Living Room with in-wall 7.1.4 and PJ

dancook

dancook

dancook

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Just stumbled on this part of the forum and thought I'd share my current project all the details are here
https://cookhousestory.wordpress.com/

The new home cinema will look something like this

speaker_placement_4.jpg

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Since Louise (my wife) pretty much hates speakers on display, my final solution is to have in-wall (and in-ceiling) speakers for 7.1.4 atmos surround. I have a BK Electric Monolith DF 600+ sub-woofer, which I will be keeping for this setup.

kef_ci5160_thx_900x900.jpg

3 x Kef Ci-5160RL-THX
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4 x Kef Ci200QL
kef_ci200_thx_1_900x900.jpg

4 x Kef Ci200RR-THX
These will be powered by a Anthem MRX1120 receiver, it was this or the Arcam AVR850, but the Arcam required additional amplification for the Atmos speakers and I didn’t want the additional equipment. I will set the AV equipment up in the corner by the PC, so the HDMI run to the projector is fairly short and I can make use of the new ‘false’ wall for ease of cabling.

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Anthem MRX1120
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Anthem MRX1120
The projection screen will be a 120inch wide, 2.35:1 tab tensioned electric screen, that will be installed flush with the ceiling. I will be getting a JVC X9500 projector and a Lumagen Radiance Pro 4240.

x500_3_1_1_2.jpg

JVC X9500
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Lumagen Radiance Pro 4240

Also I have an Oppo 203!

In-ceiling I will have the atmos ceiling speakers and philips hue colour downlighters GU10s

dcook_ceiling_layout.png


Whilst I'm waiting for it to be finished I've set myself up in the dining room, making sure we have the essentials.

Man Cave by dancook1982, on Flickr

at this time of posting, here's where we are with the extension, still yet to knock through inside.

l1370461.jpg
 
hornetstinger said:
As to that, £6000 can get you hell of a lot of decent regular speakers. Those THX inwalls are £2000 a pop. Yikes. I'm not sure how a inwall compares to similar speaker for sound quality, like for like in drivers.

Something is wrong with your wife, some stunning furniture grade speakers around

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAyNFg5MjI=/z/tdYAAOSwB-1Y4o0n/$_86.JPG

I'd probably have a curtain over the glass doors.
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I do like 'regular' speakers - but those you've linked would not be my taste and my wife would loathe them.

Curtains won't be an immediate thing, something I can consider later though.
 
sk3lph said:
I'd also suggest an acoustically transparent screen so you can have the centre speaker behind the screen and it's one less for your good lady to look at.

By all means have a look at my home cinema thread for ideas from the link in my sig, although I'm in the process of changing the photo links thanks to those gits at photobucket.
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I chose not to have acoustically transparent screen it was the difference between something like 2.5k and 5.5k - for a 2.35:1 120inch wide electric tab tensioned screen.

The speakers will have painted grills so they match the wall colour :)
 
hornetstinger said:
I assume a installer is doing it? Use it for a month then ask if you can borrow a power amplifier and see what you think.
Power amplifiers can be added anytime and pretty easily, just RCA cables, connect the cable up to the new amp, then re-do ARC. As long as you have access to the gear and space in the racking.

FYI you don't have to match processor and power amp brands, although there be be gain problems if the two are consideribly different.

Your speakers are efficient at 90dB or so so they don't need hundreds of watts of power, but that 4ohm could be a problem.
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Thanks,

I don't have a dedicated installer for this.

The electrician, carpenter/builder will help fit and cable everything up.

I have a friend who is a professional AV calibration expert, who will calibrate my setup when done, perhaps he will have something I can borrow, we will see.
 
hornetstinger said:
Make sure the Anthem is well ventilated, if it's in a cupboard or enclosed space make sure it's open all round, and I'd put a couple of low rpm 14cm computer fans. Monitor the Anthem tempeatures.
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It won't be enclosed and will have space above it.

