Ideal room dimensions?

[Qwalme]

So, I'm currently looking to move house and while I'm looking at these places I can't help but try and earmark a room as my 'cinema room' (well a future one anyway when I can afford new kit).

What size room would be ideal, or minimum to make the most of kit of the quality of Monitor Audio Silver RX6 AV12?

It's the level of items I'm striving for next but it would be a waste in too smll a room.

Cheers

Rick

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

I cannot help but think you are getting the priorities slightly mixed up.Life first- hifi/cinema afterwards to suit.

 

[Messiah]

Ravey Gravey Davy:I cannot help but think you are getting the priorities slightly mixed up.Life first- hifi/cinema afterwards to suit.

To be fair I think you are getting the priorities wrong. Whenever I move my first consideration is where the Hifi will go

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Messiah:

Ravey Gravey Davy:I cannot help but think you are getting the priorities slightly mixed up.Life first- hifi/cinema afterwards to suit.

To be fair I think you are getting the priorities wrong. Whenever I move my first consideration is where the Hifi will go

I think thats why you are up there and I'm down here.

 

[Sorreltiger]

I always think that quality is more important than size.....

One of the hardest things is to find a room where you can achieve the 'perfect' set-up: TV, sofa, speakers in exactly the right position, without an intervening window, door or chimney-breast!

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Sorreltiger:

I always think that quality is more important than size.....

Quality of house ,rather than size of Hifi room ,agreed.

 

[Anonymous]

Ravey Gravey Davy:I cannot help but think you are getting the priorities slightly mixed up.Life first- hifi/cinema afterwards to suit.

I was planning where all my kit was going when the room was just a patio....... Planning around AV/HiFi isn't that mad.

 

[Anonymous]

Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[kissmeraas]

What's wrong with striving for perfection?

Take a leaf from the Ancients and use the Fibonnaci sequence to achieve the Golden Ratio for AV heaven:

8ft ceiling x 13ft width x 21ft length

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

JTD:

Ravey Gravey Davy:I cannot help but think you are getting the priorities slightly mixed up.Life first- hifi/cinema afterwards to suit.

I was planning where all my kit was going when the room was just a patio....... Planning around AV/HiFi isn't that mad.

Sorry if I have misinterpreted your question,but I read that you might be influenced which house to buy by the AV requirements- If you have a blank piece of paper (or patio in this case) thats a different issue.

 

[hammill]

I know this is not possible for everyone, but the most important thing is to make sure the house is detached if you want to properly enjoy your system

I have the RS6 5:1 setup and it happily fills a room 7 by 6. Physics prevents low level bass frequencies being reproduced in a small room ( frequency = velocity/wavelength so a 6x7x2.2 room will go down to about 30hz) so if very low bass is your thing, bear that in mind.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ravey Gravey Davy:I read that you might be influenced which house to buy by the AV requirements

You say that like it's wrong...

 

[Gerrardasnails]

hammill:I know this is not possible for everyone, but the most important thing is to make sure the house is detached if you want to properly enjoy your system

I have the RS6 5:1 setup and it happily fills a room 7 by 6. Physics prevents low level bass frequencies being reproduced in a small room ( frequency = velocity/wavelength so a 6x7x2.2 room will go down to about 30hz) so if very low bass is your thing, bear that in mind.

I agree. I wouldn't bother with my system in a a semi or flat. My lounge is not massive 17ft x 12ft, but it's big enough. I plan to extend the lounge out and through to the garage at some point, so might have to add another sub one day.

 

[Big Aura]

[picture the scene: Mr & Mrs Aura; House Hunting]

Big Aura: Seems like a nice house?

Mrs Big Aura: Yes, great light through that window.

BA: Yeah, I noticed that - we'd have to fit some decent, heavy curtains..

MBA: Ummm? Okay, why?

BA: No reason.

MBA: Nice garden, too!

BA: Yep - there's a power point out there, under the decking - will be handy for some music at BBQs!

MBA: I guess.... solid walls too, doesn't seem to be much noise coming through.

BA: Indeed, last thing we want is to annoy the new neighbours.

MBA: [raises eyebrow]

BA: [nonchalantly] So, that's a good wall in the livingroom - window behind the sofa, not ideal, but with the new curtains .... fireplace to the left, sofa there, then the telly can go on that wall at the back of the room. Good set-up, I reckon. Might only have to upgrade the sub...

MBA: Ummm, that wall's coming down - will be a nice through-way to the dining room. Your telly can go in the corner, beside the fireplace. And NO upgrades!

BA: [conceals rage]. Did you see the methadone clinic two streets over? Will be really handy for the kids once they develop an addiction....

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Andrew Everard:

Ravey Gravey Davy:I read that you might be influenced which house to buy by the AV requirements

You say that like it's wrong...

You could read my statement like that ....I think the Auras conversation is more how I was thinking

 

[Anonymous]

Examples of optimum room dimensions from chapter three of Ballou, Glen, Ed., Handbook for Sound Engineers, 2nd ed, Howard Sams, Carmel, Indiana, 1991

Design One. Width 1.14xHeight, Length 1.39xHeight

Design Two. Width 1.28xHeight, Length 1.54xHeight

Design Three. Width 1.6xHeight, Length 2.33xHeight

 

[Qwalme]

lol - It's not like I went into the estate agents and said 'I dont care where the house is, how much it costs, if a crack house is next door - but it must have a room of these dimensions...'

I said 'as I was looking around these houses'. I'm looking at places based on std things like location, price, practicality but at the same time eyeing up potential for existing rooms being a movie room or what would be needed for an extension etc. Like most here I imagine, we spend a lot of time watching movies and shows so it is a fair consideration.

Does that fit into the 'how to live your life' mold?

Cheers for other posts. I'm more thinking for something like 'you need a room bigger than XX x XX to hear the refined sound benifits and added punch of the MA's over your current setup.'

I thought my set up was in my sig but I'll say its Onkyo 875 and Tannoy Arena Sats, TS500 sub.