Home theater upgrade and new framing

[Mark Singer]

I am in the process of upgrading my home Theater. It started with wanting Tivo...Juan from Ovation came over and said even though my equipment was only 4 years old ...it was outdated. Well , I didn't feel good about hearing that , but one trip to Best Buy convinced me that the new DLP TV's are far superior to the Sony XBR 65 I had....Then I upgraded to the new Denon 3805 reciever along with the HD Tivo DVR from Hughes. The TV I ended up with was a Samsung DLP 61....a little smaller, but just a great picture. I made a MDF base for the TV and removable panels that will get covered wit speaker fabric. There is a Wenge Trim around the lower section. The sond of the Denon is terrific ...I had the Denon 3300 before. I can eally hear the difference

[Dennis Peacock]

Looks GREAT Mark!!!!! You'd laugh if you saw what we have for our entertainment stuff and tv. :o I am proud for you in what you have accomplished it. It appears to be AWSOME!!!!!

[Tim Morton]

*LOL*...when most of us want to upgrade our HT we call "the one guy in our group of friends" who knows something about and and ask his advice...mark calls up a friend who works for ( or probably "owns") Ovation. NICE!!! if memory serves "Ovation" is the company that developed a DVD used to tune home theaters? I think I own this DVD from years ago. Lookin good Mark!!!!:D, but of all the places to buy HT stuff why BB? That place is like the Borg of electronics. I figured you for more of the highend audo/video salons.

[Mark Singer]

Tim,

I went to Best Buy to see the equipment and get their opinion....I also got prices there. When I came home...I went on line and ended up getting most everything from Amazon.com. They seemed to have the best prices and I had no tax as well. Ovation is also a dealer...but , they suggested I buy on line. They handel Yamaha. The Denon reciever is supposed to be in a class by itself for sourround 7 channel format. It is excellent for music listening ...clasical, jazz, new wave, all sounds great! I kept the same Bowers and Wilkens...B&W speakers and the Velodyne Subwoofer which really didn't need upgrading.


*LOL*...when most of us want to upgrade our HT we call "the one guy in our group of friends" who knows something about and and ask his advice...mark calls up a friend who works for ( or probably "owns") Ovation. NICE!!! if memory serves "Ovation" is the company that developed a DVD used to tune home theaters? I think I own this DVD from years ago. Lookin good Mark!!!!:D, but of all the places to buy HT stuff why BB? That place is like the Borg of electronics. I figured you for more of the highend audo/video salons.

[Tim Morton]

Tim,

I went to Best Buy to see the equipment and get their opinion....I also got prices there. When I came home...I went on line and ended up getting most everything from Amazon.com. They seemed to have the best prices and I had no tax as well. Ovation is also a dealer...but , they suggested I buy on line. They handel Yamaha. The Denon reciever is supposed to be in a class by itself for sourround 7 channel format. It is excellent for music listening ...clasical, jazz, new wave, all sounds great! I kept the same Bowers and Wilkens...B&W speakers and the Velodyne Subwoofer which really didn't need upgrading.

Are you running a 7.1 speaker system? 5.1? I still remember reading my stereophile mags a million years ago and thining..."no way is this HT thing going to catch on....give me my 2 channel stereo amp amd powered subwoofer and I'll be fine....like i said that was a million years ago. Did I mention my first woodworking project in this house was mounting a subwoofer in the basement that fires UP into the living room? Sounds great for music and really comes through watching movies. Have you watched LOTR's with your new system yet?

[Mark Singer]

It is actually sill the 5 channel. What are LOTR's?

[Tim Morton]

It is actually sill the 5 channel. What are LOTR's?

Sorry...Lord of the Rings....the first one. Even if you are not a fan of the movie...the special effects make it a must have to show off your HT room.

[Mark Singer]

oh, I thought it was a new format I wasn't aware of.....things change so fast ypu know:rolleyes:
Sorry...Lord of the Rings....the first one. Even if you are not a fan of the movie...the special effects make it a must have to show off your HT room.

