Looking for your ideas on DIY speakers for room

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  • timotheus
    Member
    • Nov 2008
    • 54

    Looking for your ideas on DIY speakers for room

    Hello everyone,
    I am planning my dream home theater room that I will start building over the next few months. I have perused many sites on the internet and now know enough to be dangerous..... :rofl:

    My room will be approximately 42' x 17' in my attic. I have many considerations that I am working as far as soundproofing, acoustics, etc. I have a building contractor starting on the framing at the end of next month and need to complete my planning. I would like your feedback on DIY speakers for this size room. I will be using the room for watching movies, listening to music, etc. I am interested in quality vs. loud....although I will crank up the volume every so often. :T

    I am planning on a 7.1 system. Therefore, I would solicit feedback on all the speakers and subwoofer(s). Looks like the Dayton RS WMTW Center & TMWW Mains are promising for the center and mains. What about the surrounds, subs, etc.? All feedback is greatly appreciated whether it is "good idea and think about these things" or "you're smokin' crack and you should be thinking about this, etc.". Thanks in advance for all your help! ;x(

    Timotheus
  • Jed
    Ultra Senior Member
    • Apr 2005
    • 3621

    #2
    The sky is the limit, but not your pockets. What is your budget for mains, cc, surrounds, etc? That will help us guide your decision.

    Jed

    Comment

    • ThomasW
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Aug 2000
      • 10933

      #3
      Do you need all 42' of length? If not you could do a false wall 4' from the screen end and install an IB subwoofer. Doing this will get you the performance of a $5000+ sub for about $1.5K.

      BTW if you can post an existing floor plan it would be helpful

      IB subwoofer FAQ page


      "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

      Comment

      • timotheus
        Member
        • Nov 2008
        • 54

        #4
        Originally posted by Jed
        The sky is the limit, but not your pockets. What is your budget for mains, cc, surrounds, etc? That will help us guide your decision.

        Jed
        I want to keep it under $2000 for speakers if possible. However, I will go higher for a really good plan. Thanks!

        e.g., if ThomasW's sub ideas work for my room, I am willing to spend more....maybe double the budget. I have some $ to work with....just don't want to go too much overboard.

        Comment

        • timotheus
          Member
          • Nov 2008
          • 54

          #5
          Originally posted by ThomasW
          Do you need all 42' of length. If not you could do a false wall 4' from the screen end and install an IB subwoofer. Doing this will get you the performance of a $5000+ sub for about $1.5K.

          BTW if you can post an existing floor plan it would be helpful
          Hello Thomas,
          Thanks for the info! Not sure what you mean by a false wall and an IB subwoofer.....I would appreciate if you could point me to a link so I could educate myself. As you can see, my ignorance is awesome.... ops: I am open to ideas here so I don't need all 42'.

          I do not have an existing floorplan. I am getting started on the planning and I am building in my attic space that is unfinished. I am working with a builder who is doing the framing and much of this will be DIY. The 42' x 17' space is a rough measurement. It will not be a rectangular room and it will not be a three dimensional cube. I will be breaking up the room to have few or no 90 degree angles in the walls or ceilings....exception is the floor to the wall. Attached is a rough picture from a ceiling. I should have the framing plan soon. In middle of the room is a rise based on the ceiling rise on the first floor.

          Hope this helps answer your questions! Thanks for responding!

          Timotheus
          Attached Files

          Comment

          • cjd
            Ultra Senior Member
            • Dec 2004
            • 5570

            #6
            While you're building a front wall, build yourself a second false but acoustically transparent front wall, install an acoustically transparent screen and build a trio of Khanspires for your front soundstage.

            Matching surrounds are in the works, as well as some alternate surrounds that should match up well that I've got on the burner for my own HT (which uses the AT screen and has an IB sub, but doesn't have room for the Khan's so I have smaller WMTW in-walls I built for it).

