Suggestion on new theater layout

[sandbites]

Hello guys i'm building a theater from the ground up. The wirings are not yet there so its a clean slate and i can place anywhere i want. I love audio but the kids have movie night with me so its 2 systems in one room. One is for Audio the other is for theater. From the equipment you'll see that audio is 1st preference.

Here are the possible layouts

[IMG]
theater A by sandbites, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]
theater B by sandbites, on Flickr[/IMG]

Room is 4.6 meters by 6 meters (15ft x 19.6ft). Please chime in on whether the 100" projector screen will be on the short side (Option A) or long side (option B). The clincher there is that on option A on the short wall behind the screen is a glass window. I can treat this with blinds but if i decide to put an LED behind the screen it will block the window permanently.

Equipment for Audio
-. Amp is a MC275
- pre-amp is a Mc C220. Speakers are
- floorstanders denoted as MR and ML. No subs

Home theater
- Amp is a midlevel Yamaha AV receiver
-definitive subwoofers, i have 2 PF1500's if i can i'd rather use only one
- To accommodate the dual system, i will use BOSE AM15's for the Front L,C,R. and R,L surrounds
- i might use Bose 101's or Niles in-ceiling speakers for the rears.

1. Suggestion on whether to use the long or short wall
2. Do i place the center above or below the screen
3.

[chessman]

Keep in mind that the wider the large screen forces you to place the "two channel mains" the further back the seating must be for good imaging. I also use a combined two channel/HT set-up and was forced to place my mains asymetrically to achieve good two channel sound. You are, of course, using different speakers for the HT, but your screen still forces your two channel mains to be spread apart.

Also, the closer you are sitting to the center of the room, the more room modes and nulls come into play. Ideal is 2/3 back from the front wall for sound, but you also have to calculate if that distance works for the projector geometry. It can be done, you just have lots to consider.

I would go with screen on the short wall, if it was my choice - more options. Edit: maybe not, I just realized you would be covering a window. Is this a dedicated room?

[sandbites]

Originally Posted by chessman

Is this a dedicated room?

its a dedicated room. The screen is electric roll-up so when not in use the window would not be obstructed. In the future i might add a 55inch flat wall behind the projector screen so the TV would partially block the window

[chessman]

If music is the priority, a glass front wall or a big flat screen tv between the mains is going to detract from sound quality - but I confess, I do not know by how much, it will just be so reflective that it may sound bright or smeared. Heavy drapes or vertical blinds would help - unless you put a tv in front of them.

Here is a crazy idea, which arises because you have one set of speakers for movies and a different set for music. What if you used Layout A, but put the music speakers on the long wall, with no recliner in the room? That puts the built-ins behind you (natural diffusion?) with the music mains on a long wall with two natural corners and room to adjust for best imaging. The music sweet spot is the two seater and the movie sweet spot is the three seater. Under theis proposal, you may have to move the three seater back a bit so as not to block what would be your left main.