[Jim Becker]

Mark, congratulations. You're gonna really enjoy the screen upgrade to the DLP from the "older" rear-projection. Great contrast and color rendition compared to the "older" stuff!! You're in good shape, too, because of the way you did the surround...easy to change as the screen size does!!

[Mark Singer]

I am kinda out of my territory here , so it is reassuring to hear from you....it wasn't that expensive to up grade....the new reciver has both "Component" and HDMI conections ...I hear the difference which is important to a low techy like me Thanks for the input!
Mark, congratulations. You're gonna really enjoy the screen upgrade to the DLP from the "older" rear-projection. Great contrast and color rendition compared to the "older" stuff!! You're in good shape, too, because of the way you did the surround...easy to change as the screen size does!!

[Joe Mioux]

Denon receiver....Velodyne Subwoofer..... the only thing different is that I have a Toshiba 52" DLP. Which replaced a Sony 32" tube XBR.

One of my upcoming WW'g projects is a storage unit for the HT stuff, but I am having a problem is figuring out a good looking spot for the subwoofer and center speaker. I would like to place the center speaker above the TV and the sub below the TV. Mark, how have you addressed these issues?

Joe

[Mark Singer]

Joe,

I put the sub below and to the right and the center channel below and in the center. I angled the center channel speakerupward toward the audience. The sub location is not critical since low frequency is non directional


Denon receiver....Velodyne Subwoofer..... the only thing different is that I have a Toshiba 52" DLP. Which replaced a Sony 32" tube XBR.

One of my upcoming WW'g projects is a storage unit for the HT stuff, but I am having a problem is figuring out a good looking spot for the subwoofer and center speaker. I would like to place the center speaker above the TV and the sub below the TV. Mark, how have you addressed these issues?

Joe

[John Miliunas]

Man, you guys and all your high end gear out there!!! Sheeeesh...I can remember when I had a STEREO with a seperate Phase Linear pre-amp, 100w/ch. MosFet amp and FM-only tuner and thought that was a "top dog". With some EPI 500's, it rocked the house. Hey, now that I think about it, the 500's are still rockin' the shop!:D Nice setup, Mark! Gonna' be a long, loooooong time before I can swing a system like that and then it will be obsolete! Looks great...Enjoy it!:) :cool:

[Kevin Brown]

"even though my equipment was only 4 years old ...it was outdated"

That HD Tivo is great, but it will be out of date in a few months or at least the end of the year in the LA area. :eek:

Directv is switching to the mpeg4 format so you'll need to upgrade to there new box, good news is it should be little to no cost since you already have one :cool:

I'm trying decide right now to get that HD Tivo or wait for the new Directv version (the switch to mpeg4 for my area is still way off) every time I go to Best Buy I just stand there and drool over the HD display, so I'm not sure how long I can wait!!!!! :rolleyes:

Anyway awesome setup Mark! ENJOY :o

[Jim Becker]

Joe, the subwoofer can literally be anywhere in the room...it doesn't have to be in the same structure as the video display gear.

[John Hart]

Mark...once again, I am jealous. I want to be you.:rolleyes:

[Mark Singer]

John,

Lets switch...I would like to be you.....Our wives will never know the difference...I will fly to Ohio....you to John Wayne....bring some casual clothes and ...ok the Big dog is Java...the little one , Dexter....he may suspect something....Java is too old.....be carful with my bandsaw....untension it each ....


Mark...once again, I am jealous. I want to be you.:rolleyes:

[Mark Singer]

John,

nevea mind i will be fine in Laguna.....just a thought ....a deviation from the norm ....passing woodworkers in the night....you thea....me hea....what can I say...

Hugh,
pour me a stiff one.....I like John,....I like his style.... he is a man of substance....

Hugh who?