            C
            diVine Sound - my DIY speaker designs at diVine Audio

            Comment

            • ThomasW
              Moderator Emeritus
              • Aug 2000
              • 10933

              #7
              Originally posted by timotheus
              Hello Thomas,
              Thanks for the info! Not sure what you mean by a false wall and an IB subwoofer.....I would appreciate if you could point me to a link so I could educate myself.
              See the link in my signature

              IB subwoofer FAQ page


              "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

              Comment

              • Jed
                Ultra Senior Member
                • Apr 2005
                • 3621

                #8
                The RS drivers are pretty tough to beat for DIY needs. CJD's in wall speaker sounds interesting and should fit your budget.

                For subs check out diycable.com and partsexpress RSS subs.

                Comment

                • timotheus
                  Member
                  • Nov 2008
                  • 54

                  #9
                  Originally posted by cjd
                  While you're building a front wall, build yourself a second false but acoustically transparent front wall, install an acoustically transparent screen and build a trio of Khanspires for your front soundstage.

                  Matching surrounds are in the works, as well as some alternate surrounds that should match up well that I've got on the burner for my own HT (which uses the AT screen and has an IB sub, but doesn't have room for the Khan's so I have smaller WMTW in-walls I built for it).

                  C
                  Hey! Thanks for the info! I just quickly perused the Khanspire thread and I am intrigued! I would like to have a similar look and feel for the surrounds so any plans there would be interesting and I would certainly consider them.

                  So do you recommend the Khanspires and the Khancenter that Ryan has posted pictures of for my builds? Also, I would appreciate your comments on the surrounds.

                  Thanks!
                  Timotheus

                  Comment

                  • timotheus
                    Member
                    • Nov 2008
                    • 54

                    #10
                    Originally posted by ThomasW
                    See the link in my signature
                    Thanks to all of you giving feedback! Looks like good info and good reading! BTW - I would appreciate any thoughts you guys have on receivers and amps to go along with the speakers. ;x(

                    Thanks!
                    Timotheus

                    Comment

                    • timotheus
                      Member
                      • Nov 2008
                      • 54

                      #11
                      Originally posted by cjd
                      While you're building a front wall, build yourself a second false but acoustically transparent front wall, install an acoustically transparent screen
                      C
                      I quickly perused screens last night. I did the standard eBay search. Looks like there is relatively cheap, all the way to expensive. Any suggestions on materials? Any recommendations on what to stay away from? Here's a link to one of the cheaper solutions....

                      Comment

                      • ---k---
                        Ultra Senior Member
                        • Nov 2005
                        • 5204

                        #12
                        I assume there is going to be a back wall between the the theater and playroom to put the rear surrounds in.

                        I've just updated the BOM for the Khans. They are getting up their in price because of price increases at PE. I haven't done a BOM for the on-wall version, that will be a bit less than what is posted, but a 7.1 setup will likely push you well beyond your $2000 limit.

                        You're probably going to need $1000 for the sub. Wait for Kevin at diycable.com to get the Tempest-X back in stock and ask him for a 4-pack. That is a big room, even after you split it up. Don't mess around, buy lots of sub.

                        I'm not sure how much value there is in non-parallel walls in a small room like this. I'm sure it helps, but I'm just not sure it is worth the $$. Bass is going to be your biggest issue. Consider adding some sound treatments to the side walls and some bass traps in the corners. AVS home theater construction forum has a ton of info. My favorite websites is: http://bobgolds.com/

                        For amps, Emotiva and Outlaw are big favorites in this forum. Several people own the Emotiva XPA amps. CJD has a pair of Outlaw Monoblocks for his big monsters and I have an Outlaw 7500. You'll need a good amp to power 7 channels of low ohm speakers like the Khans.

                        For receivers to act as a pre-pro, let me know. I need a new one but just keep finding threads about bugs and firmware upgrade requirements for all the new receivers. Ughh. Onkyo seems to be very popular right now. Emotiva and Outlaw are coming out soon with a pre-pros that look to be killer. But, no one really knows anything since they aren't out, and 1st generation products typically have lots of bugs.
                        - Ryan

                        CJD Ochocinco! ND140/BC25SC06 MTM & TM
                        CJD Khanspires - A Dayton RS28/RS150/RS225 WMTMW
                        CJD Khancenter - A Dayton RS28/RS150/RS180 WTMW Center

                        Comment

                        • cjd
                          Ultra Senior Member
                          • Dec 2004
                          • 5570

                          #13
                          Only use the Khancenter if you need to put it under a screen - if you've the room I would recommend the larger 3-way crossover option I published in the RS WMTW center thread (using RS225's rather than R180's). That's the one where Dennis, Curt, Jon M, and I all posted variations. Otherwise, if you can, use a VERTICAL center... in other words, exactly the same thing you use for your LR.

