Hi all! I am setting up a theater in my basement and need some advice as it’s in the planning stage now.
The theater is going into the basement of a home that is being built. The basement has been designed to give me a 9 foot ceiling, 8 foot after plumbing, HVAC, etc is installed. The walls are studded out 16” on center and already insulated. After moving in we just need to add electric, etc and sheet rock the walls.
Front: Architectural Series W22
Center: Architectural Series W150
Surrounds: QS-8’s
Rear: Architectural Series W2 or W3 (any recommendations?)
Preamp/Processor: Outlaw Audio 970
Amps: Outlaw Audio M2200 (200W Mono Amps)
My thought process for this design:
1. Keep all/most of the audio/speaker components off the floor and hidden from direct view; leaving the space as open as possible.
2. Provide enough amp power to make it feel real but not more then required. Outlaw has a 7-Channel amp that delivers 125Watts per ch, but I thought the additional head-room of the 200W would give breathing room and future proof the design.
3. Using the On-Wall Speakers allows them to become part of the room and not an object to be seen.
4. Utilize the space for the theater but keep the rest available for entertaining, pool table, bar, etc.
5. Make it look pleasing to the eye, sound good to the ear, and not be over kill but just enough to add enjoyment to our lives.
6. Movies/Music ratio: 60/40
Some questions I have are:
1. Will the architectural series speakers give me the “real” theater experience or do I need floor standing speakers (the ones most people in the forum seem to use, M60’s etc.)?
2. Will the SUB be enough for the space as the right side of the room opens to another large room?
3. Would the amp power be too much for the speakers I have listed?
4. Would you recommend a different location for the theater area?
5. Would like to hide the QS-8’s….would a W22 work (ceiling/wall mounted) or do you recommend the Di/Bi-polar speakers for surrounds?
6. Does anyone have a setup like this that can make some recommendations?
7. Does anyone have any of the architectural series speakers and can comment on them in the theater environment?
Please look at the attached .jpg and give me your comments or suggestions. Let me know if you think this is a good idea. It’s in the planning stage now so I am up for any assistance you can provide.
Thanks a bunch.
Joe
