Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Old Newbee

Just registered. I have a few questions. I am currently turning an old playroom in my basement into a home theater. It is approximately 14'4" x 14'4". I have a Denon 5.1 receiver that is approximately 6 years old. I don't recall off hand the model, but will get tonite. In addition to that I have a Paradigm center (entry level) and Micros for the front mains and a Yamaha YS180? sub. I also have a newer set of Micros that I plan on using for the rears. I plan on purchasing an Optoma H31 projector and ??screen. The room has no windows. Here are my plans

As your facing the screen, the right wall and rear wall is finished drywall. The front wall and left wall are currently unfinished block. I plan on studding out the last two walls and installing 1/2" luan plywood. Then I intend to install 18" x 18" carpet squares on the two side walls and floor (Floor also will have 1/2" luan plywood over a rubbery gym type floor. The front and rear walls, as well as the ceilings will be finished drywall. I will have a 2' tray ceiling around the two side and rear walls which will be approximately 7' 6", and the center of the tray will be approximately 9'. I plan on installing approximately 8 recessed lights on 2 zoned dimmers. I can have total control of the lights, but I don't want to sit in the dark to watch my Superbowl Champion Steelers on Sundays - (Mondays & Thursdays too)

Questions: 1) Do I need to insulate the walls that are going to be carpeted?

2) Acoustically, what are some opinions about the carpeted floor and sidewalls with the drywall front, rear, and ceilings?

3) What type of screen would be recommended. Some movies, lots of football/TV through digital cable.

4) General comments or suggestions?

Wow! I must have some crappy stuff! Too much info, not enough? Anyway, maybe you guys were waiting to hear that the receiver is a Denon AVR 1200. The rest of the info is pretty much on. Also, my fronts and rears are Paradigm Atoms, not Micros

Not sure why, but your post did not appear when I was browsing the forums last night. I expect it was the same for everyone. Having said that, you are asking difficult questions

Having too much carpet on the walls would probably hurt your sound -- the issue is that carpet absorbs the highest frequencies but lets the midrange and lower frequencies still bounce around. Most of the "more knowledgeable than me" folks tend to recommend a mix of absorbent and diffusive surfaces, ie if you have a lot of bookcases full of CDs and books along the side walls that would be OK but solid carpet would probably make the room sound funny. The best would probably be alternating panels of carpet and wood, making sure that you have carpet at the "first reflection points" (something for you to Google ).

Regarding insulating under the carpet, seems to me that the very best would be to put in rigid fiberglass panels and apply the carpet right over that without wood in the way. Alternate that with wood panelling and I think you would get great results.

Screen selection seems to be a bit of a black art but from what I can see the best solution for viewing with a few lights on seems to be screen gain (ie something which gives you a brighter than normal image as long as you are not sitting too far off to the side) as long as the lights are not behind you. The need for grey seems to be a function of your projector's contrast levels and how light the walls/floor/ceiling are around the screen -- I don't know enough about your projector to advise there.

Since the room is pretty much square you are going to have response peaks around 40 and 80 Hz. While this didn't seem to work for Randy (sirquack) I would think about locating the sub in the center of one wall to avoid having a "boomy" bass.

I have recently watched and read some info on this.

Good idea to put the studs up on the block walls. Then put two different types of insulation between every stud alternating between each stud. One dense insulation and one less dense. The thought being one will absorb the lows better and one the highs better.

Then put two layers of dry wall so the seams don't overlap. A good tip also is to leave a gap at the bottom that you can run wires through, then just put a base board over the gap to cover them.

If you want to go all out can put in a floating floor, but then things get a bit pricey.

You have the worst size room you could have for sound ... a perfect square. Use what your doing about the cinder block to make the room NOT a perfect square. This will be definately the most bang for your buck in making your room sound MUCH better.

This is just what I need, another obsession/hobby to put all my efforts in. I can't really do anything about the squareness of my room. I don't want make it any smaller, and can't make it any larger? Anyway, as a concession, and in an effort to get a plan and get started, this is what I am thinking.

calculate the reflection points for the fronts & rears. At those 4 areas, I plan to install the carpet tiles from floor to ceiling, 18" wide. The rest of the walls will be stained plywood, glued & screwed to the studs. Since I already have the materials for an acoustic tile ceiling, I am going to install that instead of drywall. The two bulkhead on either side will have stained plywood on the vertical surfaces. The floor has 1/2" thick heavy rubber gym type floor that I am going to cover with 1/2" plywood and then the carpet squares. I also think I am going to cut channels in the rubber portion for speaker wire to keep the runs as short as possible. I have 2 AV recievers, and AM NOT GETTING A NEW ONE since I have permission to buy the projector & screen. One is a Denon 1400 (I mistakenly listed as a 1200 before) The other is a Yamaha, I will have to get the model # tonite. Once I get that, you pro's can let me know which should be better. Also, I live in the sticks, and will have, at best, digital cable. No HD or satelite.

Thanks for the replies!

Can you put an equipment/media closet/s on one side? maybe angled and carefully placed? Just a bump out a few feet wide? ANYTHING to kill off the perfect square- you and Mark s johnson will have to form the "my room sucks" posse. Do a search for superchunk bass traps- the thread is pretty recent.
Sounds like someone scored a truckload of carpet squares on the cheap.

Well, as I drew up my plan on the computer, went home and looked closely, may be able to make it a slight rectangle. 14' 8" x 13' 10". I can bump out the 18" areas 1.5" - 2" or so, if that will help. After laying out the room with software, it seems that my couch will fit in a good listening area, and that's it! (ie: I don't want to make it much smaller) I'll have to start saving for some recliners I guess. I plan on putting my receiver, vhs, & dvd on the rear wall below the projector to keep my runs short. On another note, if possible, would I be better off not tying my walls into the floor joists above? Would this cut down on the vibrations/sound transmitting into the bedroom above? I definitely don't want to be part of the "my room sucks" club. And yes, I did come across a substantial amount of carpet squares for the best price - Free Although it is from a not too successful carpet venture

Also, as I am redrawing my room, I can "cut" the corners, ie: install board at 45* angles where the walls intersect at the corners. Can install squares for absorption, or leave as board for reflection. Will that help me not be the first member of the "my room sucks" club?

MarkSJohnson is the founding President of the "My Room Sucks" club.

That is an interesting concept - changing the fundamental shape and dimensions of the room via the sheetrock stage instead of with bass traps later. You'd need one of our scientists. Did you check out Randy's "Superchunk" thread? Lots of good treatment counsel there.

Will you be running wire for a IR Receiver/Emitter thing? It seems like you'd want to be able to aim the remote at the screen rather than behind you at the equipment. Just a thought.

Good luck. Take pictures!

I've thought about the remote pointing situation. I reserved myself that I don't have to be that lazy that I can't point the remote behind me, but since you brought it up, I will definitely look in to the wired IR device to place towards the screen. Heck, I saved a lot of money on the carpet, may as well spend it on something else. I will check out the superchunk thread. And I had a chuckle reading your screen name...."he a%*h&le, you can't cut that tree down!" Thanks for the info!

I'll take pic's, but I guess you need web provider to attach them? Anyway, checked out the superchunk thread, and was very interesting. I have my first reflection points identified, but still have to figure out where to set up the sub. One thing at a time I guess. Hopefully, I will get most of my projects done so I can put some real time into this.