Originally Posted By: nickbuol


**You never know when your final configuration is going to change

**If you have an entirely enclosed room, don't forget the HVAC coming into the room, but just as important, don't forget some way for the air to get out of the room. Enclosed spaces warm up quickly even if you try to cram more A/C in if the hot air has no place to go.

**Soundproofing {edit: sound dampening/controlling} techniques don't have to be complicated, have many different options

**Use a good carpet and thick pad for your floor covering if at all possible. You might be surprised how many people sit on the floor.

**Take lots of pictures, not only to post online, but so that you can document what you did, where the wires run, and so forth.


I'm onboard with those bulleted from Nick's list above.

Trying to plan ahead can be tough. We originally figured on a single seating location in our room for use with a projector and screen. By the time we were done the room reno, we had it wired for two seating configurations, for 7.1 in both directions, and 6 years later we have not bought a projector, nor are we planning to do so any more.

Some of the behind wall 'tunnels' were located to accommodate the fact that a projector screen would have hidden any wires coming down from the ceiling. Now having changed the plan to just buy a large flat screen (70" + plasma or OLED depending on how fast it comes about), running new wires through our tunnels would be fairly visible unless we came up with a post-construction design for cable management along a wall (eeech).

Aside from that, measure, measure and measure.
Follow that up with building mock items (out of cardboard boxes works well), placing them around the room because sometimes even measurements (of furniture for example) and Google Sketch type drawing don't quite show you how tight things fit into a room.
e.g. Our 1st seating location faces into the long part of the room BUT, in this configuration we don't have enough space on the side of our loungers for side tables.
In our 2nd and present seating location, sidetables work, BUT, distance the speakers decreases and the sound sweet spot is right where the two lounge arms bump together.
{sigh}

One thing is for sure, our HT cannot take speakers larger than the M60s and actually make a reasonable stereo effect. Coupled with the centre channel we have a pretty good soundstage, but not completely optimal.
But i'm not changing out the M60s for anything smaller, not anytime soon.


"Those who preach the myths of audio are ignorant of truth."