                          Screens, I did my own frame and attached material sourced at Seymour AV - probably the best material out there for AT screens (similarly good to the stuff used by SMX). Seymour also offers full screens, but you can get just the fabric for DIY options.

                          C
                          diVine Sound - my DIY speaker designs at diVine Audio

                          Comment

                          • timotheus
                            Member
                            • Nov 2008
                            • 54

                            #14
                            Originally posted by ---k---
                            I assume there is going to be a back wall between the the theater and playroom to put the rear surrounds in.
                            Hello Ryan,
                            Thanks for the info! Actually, I was thinking that the whole area would be open. I will not be using the playroom area while a movie is playing. When I have the playroom being used, I will be playing music. Is this a bad idea? Once again, I appreciate all the feedback and patience with my questions. ;x(

                            Thanks!
                            Timotheus

                            Comment

                            • JAS
                              Member
                              • Dec 2008
                              • 33

                              #15
                              Onkyo is the best bang for the buck and great reviews on the sound from what I have read but also check out their premium line the Integra which can only be had at authorized dealers and mainly produced for custom installers. I have the 8.8 but there is a newer model(9.9?) out and they also just make a pre/pro of the same models. The updates from Onkyo seem to only be had through bootleg and requires use of rs232 and files burned on discs and played through the toslink connection. I was looking at the Emo-Outlaw stuff till I came across the Integtra for lot less$.

                              I am just starting a build also and the the two on this forum that caught my eye were the Khan's, already mentioned, and the Statements.

                              Comment

                              • ---k---
                                Ultra Senior Member
                                • Nov 2005
                                • 5204

                                #16
                                I only suggest a wall across the back, because technically you're supposed to have 2 sides and 2 rears for 7.1. You sort-of need a wall to put the rears on.

                                I know were spending money like water, but I probably would put the rear wall in and then use the second zone that most of the higher end receivers come with these days to power some small inexpensive speakers in the play room. More than likely at some point you'll be in the play room playing a game of pool with your guy friends and they will ask you to show off you speakers. And, you'll be tempted to crank them to party levels in the play room. That room is so big, and the play room is so far away, I'm just not sure any speaker could handle that well.
                                - Ryan

                                CJD Ochocinco! ND140/BC25SC06 MTM & TM
                                CJD Khanspires - A Dayton RS28/RS150/RS225 WMTMW
                                CJD Khancenter - A Dayton RS28/RS150/RS180 WTMW Center

                                Comment

                                • timotheus
                                  Member
                                  • Nov 2008
                                  • 54

                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by ---k---
                                  I only suggest a wall across the back, because technically you're supposed to have 2 sides and 2 rears for 7.1. You sort-of need a wall to put the rears on.
                                  Hello Ryan, Thanks again! You are doing exactly what I hoped....punching holes in my assumptions....which will make the design and end product better. :T

                                  Question/Statement - Maybe I need to change my requirements. I started with the assumption that I want 7.1. I would like my room to be dual purpose....home theater and music. Maybe this is not possible. Is there a better way? e.g., What if I went to 5.1.......Khanspires all around with an IB sub? Still go with the false wall and AT screen. Would that work?

                                  I am looking for options. There may not be a good answer to this. Once again, I would rather hear what you think vs. what I want to hear....

                                  Thanks!
                                  Timotheus

                                  Comment

                                  • ThomasW
                                    Moderator Emeritus
                                    • Aug 2000
                                    • 10933

                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by timotheus
                                    What if I went to 5.1.......Khanspires all around with an IB sub? Still go with the false wall and AT screen. Would that work?
                                    This is a more realistic goal given your budget.