As i said too many stories....twinkling lights....pretty faces ...fancy cars....It all seems like a blur to me now....now that the idea is ....not even an idea ....
wait...there is turning blanks, Shlamaca and the romance of Oaxaca...join us!
Mole awaits....Ole'!

[Jon Olson]

You're right....B&W and Velodyne do not need upgrading!!!

the New TV looks great.

Jon

[Joe Mioux]

Joe, the subwoofer can literally be anywhere in the room...it doesn't have to be in the same structure as the video display gear.

Yea I know....(sigh) but the expensive cables that I have for the Sub only reach 4 ft out.

[Lee DeRaud]

Are you running a 7.1 speaker system? 5.1? I still remember reading my stereophile mags a million years ago and thining..."no way is this HT thing going to catch on....give me my 2 channel stereo amp amd powered subwoofer and I'll be fine....like i said that was a million years ago.You have a subwoofer? Why in my day, if you wanted to hear low notes, you just banged yourself in the head with a skillet!
Seriously, I'm starting to feel like I'm in the dark ages: yeah, I've at least switched over from LPs to CDs, but everything still goes through a pair of 12" 3-way tower speakers I built in '74.

[Jim Becker]

Lee, while you can get outstanding sound from those towers, what you can't get is the 5:1 surround sound that is encoded in the material, including both DVD/tape as well as digital broadcast from cable/sat. (When you use a fiber link between the box/receiver and the audio system). Most of the home theater setups use smaller speakers for mid and high frequencies and a sub for lows since low frequency material is not directional, for the most part, and can be combined into a single driver for reproduction.

I still have my nice towers (passive radiators in addition to 3-way drivers, etc., from back in the 1980s, but honestly, they've been in boxes since we moved to this property. I'm seriously considering selling them...

[Lee DeRaud]

Lee, while you can get outstanding sound from those towers, what you can't get is the 5:1 surround sound that is encoded in the material, including both DVD/tape as well as digital broadcast from cable/sat. (When you use a fiber link between the box/receiver and the audio system). Most of the home theater setups use smaller speakers for mid and high frequencies and a sub for lows since low frequency material is not directional, for the most part, and can be combined into a single driver for reproduction.Understood. My music system is in a different room from the TV and I'm not sure the room with the TV is big enough to benefit from full-blown surround-sound. I'd be willing to try it if running the speaker cables wasn't such a pain: you eastern folks with your basements and attics have it easy in that respect :cool: .

[Jim Becker]

Lee, you would be surprised at how effective a small surround sound system can be in a small room...most of them are tunable so that you can place the tiny speakers where they are best accommodated. Position is more important than size for this kind of thing. For example my rear L & R speakers are on simple stands immediately right behind the couch at ear level. I just told the system that they were "close" to the listener so that the balance was adjusted appropriately. Now, these small systems may not be totally audiophile pleasers, but they still sound "really good" when you are watching films...the soundtracks are such an important and intimate part of the presentation these days and have huge impact on the total experience.

You are right about having access under the room being convenient...I did for the rear speakers, but there are other solutions to get the small wires there if need be, including "flat" cables that can be placed invisibly under the carpet, etc.

[Allan Johanson]

Yea I know....(sigh) but the expensive cables that I have for the Sub only reach 4 ft out.

Hey Joe,

Why bother with an expensive cable for the sub? It isn't like you need to worry about 100% accurate sound reproduction with the subwoofer. ;)

But the biggest problem you'll find with a subwoofer in an A/V cabinet is that it'll vibrate the cabinet to death. My subwoofer is ported out the back and there is an amazing amount of air coming out. In my old house I placed the subwoofer right behind the couch and it would make the couch shake! Cool for a movie, but it isn't the behaviour you want in a cabinet.

