New house, new plans

[bigboss]

bigboss

I am already envious of your proposed new setup and I hope you have many hours of pleasure watching good films. I also hope you will be happy in your new home.

Best wishes

Chris

Thanks Chris! 🙂

 

[bigboss]

Had a very productive meeting with an installer today. Basically, he suggested moving the door to the living room towards the far end and use the top wall (the wall opposite the bay window) for home cinema. Then put a false wall slightly in front of the existing wall, to enable putting in-wall speakers and even TV flush with the surface. Also have a false ceiling along the edges (I think duaplex has done this in his project) which will allow discrete installation of projector and an 8 feet projector screen, with some of the in-ceiling speakers. I can actually go for a 7.1.4 setup for Atmos due to the viweing distance being close to 16 feet! Have to think on that one...as it involves going for Yamaha RX-A3040.....so more costs. The screen can be an acoustically transparent one, so that the speakers are directly behind the screen. I'll probably go for an in-wall subwoofer as well.

He will help with some acoustic treatment as well.

Also, for remote control, he suggested URC remote which is the best remote 've ever seen! Felt really weighty, and oozed quality.

It's going to be quite pricey.....but well worth the investment I think. My OH has also taken in to the plan! 🙂

 

[bigboss]

So here's the plan which I think is the best compromise for the room:

 

[bigboss]

This is my plan B, using traditional speakers (Monitor Audio 6AV12) with the remaining speakers as in-ceiling, for 7.1.4 setup:

I think I still prefer plan A.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Before fitting all the speakers (particularly in-ceiling) I would run some speakers in their and see how the back wall is going to affect the sound. The closer you sit to a back wall, the more likely you're going to be listening amongst a collection of bass notes! How close will you be to the back wall?

 

[bigboss]

Hmmm.....good point. I don't expect the sofa to be too far back, as have to leave some space in front of the bay window. So I don't think I'll be too close to the wall.

 

[Glacialpath]

So here's the plan which I think is the best compromise for the room:

I'm guessing the 4 circles 2 either side the coffee table and the 2 in open space represent the Atmos in ceiling speakers. Surely you will only benifit from them the most if you are directly under them in the middle.

I unterstand you and the Boss need to decide where the furniture goes but also the surround are in front of the bay window sofa am I correct?

The speaker placement looks great, maybe even the surrounds should be in the middle of the Atmos speakers too. That's how I would imagine a 7.2.4 set up would be set out? Just think the Atmos will be a waist in this configuration.

Things are never ideal i know. Hope it works out and sounds great.

 

[bigboss]

You do make some valid points. If the seating position is so far back, how can you accommodate rear atmos along with side surrounds and rear surrounds?

I was trying to emulate this for 7.1 speaker placement:

I guess my 2nd option is this format:

This will allow rear atmos speakers to be directly on top of the seating position.

The alternative is, to place all ceiling speakers along the edges of the room, so (from top to down):

- Atmos speakers (nearer the screen)

- Side surrounds (somewhere in the centre and not at ear level as indicated in the diagrams above) - I could use FX speakers in bipole.

- Atmos speakers (at the level of rear sofa)

- Rear surrounds (behind the sofa on either side of the projector).

How will this sound? It'll also be far easier to place the speakers (underneath the false ceiling).

 

[Glacialpath]

The top image is pretty much exactly how my 7.1 is though my SRBs face directly forward.

My understanding of how DOlby Atmos will work with the .4 as apposed .2 is 2 in front and 2 behind. Withough knowing the wall layout of your future room (long side walls) I can't tell how far forward you could move the 3 sofas. Do you have 3 sofas or are thinking of getting 3?

Looks like you need a compremise between both layouts. Even with the side surrounds sligtly behind you that can still work. In fact mine are very slightly due to the windowsil on my left wall but the point towards the head position.

With all the surrounds, Side, Backs and Atmos. With the seating a couple of feet away from the bay window wall your fronts (even behind and accousticly transparrent screen will have a long way to throw the audio. of course that includes Dialogue which is prob the most imprtant. And as someone else pointed out you migth be in the fireing range for a barrage of bass.

You may be better with 7.2.2 with just the single pair of ceiling speakers giving you more diffinition above you. The surrounds and SRBs will do the rest. As you know sattelites set correctly already give pretty good hight for sounds above you.

If you can go for a big sofa as the main viewing seat in the 3rd quater of the room from the screen and 2 seats either side like the 2nd layout with the SRBs (not Solid Rocket Boosters lol) in the back wall either side of the bay window, the Surrounds about 1.5m along the side wall and the sofa about 2m from the back wall then it's what 3-4m to the screen? You could have the rear Atmos directly above you and the front Atmos directly above the2nd quater of the room. You know I would almost go for floorstanders as you fronts purely because they would need to bee a couple of feet from the screen wall. Doesn't matter the screen is right on that wall and the TV flush with it. That would shorten the distance a little for the fronts to the seating position instead of the inwall speakers maximising that distance despite the fauls wall.

This would be so much easier if we were in the room. Hopefully you get what I'm saying and you can persuade your Wife its te best way to have some sexy floorstanders to show off to any visitors. I think then for music as a stereo pair it would be better too.

I'd still go for the Dipol for surrounds and SRBs too.

Sorry it's a long reply. Always happy to help even if I do come out with some rubbish sometimes. I'm excited for you and can't wait to see what you end up with. Guess I'll have to wait like you will.