                                    IB subwoofer FAQ page


                                    "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

                                    Comment

                                    • Dennis H
                                      Ultra Senior Member
                                      • Aug 2002
                                      • 3798

                                      #19
                                      I don't think I'd build a wall just to hang a couple of surround speakers on -- unless I wanted the wall anyway. That's why they make speakers stands and ceiling-mount hardware.

                                      Comment

                                      • timotheus
                                        Member
                                        • Nov 2008
                                        • 54

                                        #20
                                        Hello everyone!
                                        I appreciate all the feedback and patience with my questions over the past few days. I did a good deal of reading over the past few days from the experts on this forum, plus speaking with some of my knowledgeable friends (one is a professional electrical engineer and has his own in-home recording studio, another is a retired band teacher…a few hours off from his PhD). Of course, I am a hard-headed, IT infrastructure delivery manager…. :thud: that’s right….I manage a bunch of computer geeks and do project management.

                                        Therefore, I believe that I have the project management and budget skills covered by me…..the EE has already agreed to help me build the speakers and engineering type stuff like amps, power, etc.….and the band teacher is helping me with all the acoustics and soundproofing. Between us, we have all the tools we need. Of course, since I am putting up the $, I try hard to understand what I am getting into. Although, I am not always the sharpest tool in the shed. :uhoh: I hope that I have understood what I have read and am making appropriate changes to my design. Please let me know if you agree or disagree.

                                        I have come to a few conclusions –

                                        1. You guys are nicer than my friends….on some of the ideas they told me “You are smokin’ crack”….paraphrased of course. I'm laughing while saying this. They are good folks, we have known each other a long time, and they want me to be happy with the design. I tend to go to multiple sources to get as many opinions as possible.
                                        2. I need to rethink my original requirements, assumptions, and design based on all the feedback. I believe this will be iterative. I am hoping that I can continue to receive feedback from all of you even though I might ask dumb questions.
                                        3. My original budget of $2K for speakers isn’t going to do it. I am ok with that. This room is one room of a bigger attic renovation. Doubling the budget here doesn’t kill me financially and I have arranged the budget to have both a contingency amount and also to have some areas where I can cut some corners from a $ perspective (e.g., I can already see savings on some other components in the room based on additional research and feedback). This is my dream room. Therefore, I will spend more on the speakers.

                                        I believe I need the following at this point and would like your feedback. Please let me know if I am missing anything. Attached is the revised high-level design. Please let me know what you think. Points and questions –

                                        1. Ryan, thanks for all your feedback and suggestions on 7.1. The more reading I do, the more I am convinced that I need to follow your suggestions here. Anyone else reading this…..please feel free to pipe in here. Your feedback is valued! Please take a look at the revised attachment with the speaker placement and the curtain. I’m thinking that having a curtain that opens/closes will be a “divider for the home theater area. After rethinking and reading, I am of the opinion that my requirements really are –
                                        a. Have an impressive home theater where my friends and I can watch movies in 7.1
                                        b. Have music playing while playing games. It doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn't have to be acoustically perfect. I can preconfigure settings for the theater (7.1 config) and a music config that includes the sub, left, right and center. I would think that would be sufficient. Thoughts?

                                        2. I have revised my budget to account for the speakers listed on the attachment. I am planning on using CJDs wonderful design for the Khanspires for LCR and the RS150s for surrounds. Additionally, ThomasW’s site on IB Subs has me convinced that I must have an IB sub. ThomasW, I have been reviewing the IB subwoofer pages. You mentioned that I could probably build a quality IB sub for $1.5K. There are a number of different plans on the pages and my perception after reading is that there are a number of directions I can go with a design. Do you have 1 design on the pages that you believe will fit the room and speakers I am going for in the attached document? Also, did I get the placement of the IB sub correct? Also, is the 4’ false wall where the drivers for the sub are mounted? I do have adjacent space with a boundary from the listening room beyond the 4’ false wall. I may need to go a bit toward right center of the attached diagram if this is the case. Based on the FAQ page, looks like that is doable.

                                        If you guys are interested and if it would help others, I will post my experiences, photos and lessons learned. Just let me know and I will document it. ThomasW, not sure if this thread is the right place to do this. I will follow your guidance as a moderator.