I'm having a shelf unit made for my AV equipment, same dimensions as this

ladder1.jpg


But with an oak/steel finish

industrial-ladder-bookcase-oak-steel-shelving-bookshelf-shelf-shelves.jpg
 
hornetstinger said:
Yup just too echoey and reflective sound. Remember a high end system, literally £100,000 per component and in a apartment, glass everywhere, wooden floors, no soft furniture. You can imagine how bad it sounds. A well setup £2000 system in a carpetted room would sound better.

As for power amplifier there's this you need a fork lift truck to move it lol

http://www.classicaudioparts.com/in...ature-seven-channel-x-300-watt-amplifier.html
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My setup costs a lot less than you think, I'm not spending that much!
 
hornetstinger said:
Means ARC will be correcting the room more than ideally it should (ie less) And room correction cannot magically fix a suboptimal.
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I have to compromise this is not a dedicated cinema room. I will not be able to make it optimal.

I feel it will be better than having my old setup bunched up 5.1 with a 10 year old 40 Inch TV
 
So more on this compromise, my wife finally agreed to in-wall coloured speakers and a projection screen that retracts into the ceiling..

I'm lucky I got away with a black JVC x9500 projector mounted to the ceiling, that thing is big.. and we're also painting the walls and ceiling in a blue slate colour, so whilst not the darkest, it's better than having a white ceiling..

The bifold doors have built in blinds, which will help to cut down light, but we won't be having anything like 'black roller blinds' I saw elsewhere, it needs to look like a lounge when the screen is up.

Phate said:
Very nice. Keep posting updates please! :)
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Cheers, I will do..
 
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Only yesterday i placed an order for a custom made AV Rack, and here's how it would have fit

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However that leaves no room for the future possibility of a power amplifier, fortunately I've been able to modify the order so I'll have an even deeper shelf at the bottom

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hornetstinger said:
I would recommend speakers that don't stick out like a sore thumb. If the speakers are white I'd put on the black grilles. To get what I'm saying, get three pieces of white paper and place them next to and under your TV and watch a movie. The white paper will be incredibly distracting.

I'm not sure what colour is best for walls in a home cinema room as I never looked into that.
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As mentioned,

The speakers come with metal grills, we will paint them the same as the walls, they should not stick out :)
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Looks like a good plan so far.
You might also wish to consider acoustic panels on the walls. Given that you're starting from scratch, you might be able to use something instead of what you're already planning for the walls. I met a chap a couple of years ago who'd done it himself. Not sure what he used, but it clearly worked well, and once painted, looked just like a normal wall.
If the amp you are planning to use doesn't have room correction, that's also worth considering, as it can be extremely useful in the right place.
As a final point, you're planned audio rack is looking a bit light on space. Given that you'll be starting with an amp and BD player, potentially then adding additional power amps and other sources, might be worth over-specifying it. As it's a new build, also worth considering given the audio components a dedicated electrical ring, to reduce noise from other electrical items nearby.
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We already have plans for framed art on the walls, not sure my wife will go for acoustic panels, but I see they can be arty...I'll see if anything appeals.

It has ARC, anthem room correction - I also have an anti-mode for the subwoofer if needed.

There's room to stack some items on top of each other and my PC desk is right next to it and I can hide stuff there perhaps! :) but worst comes to worst I can put the AV rack elsewhere and use it as a nice shelving unit, and get something else.

I will ask the electrician about the dedicated ring, it's only a few feet from the fusebox
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
I had my electrician add in an additional ring whilst running a new one in for my conservatory. Unsurprisingly he thought it was pointless. As he was already putting one in for the lights, the additional cost for the extra was minimal. Probably easier to just ask him to do it, rather than debate the logic of why.

Have to say, highly envious on the JVC9500. I've been using a HD550 for close on 8 years now. Still gives a great picture, so haven't really felt the desire to upgrade. For all that, I'd assume the 9500 will almost certainly be a good step up.
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Been putting a lot of hours into the PJ already, works pretty well during the day in the dining room with white walls and untamed ambient light coming from hallway and kitchen :) looking foward to settings it up properly on the big screen :)

this is with a relatively short throw and ~80inch wide screen, going up to 120inch wide and 7m+ throw
 
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