Show us your Home Theater

[TommyC]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Here are the pictures with the changes since July 2009. One other thing I forgot to mention are the room treatments are I purchased but have not yet put up.

Your house is beautiful, even your home theatre

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Thanks Jerry,

I can do whatever I want within reason, in the basement......Needless to say I like to go into the basement.....

David.......Basements offer all sorts of possibilities. . . . .

[1KW]

Dan,

I am just a innocent kid, I was not thinking about anything quite as interesting as your picture .

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Dan,

I am just a innocent kid, I was not thinking about anything quite as interesting as your picture .

David.......Think of all the missed opportunities.

[1KW]

Originally Posted by TommyC

Your house is beautiful, even your home theatre

Thank you Tommy, it's very kind of you to say.

[jdandy]

David.......Back on topic, each time I see this photo of your home theater arrangement I can't help but think of all the potential there is for a really first class HT setup to be accomplished. I am not saying that what you have now is chopped liver, it is quite nice, but nowhere near the level available to you without a great deal of change.

Here's what I would do:

> Close off the pool table and snack bar from the theater by constructing a new sound insulated wall between the two areas. Make the theater a single purpose room with the ability to control the acoustics in the space. The private pool table room would be very cozy, too.

> Remove the counter/bar on the side wall, and create custom casework to fill the entire arch. This would house all of your home theater equipment, DVDs, CD's, and would further close the room for better acoustics. You would also have rear access to the gear for changing interconnects, adding gear, etc.

> Add the necessary acoustic panels to the side walls and behind your front channel speakers to reduce first reflections, and some custom diffusion panels on the new rear wall. These alterations alone would create a comfortable single purpose home theater room with a controlled acoustic environment.

> Next I would rethink the speakers. You have a hodgepodge of mismatched speakers that share no similarity in voicing. Considering your new McIntosh dipole speakers for the rear, perhaps a pair of XR200 to replace the Maggies, and an XCS350 center channel speaker. No need to change your electronics, since they will work perfectly with the new speakers. Keep the two f112 Fathoms in the room.

> Finally, scrap the antique projector, and move up to one made in 2010. Upgrade your overhead projector to one of the newest high lumen's, 1080P, three DLP chip projectors. Enjoy the same level of picture as sound.

I know we are talking about $50K or so, but that investment in your home theater would put you into a whole new class of home theater, with a performance level that would make you wonder why you waited so long to do it. I know I am spending your money again, but were I in your shoes with your basement space as finished as it presently is, I would take it all the way.

[Masterlu]

All great suggestions Dan.

In both my homes, the Theater is the "Place to Be"

[1KW]

Dan

I agree there is a lot of room for improvement. The front three speakers are on my short list along with the sound treatments and installing the new rear surround speakers. I agree closing off the back wall would offer some improvement but I like shooting pool and watching sports on the 120 inch screen. I had 45 people over for a party last weekend and most of them were hanging out at the bar area and pool table so the room serves other functions. The Mitsubishi projector is DLP and while it looks small the picture quality is actually very good. I am waiting for the next generation of 3 D projectors to come out , maybe we won't need to wear glasses. As for spending another 50 grand in the home theater, I have to take baby steps . Two in college at 60 grand a kid per year with room and board of after tax dollars has me in thrifty mode as I would like to be able to retire some day. Unfortunately reimbursements are not going up and taxes are

[Still-One]

David
I like the open set-up of your lower level. Occasionally I wish I did not have to deal with an entire wall of windows in mine. Other than that I like having large open spaces.

Jim

[jdandy]

David.......I understand the multipurpose room use, and the kids in college. You are a generous and caring father with extremely fortunate children.

I just wanted to pass my thoughts along on the theater. I have held these thoughts since I first saw your HT room. There's a ton of potential there.

My first idea for the basement was the best.