigger. 2 more days.
I have a working design. I keep my drawers (4), have room for more components(4 behind 2 doors),sit the VP160 below the tv and avoid needing to order a $750 stand for just the TV itself and I get to leave the Reciever and ADA on display/in view.

I'll track down the phone number a get a quote.

I thought I had a working design.
I think I'll listen to the opinions I received recently about the two speakers.
Good news is a VP180 is in my near future.


Back to the drawing board.
Any one know of a good but basic drawing program for cabinetry?

Sketch-up works quite well and somewhat easy to pick up on.

I will give it a try.

Go through the tutorial they offer, it gives you a pretty good understanding of the program.

So now the only thing left will be to confirm in cabinet or not.

I will recycle the hardware from the one I have.
Two drawers, to doors behind which I stand the PS4, and the Wii.
Room for 4 large components, exposed but at least they're there.
34 in 30 minutes...

I need Brent to call.
Not sure incabinet is the way to go for me but...might have to.

Brent confirmed what I wanted to know.
Maybe it is upgradeitis??

Centers on hold.
The timing wasn't working out.
Too busy at work to enjoy it anyway.