Home Theatre Setup

Law18 · Sep 22, 2007 11:09 pm

Well the time has finally arrived and my husband has said about how we are going to setup up surround sound in our new house and I've said them big speakers arent coming with us to our new house. So in the interest of keeping my husband happy I finally need to come up with some new options, and as a few of you know I like the clean look(hidden)

Equipment we currently have:
-Yamaha AV Reciever - RX-V559 and Yamaha DVD player
-42in Plasma
-3 x rear speakers (wall Mounted)+ 2 front speaker (approx 1m tall) + centre speaker (All yamaha and all not coming with us)
-Yamaha subwoofer Active ( unsure if coming with us)
-Yamaha Cd changer (or something)
-New house will have a hills home comms box phone, data and tv reticulation

So looking to setup clean system (for me) with plenty of punch (for hubby). I think we can put all the bits and bobs (reciever etc in cupboard in study) and would like to have speakers outside in alfresco. Looking at setting up in Family room (can see on blog)

Q1. What speakers can I get?
Q2. What else should I add to the system
Q3. Your general thoughts!

Rodda · Sep 23, 2007 9:36 am

Hi Lee (it is Lee, isn't it?)

From what you're suggesting (speaker-wise), I reckon the way to go is In-wall. In-wall, In-wall, In-wall.

I get my big, high-fidelity sound, and the WAF is high due to no visible cables and no speakers intruding into the living space:

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If you want to keep up the high standard of the audio gear you have (nice receiver, by the way), consider brands like:
Paradigm
Mordaunt-Short
Jamo
Elan

The subwoofer is still an active stand-alone unit, tucked into a back corner (when you do yours make sure it's next to a power-point and you run an audio cable for it too).

Remember to think about how your remotes will interact with your gear, where ever it is. IR repeating systems are a snap to include, and very effective.

P.S. As soon as I get a spare weekend I'm painting the remaining 3 walls and the ceiling in the same chocolate brown, and when I do I'm also going to spray paint the speakers and screen canister the same colour (the front panel on that Rear Projection TV partially covered by the screen will be sprayed black).

Law18 · Sep 23, 2007 7:36 pm

Thanks Rodda for that and it is Lee. I will have a look at the speakers you mentioned. I like the idea of spray painting the speaker covers too. Now your taking I think my husband will be impressed, and if I can get rid of the big speakers it will be perfect.

Firthy_26 · Sep 24, 2007 10:47 am

Rod / Matt,

Simple question (I'm assuming) for either of you...

If I run cables through the ceiling (lower floor of 2 storey) at frame stage for future flush mounted speakers, is it possible to fit the speakers through the plaster from below after it has been completed or do you still have fix them from above which wouldn't be possible in this instance.

I'm guessing it's the former but just wanted to be sure.

Cheers,
Mike.

matt walker · Sep 24, 2007 11:05 am

Firthy_26

Rod / Matt,

Simple question (I'm assuming) for either of you...

If I run cables through the ceiling (lower floor of 2 storey) at frame stage for future flush mounted speakers, is it possible to fit the speakers through the plaster from below after it has been completed or do you still have fix them from above which wouldn't be possible in this instance.

I'm guessing it's the former but just wanted to be sure.

Cheers,
Mike.

Mike,

In short yes.

If the cables are there, you can fit flush mount in ceiling speakers after the plaster is up.

Just a quick note with Carlisle Homes.

They use solid crossbeams between floors which means that all cables need to be run around the perimeter as drilling holes is not permitted at all. This makes for a lot of extra cable needed.

Matt

Firthy_26 · Sep 24, 2007 11:23 am

Thought so. Thanks again Matt.

& thanks for the heads up with the beams... More expenses! :cry:

Mike.

ahuang · Sep 24, 2007 7:32 pm

Matt,

What is "solid crossbeams" ?

matt walker · Sep 24, 2007 9:51 pm

Allan,

I think the technical term is Joists.

These are the load bearing timbers or metals that sits on your lower storey frames and the floor is fixed to upstairs.

There are lots of different types ie girder, i-beam and solid and probably even more.

I am sure there are pros and cons for both methods.

Solid simply means they are 1 piece with no gaps to pass cables etc through.

