HT Construction thread

[mytime]

Get it finished dammit! I want to see some pics.

[Ntruder]

Quick Update. (left my camera at home so the pictures will come later today)

Electrical Rough in is done, all tested ok. (not bad for my first time doing 120v electrical)
-20 amp circuit servicing 2 outlets in the equipment closet plus 1 outlet for the TV
-15 amp circuit servicing the room lights (2 recessed cans on a dimmer, and 2 wall lights on a dimmer, plus rope lights) plus 4 wall outlets on the back wall and side walls
-HDMI outlet behind TV
-Speaker wire gang boxes for 5.1
-Toslink gang box wired for headphones

Trey ceiling is done

Subfloor is done

Framing is 90%. Still need some boards where the soffits meet the stud walls. Still working on closets. I hope to finish that up today or tomorrow.

Next step... Drywall. Not looking forward to that. I've never laid drywall before. First I have to find and purchase a drywall jack.

[Ntruder]

Oh, by the way, I am in need of some suggestions for a color pallet! I want wall color, carpet color, ceiling color, trey ceiling color, couch color, and wood trim color!

[sawzalot]

Looking and sounding good, I can't wait to see the pics. Don't forget the pic with the temporary TV , spackle bucket HT seating ,and a bunch of extension cords, i know when the football games came on around here all work ceased and the brew started to flow, lol. Great project N.

[Ntruder]

Thinking about one of these couches. (The Hamburglar couch)

[mytime]

Thinking about one of these couches. (The Hamburglar couch)

The bottom one. As far as the color pallet goes, you can't fuk up a neutral color scheme. Not hard to do and it looks good.

[Ntruder]

I love how it's smiling

[mytime]

I love how it's smiling

Yes that's one happy sofa.

[sawzalot]

They look like comfortable pieces, I also like the bottom one seems "richer" n appearance might need to be cleaned often as the lighter colors show everything.We just switched out to darker leather stuff for that reason.

[Ntruder]

They look like comfortable pieces, I also like the bottom one seems "richer" n appearance might need to be cleaned often as the lighter colors show everything.We just switched out to darker leather stuff for that reason.

ESPECIALLY considering how often I shit my pants

[mytime]

ESPECIALLY considering how often I shit my pants

You are supposed to empty your bowels before the 25th beer!

[sawzalot]

ESPECIALLY considering how often I shit my pants

Well if you and those close to you are any thing like my family and friends there is almost always a beverage or snack in the HT, some smaller children, gotta love em , and shit happens. I certainly wasn't referring to your abnormal lack of bowel control, .

Try pretzels with the beer it tends to tighten everything up a little more throw in some cheese and your all set, peace.

[Ntruder]

The only thing I have with my beer is beer

[Ntruder]

You are looking at the back wall, the couch will be here. You can see the start of the trey ceiling, 48" wide soffits on the left and right with 2 recessed lights on a dimmer, right above the couch.




Left channel, right channel, and center channel speaker wire outlets. I have covers with banana plugs to go over those. Also, you'll see the "X" marked on the drywall; that will be the center of the TV, so it will cover up the two outlets below it (which are for HDMI and power)




Dimmer for couch lights, switch for rope lighting in the trey ceiling, and dimmer for wall lights



Rear channel speaker wall outlet (I'm getting Dipoles, thats why they're going on the back wall), also you can see the toslink cable dangling loose; this is now in an electrical box and will be for my headphone hookup.




Wire coming into the equipment closet




Framing down the closet to 17.5" width for a tight fit on all the AV equipment




Full room shot, messy




And as it is now

[Loves2Watch]

Your dipole speakers would work and sound better on the side walls rather than the back wall.

[Ntruder]

Your dipole speakers would work and sound better on the side walls rather than the back wall.

Really? I was told the exact opposite from the sound guys at a local high end audio shop. I actually had my wire run to the side walls at first and changed it based on that advice.

Oh, FYI, the couch will be pretty much up against the wall; maybe 6" off the wall. Does that change anything? If the dipole speakers were on the side wall, they'd basically be buried in the corners and the sound would instantly hit a wall

[Loves2Watch]

Really? I was told the exact opposite from the sound guys at a local high end audio shop. I actually had my wire run to the side walls at first and changed it based on that advice.