Cheers,

Allan

[Joe Mioux]

Hey Joe,

Why bother with an expensive cable for the sub? It isn't like you need to worry about 100% accurate sound reproduction with the subwoofer. ;)

But the biggest problem you'll find with a subwoofer in an A/V cabinet is that it'll vibrate the cabinet to death. My subwoofer is ported out the back and there is an amazing amount of air coming out. In my old house I placed the subwoofer right behind the couch and it would make the couch shake! Cool for a movie, but it isn't the behaviour you want in a cabinet.

Cheers,

Allan

Hi Allan: It is a subwoofer cable that I bought when I bought the speaker. I have it so I use it. Your points are well taken. Thanks

[Lee DeRaud]

You are right about having access under the room being convenient...I did for the rear speakers, but there are other solutions to get the small wires there if need be, including "flat" cables that can be placed invisibly under the carpet, etc.I'll file that under "things I'd wish I'd thought of when I was installing the Pergo" :( . The new TV is between the sliding door to the patio and the fireplace...might as well be the back side of the moon as far as back speakers are concerned.

[Jim Becker]

You can always fish the wall and ceiling... :D

[Lee DeRaud]

You can always fish the wall and ceiling... :DThat's what I like: a moderator with a sense of humor. :p

[Bob Borzelleri]

I have been running two sets of Energy Pro 22's (RefConns, for those with good long term memory) that I have had about 25 years or so (maybe more). One day, I'm going to go to smaller sats. and gain some floor space. Jim is really right about the great improvement in sound quality with the newer sat/woofer setups.

We are using a Sanyo front projector and are satisfied with the image. It can go to about 110" diag. before I start noticing a bit of screen door effect. The sub is under the screen which cost me about $6.95 (a can of Kilz2 primer) as opposed to spending anywhere from $500 - $3,000 for a "real screen". I had started out with plans to mix paint according to a formulation that was popular on one of the AV websites. After getting the primer onto the wall (it is smooth finished), we turned on the projector and look at each other and decided to leave well enough alone. Whites were white and blacks were black and facetones looked real. Now to build a proscenium arch to surround the screen.

...Bob

[Scott Coffelt]

Looking good, I've always been a Denon fan but a friend own a audio store and really seemed to like the Yamaha processors the best. I was thinking of a new Denon for the house myself. Decisions, decisions.

My wife sure likes the plasma screens, I am partial to the DLPs myself. I keep telling her int eh new house it will be in the wall anyways, so who cares if it is 4" thick or 14". Not winning the arguement so far.

[Allan Johanson]

Hey Bob,

Which Sanyo do you have? I'm thinking about the Sharp XV-Z12000U DLP. Of course by the time I get my room built they'll have a new model. :rolleyes:

I thought about painting a wall, but I want a better black level so I'll probably be going with a negative gain screen. DLPs are plenty bright and I'll have a dedicated room where I can control the light.

Cheers,

Allan

[Mark Singer]

The Samsung DLP is really worth lookin at....I checked many and ended up with it!
Hey Bob,

Which Sanyo do you have? I'm thinking about the Sharp XV-Z12000U DLP. Of course by the time I get my room built they'll have a new model. :rolleyes:

I thought about painting a wall, but I want a better black level so I'll probably be going with a negative gain screen. DLPs are plenty bright and I'll have a dedicated room where I can control the light.

Cheers,

Allan

[Bob Borzelleri]

Allan...



Mine is a Z2. I think the current model is a Z3. We have been running it for about 16 months now (the bulb is still going strong, knock on something) and I'm still satisfied. You are right about the rate of changes in product lines. From the point when I decided that a front projector was the way to go until I ordered (maybe 3 months), my choice changed 4 times. A very volatile market.

If you have the time and interest (and a smooth wall), you might want to consider experimenting with a painted screen (or even a 2'X2' painted surface) to see what kind of black level you can get. Folks over at www.avsforum.com (http://www.avsforum.com/) have been discusing this DIY screen thing since paint was first discovered. Interesting stuff. Now that I'm thinking about it, I just might ask for swatches from the screenmanufacturers just to see what they have accomplished in the last 1 1/2 years.

...Bob