Matt

This is an I-beam
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open / girder
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ahuang · Sep 25, 2007 10:57 am

Thanks. I think ours are the "i-beam" ones, and I have seen a AVJenning house using that "open" one but it's in metal in the middle part. Never seen a solid one before.

matt walker · Sep 25, 2007 11:18 am

Allan yours are the i-beam ones! I just had a look at your blog...

Here is a pic of mine:

http://ourgrandeplan.blogspot.com/2007/06/return-of-gonzales.html

Matt

ahuang · Sep 25, 2007 11:25 am

Cool, so yours are the "solid" ones? Looks more stronger than the i-beam ones to me...

Law18 · Oct 02, 2007 11:02 pm

Rodda

Hi Lee (it is Lee, isn't it?)

From what you're suggesting (speaker-wise), I reckon the way to go is In-wall. In-wall, In-wall, In-wall.

I get my big, high-fidelity sound, and the WAF is high due to no visible cables and no speakers intruding into the living space:

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

If you want to keep up the high standard of the audio gear you have (nice receiver, by the way), consider brands like:
Paradigm
Mordaunt-Short
Jamo
Elan

The subwoofer is still an active stand-alone unit, tucked into a back corner (when you do yours make sure it's next to a power-point and you run an audio cable for it too).

Remember to think about how your remotes will interact with your gear, where ever it is. IR repeating systems are a snap to include, and very effective.

P.S. As soon as I get a spare weekend I'm painting the remaining 3 walls and the ceiling in the same chocolate brown, and when I do I'm also going to spray paint the speakers and screen canister the same colour (the front panel on that Rear Projection TV partially covered by the screen will be sprayed black).

ok so I have been looking for the speakers you suggested but I cant seem to find anyone selling them. Any ideas? Do you sell any of them? I am looking at getting some pricing so I can decide but I am running out of time and will need to put some speaker wiring in the walls now as plastering will be starting in the next week or so. Is there a specific wire I should get and should I just put it anywhere I think I will need it?

ahuang · Oct 03, 2007 5:51 pm

Plenty of in-ceiling speakers here:

http://www.marantz.com.au/index.jsp?page=1126

price from thousands to hundreds...

matt walker · Oct 03, 2007 9:18 pm

There are so many different brands available.

Its a matter of getting the best "bang for your buck" that is the challenge.

Matt

matt walker · Oct 03, 2007 9:22 pm

Law18

ok so I have been looking for the speakers you suggested but I cant seem to find anyone selling them. Any ideas? Do you sell any of them? I am looking at getting some pricing so I can decide but I am running out of time and will need to put some speaker wiring in the walls now as plastering will be starting in the next week or so. Is there a specific wire I should get and should I just put it anywhere I think I will need it?

Law,

We can supply any Audio Visual gear you need.

Do you have a copy of your plans that we can look at?

As far as in-wall / in ceiling speakers what budget did you have in mind?

PM if you feel more comfortable discussing behind closed doors (so to speak)

Matt

Law18 · Oct 03, 2007 11:05 pm

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Rumpus and outdoor living speakers would be for music mainly and for sound for tv special occasions when the footy's on.

Family room speakers would be for home theatre setup front speakers would be in wall all the rest in ceiling. I think or could do all speakers in ceiling which ever is better.

Rodda · Oct 04, 2007 8:29 am

Hi Lee.

You got it right - 3 x In-walls for the front 3 speakers in the HT setup and In-ceilings for all of the rest.

I'd suggest either 2 or 4 speakers for the rear/surrounds in the HT area though (as opposed to the 3 you've suggested), unless you already have an A/V Receiver and it's a 6.1 (like mine

). Otherwise, if you are looking at purchasing one all of the decent ones today are 7.1 (but you can leave out 1 pair of rears and just run 5.1 if you want).

How were you planning to drive the other 2 pairs of speakers in the Rumpus and Ourdoor areas (also from the HT A/V Receiver or with another amp)?

Law18 · Oct 04, 2007 10:48 am

I was loking at running the other speakers with the same amp but they would never be on at the same time as the home theatre ones? Can this be done?

Rodda · Oct 04, 2007 2:06 pm

Lee.

It can be done if your amp or A/V Receiver can do A + B + C speakers (these days that usually means one up above the cheaper end of the market...)...

...or if you get/have an impedence matching speaker selector (hopefully a decent one) like this:

http://jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=1414&M= ... ctID=16988

Law18 · Oct 04, 2007 11:53 pm

Ahhhhhhh not sure will have to look into it we have a yamaha RX-V559.