                                        Thanks again everyone! I am excited about moving forward and am sure that I will have lots of questions. :T

                                        Timotheus
                                        Attached Files

                                        Comment

                                        • Paul W
                                          Senior Member
                                          • Oct 2004
                                          • 552

                                          #21
                                          Food for thought...

                                          Don't know how those speakers perform close to sidewalls, but consider moving the L&R further apart for a wider soundstage. Replacing the front curtains with grillcloth panels would give you the flexibility to move the speakers.

                                          Make seating 3 wide at the sweet spot so you are able to enjoy the system at it's finest.

                                          If you are doing a 4 driver IB, consider placing them at the 25% & 75% wall width and height positions...that should control width & height room modes. The caution is that you will have to heavily brace the IB wall from behind so that it does not vibrate.
                                          Paul
                                          Paul

                                          Comment

                                          • timotheus
                                            Member
                                            • Nov 2008
                                            • 54

                                            #22
                                            Originally posted by Paul W
                                            Food for thought...

                                            Don't know how those speakers perform close to sidewalls, but consider moving the L&R further apart for a wider soundstage. Replacing the front curtains with grillcloth panels would give you the flexibility to move the speakers.

                                            Make seating 3 wide at the sweet spot so you are able to enjoy the system at it's finest.

                                            If you are doing a 4 driver IB, consider placing them at the 25% & 75% wall width and height positions...that should control width & height room modes. The caution is that you will have to heavily brace the IB wall from behind so that it does not vibrate.
                                            Paul
                                            Thanks for the suggestions Paul! I just showed 2 seats in the diagram. Since the width of the room is approx 17' I will have more seats. I took some seats out of the diagram to get the .gif file under 100K..... :lol:

                                            Comment

                                            • cjd
                                              Ultra Senior Member
                                              • Dec 2004
                                              • 5570

                                              #23
                                              I'll second use of grill cloth along the screen wall - you can wrap wooden frames and have the screen set into this - thus a false acoustically transparent front wall.

                                              Consider only two rows of seats and/or a larger screen. Optimizing for 3 rows would suggest you really should have more sets of side surrounds and some additional electronics to manage delay, plus screen size will diminish more quickly...

                                              IB sub: Test your location with a box subwoofer (even a cheapy works) - borrow if you don't have one. You want to put it in your seating location and make sure you're not putting the sub in a null by testing with a SPL meter in your intended IB location(s). You can move the meter quite easily if you DO find a null - sometimes just moving a tiny little bit fixes things.

                                              I recommend building a manifold if you can, as that minimzes the vibration concerns from driver movement. If you're not sure, build to support more drivers than you install right away.

                                              Consider building for constant height and later use of an anamorphic lens (this means a LOT more little detail stuff getting a projector that scales or a player that scales or an external scaler... but for now it may just mean making sure you have a 2.4:1 ratio front screen). If you're using a projector with enough zoom throw (the new Panny 3000 being a sweet spot on price/performance) you can just do the "zoom" method of supporting constant height as well - no lens, no scaling. I sorta wish I had gone this route now. But only sorta.
                                              diVine Sound - my DIY speaker designs at diVine Audio

                                              Comment

                                              • ThomasW
                                                Moderator Emeritus
                                                • Aug 2000
                                                • 10933

                                                #24
                                                Originally posted by timotheus
                                                ThomasW’s site on IB Subs has me convinced that I must have an IB sub...... have been reviewing the IB subwoofer pages. You mentioned that I could probably build a quality IB sub for $1.5K.
                                                Yes that's for 18" drivers, a Behringer EP2500 power amp, and a Behringer FBQ2496 (EQ for the sub)
                                                Do you have 1 design on the pages that you believe will fit the room and speakers I am going for in the attached document?
                                                We don't have generic designs. Each design is tailored to the specific installation

                                                Also, did I get the placement of the IB sub correct?
                                                That's certainly one option
                                                Also, is the 4’ false wall where the drivers for the sub are mounted? I do have adjacent space with a boundary from the listening room beyond the 4’ false wall. I may need to go a bit toward right center of the attached diagram if this is the case. Based on the FAQ page, looks like that is doable.
                                                An acoustically sealed false wall is frequently used to create the space for the IB rearwave. If there's an adjacent space available then put it in the floorplan so we can see if it will work.
                                                ThomasW, not sure if this thread is the right place to do this. I will follow your guidance as a moderator.
                                                Do the problem solving for the IB and speakers in this thread. When time to build comes start building speakers do one thread for your IB and other for the regular speakers. The IB thread can be here or on the IB forum.