 

[7760]

I agree with recent comments about the seating position being too far back; in fact my initial thought upon seeing your drawing is that I'd prefer to be watching where you put the word "coffee". Moreover, the apparent not-too-large room size does seem to make some speakers "overkill" (whilst I do realise that the drawing probably isn't very much to-scale...).

Apologies if I've overlooked it somewhere (I did just re-glance over your original post), however I believe you never mentioned the room's dimensions! What are they? : -)

So here's the plan which I think is the best compromise for the room:

 

[bigboss]

Room dimensions are 17'1" X 12'4".

The thing is, OH is adamant that the room should still retain the "living room feel" and not be reduced to a media room. So the back sofa cannot move far too front. It'll also make the room look smaller. Need to think of speaker position carefully....

 

[bigboss]

We don't mind floorstanders, but with the little one learning to walk, don't want him to topple it over and pull the cables behind! In-wall / in-ceiling speakers will make the room totally cable free.

Besides, sound coming from directly behind the screen is the best, better than coming from its sides.

 

[Glacialpath]

Ah yes child safty comes first always. Yes I guess the sound being directly behind the screen will correlate with whats happening on screen. I guess also the L+R speakers will still be far enough apart for a good stereo image.

 

[bigboss]

What about this plan?

 

[Glacialpath]

If your wife doesn't mind speakers in the bay window. I guess it works. Or will they be in the ceiling too?

If you were able to move the 3 sofas toward the screen by 1 or 2 feetstill keeping the surrounds inline with the sofa but the Atmos where they are now and have the SRBs in the wall either side of the bay window I think your there. Your wife could put a nice table or something in the space behind the rear sofa.

If the curtain rail went round the corner out of the bay they could cover the rear speakers whan they aren't in use. Then once they are pulled to block out light they reveal the SRBs. I know this sound a bit crazy but I know some women don't like seeing speakers everywhere.

Just some more thoughts. Seeing the dimentions again I got the tape mesure out my room is 14x14ft. My head is 3.5Ft from my SRBs which are in turn 1.5 Ft from the back wall. I'm 7Ft from my fronts with the screen a foot or so further back. Your room is smaller than I thought. So the long throw I mentioned isn't so long.

 

[bigboss]

It's difficult to draw accurately on MS Paint! Basically, the rear surrounds are in-ceiling speakers on either side of the projector in the false ceiling just in front of the bay window. I think moving the sofa a feet or so towards the screen is doable.

 

[henne_j]

I continue to fail to understand why you would need two seating areas in an average size house like this one? Wouldn't it make more sense to just have one and create one large space downstairs, grouping the utility room and garage together? In Belgium you would just never find such a setup, it's not efficient, eats up tons of space, is costly (you need to buy two sofa's, two tv's etc....) If you watch a movie you do that with your family, no? And if one family member does not want to participate he/she still has his/her own room. So why on earth would you want to split the kitchen dining area from the living room, doesn't make any sense...

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Suggest shiny saucer feet for your sofa to move it forward for 'critical' listening (dependant on flooring). Harder floors - felt feet. Just an idea..Have fun - its a project many of us would envy.

 

[bigboss]

I continue to fail to understand why you would need two seating areas in an average size house like this one? Wouldn't it make more sense to just have one and create one large space downstairs, grouping the utility room and garage together? In Belgium you would just never find such a setup, it's not efficient, eats up tons of space, is costly (you need to buy two sofa's, two tv's etc....) If you watch a movie you do that with your family, no? And if one family member does not want to participate he/she still has his/her own room. So why on earth would you want to split the kitchen dining area from the living room, doesn't make any sense...

?

?

 

Who said there are 2 seating areas? The family area will be my 8-month old son's play room, allowing wife to supervise him while cooking. The garage has its own use.

 

[bigboss]

Besides, I'm not building the house myself; this is how the builder is selling. No changes allowed.

 

[henne_j]

I continue to fail to understand why you would need two seating areas in an average size house like this one? Wouldn't it make more sense to just have one and create one large space downstairs, grouping the utility room and garage together? In Belgium you would just never find such a setup, it's not efficient, eats up tons of space, is costly (you need to buy two sofa's, two tv's etc....) If you watch a movie you do that with your family, no? And if one family member does not want to participate he/she still has his/her own room. So why on earth would you want to split the kitchen dining area from the living room, doesn't make any sense...

Who said there are 2 seating areas? The family area will be my 8-month old son's play room, allowing wife to supervise him while cooking. The garage has its own use.

... whilst you are watching a movie in the living room? Yes, if that's the way your family life is organized this setup makes sense, does not really sound 21st century though. If the builder sells like that I would never buy like that, my 2 cents. I don't see how your wife would not be able to supervise the kid in case the living area (kitchen/dining/living) would be in one single entity, without any walls eating up all the space.

Don't want to be annoying here, I just don't understand why any modern young family would wish to live in a house that is organized as if they were still living in a Victorian era. So, please, enlighten me.

 

[bigboss]

I'm not a fan of open plans. We do a lot of cooking, don't want guests to bear all the fumes and the smell. I always wanted a separate living room. Besides, an open living space totally screws up home cinema.

 

[simonlewis]

I agree with you bigboss, i think it was a bit cheeky of henne_j to suggest otherwise.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Clearly the Belgians can teach us a great deal about house design. I suggest BB you get yourself a Belgian builder and put an end to this wasteful wall-separation nonesense.

Meanwhile .. back in the real world ...

 

[simonlewis]

You need the wall where else would you put the speakers, sorry to dis-agree but a home cinema needs four walls a basement would be the best place, imo.