Oh, FYI, the couch will be pretty much up against the wall; maybe 6" off the wall. Does that change anything? If the dipole speakers were on the side wall, they'd basically be buried in the corners and the sound would instantly hit a wall

That's what di-poles are made for. Placing them on the back wall will/may lead to strange sound fields, ones that don't match the front stage. I would recommend put them on the side walls about 1' to 2' above ear level, 3' from the rear wall. If you get too much wall reflection you can put up a tapestry or some other sound absorptive material on the rear wall. This would be a 5.1 system, as your seating positions and room size would not benefit from 7.1 and it may in fact be/sound worse then a 5.1 arraignment...

If you do really want or need rear speakers your couch needs to be at a minimum 1' away from the rear wall. And in that case, di-poles should still be used as previously noted then use direct reflecting speakers on/in the rear. (7.1 system)

I would really hate to see you get it setup, after all of this great work and then to say that it sounds like shit.

One other option you could have if mounting them the way I describe isn't possible due to construction limitations, etc. is to put the di-pole speakers in the corner on a 45 degree angle, that is bridge the corner. That would be a much better solution than a back wall mount if you have to/need to mount them in the rear.


Hope this helps.

[Ntruder]

That's what di-poles are made for. Placing them on the back wall will/may lead to strange sound fields, ones that don't match the front stage. I would recommend put them on the side walls about 1' to 2' above ear level, 3' from the rear wall. If you get too much wall reflection you can put up a tapestry or some other sound absorptive material on the rear wall. This would be a 5.1 system, as your seating positions and room size would not benefit from 7.1 and it may in fact be/sound worse then a 5.1 arraignment...

If you do really want or need rear speakers your couch needs to be at a minimum 1' away from the rear wall. And in that case, di-poles should still be used as previously noted then use direct reflecting speakers on/in the rear. (7.1 system)

I would really hate to see you get it setup, after all of this great work and then to say that it sounds like shit.

One other option you could have if mounting them the way I describe isn't possible due to construction limitations, etc. is to put the di-pole speakers in the corner on a 45 degree angle, that is bridge the corner. That would be a much better solution than a back wall mount if you have to/need to mount them in the rear.


Hope this helps.

I can mount them on the side walls 3' from the corner. In fact, I would prefer it. I just have to change a bit of wiring. (I mis-spoke before, they're actually BIpoles, not dipoles)

I totally trust you over the guys at University Audio in Madison; clearly he wasn't listening to me at all when I was describing my room layout. After all, they were making the argument that if I'm not willing to plop down $2500 on some Paradigm towers, I should just buy a home theater in a box kit because buying anything else isn't worth the money.

[Loves2Watch]

I can mount them on the side walls 3' from the corner. In fact, I would prefer it. I just have to change a bit of wiring. (I mis-spoke before, they're actually BIpoles, not dipoles)

I totally trust you over the guys at University Audio in Madison; clearly he wasn't listening to me at all when I was describing my room layout. After all, they were making the argument that if I'm not willing to plop down $2500 on some Paradigm towers, I should just buy a home theater in a box kit because buying anything else isn't worth the money.

It does amaze me how some audio stores are eiltists and expect you to plop down large sums of money and if you don't they don't even want to talk to you. Much of that has to do with the commission they are paid, I assume.

Anyway, since they are bi-poles instead of di-poles the corner/bridge mount would be a much better solution (as one side of the speaker sends out the complete opposite of the other). Ignore the parenthesized DUH. Mounting them 3' in front of the listener (bi-poles) would be of no benefit and probably not sound good at all.

Hope this helps.

P.S. My vote is for the cream colored couch...and a nice light neutral gray for the wall color, anything/everything will go with that color.

[Ntruder]

It does amaze me how some audio stores are eiltists and expect you to plop down large sums of money and if you don't they don't even want to talk to you. Much of that has to do with the commission they are paid, I assume.

Anyway, since they are bi-poles instead of di-poles the corner/bridge mount would be a much better solution as one side of the speaker sends out the complete opposite of the other. Mounting them 3' in front of the listener (bi-poles) would be of no benefit and probably not sound good at all.

Hope this helps.

P.S. My vote is for the cream colored couch...and a nice light neutral gray for the wall color, anything/everything will go with that color.

I thought BIpoles send out the same sound through both speakers, like two direct radiating speakers, and DIpoles operates opposite of each other... Bipoles=speakers in phase, dipoles=speakers out of phase. Anyway, couldn't you just switch the phase on one speaker to convert a bipole into a dipole?

Does that mean that dipoles would be good in a corner/bridge mount and bipoles would be good on the side walls?