                                                IB subwoofer FAQ page


                                                "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

                                                Comment

                                                • CraigJ
                                                  Senior Member
                                                  • Feb 2006
                                                  • 519

                                                  #25
                                                  Timotheus,

                                                  Have you left enough space for the "game room"? Could the IB be installed in the attic's ceiling, verses a dedicated additional front wall? I'm sure the Khanspires sound wonderful, with your new budget have you also considered Geddes's Nathans for the LCR?

                                                  Good luck and have fun,

                                                  Craig
                                                  edit: I see Thomas has asked if there is an adjacent space available for the IB.

                                                  Comment

                                                  • timotheus
                                                    Member
                                                    • Nov 2008
                                                    • 54

                                                    #26
                                                    Originally posted by ThomasW
                                                    Yes that's for 18" drivers, a Behringer EP2500 power amp, and a Behringer FBQ2496 (EQ for the sub)
                                                    Woo Hoo! I had the amps and EQ in another budget. I can go tell my wife how much money I am saving her. She does that to me all the time on clothes sales...

                                                    If there's an adjacent space available then put it in the floorplan so we can see if it will work.
                                                    See attached. CraigJ asked the same question. Please let me know what you think.

                                                    Thanks!
                                                    Timotheus
                                                    Attached Files

                                                    Comment

                                                    • ThomasW
                                                      Moderator Emeritus
                                                      • Aug 2000
                                                      • 10933

                                                      #27
                                                      We're asking about seeing any spaces adjacent to the posted 17' wide floorplan.

                                                      What's in the no mans land where you have the circle labeled "IB sub"?

                                                      IB subwoofer FAQ page


                                                      "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

                                                      Comment

                                                      • CraigJ
                                                        Senior Member
                                                        • Feb 2006
                                                        • 519

                                                        #28
                                                        Hi Thomas,

                                                        Would an IB work in the 1'6" risers? 1.5' X 17' X 20' (guesstimate) = 14,442 Liters. Way out of my league, just an idea.

                                                        Craig

                                                        Comment

                                                        • cjd
                                                          Ultra Senior Member
                                                          • Dec 2004
                                                          • 5570

                                                          #29
                                                          It wouldn't be "IB" (10x VAS nominal) but that certainly is an option for subwoofage, and even "approaching IB-ness".
                                                          diVine Sound - my DIY speaker designs at diVine Audio

                                                          Comment

                                                          • timotheus
                                                            Member
                                                            • Nov 2008
                                                            • 54

                                                            #30
                                                            Originally posted by ThomasW
                                                            We're asking about seeing any spaces adjacent to the posted 17' wide floorplan.

                                                            What's in the no mans land where you have the circle labeled "IB sub"?
                                                            Unfinished attic space. This room is positioned on the front side of my home in the attic. The roof line continues. If it will help, I could post some photos. Depending on the space taken by the IB sub, I may have to move it toward the right center. There is approx another 20X15 space that will remain unfinished. I plan to use it for attic storage.

                                                            Comment

                                                            • ThomasW
                                                              Moderator Emeritus
                                                              • Aug 2000
                                                              • 10933

                                                              #31
                                                              Originally posted by timotheus
                                                              Unfinished attic space.
                                                              What's the approximate size of that space? If it's one of those multiple angled areas they are excellent for the IB rearwave.

                                                              Yes pictures make these things much easier.

                                                              IB subwoofer FAQ page


                                                              "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

                                                              Comment

                                                              • timotheus
                                                                Member
                                                                • Nov 2008
                                                                • 54

                                                                #32
                                                                Originally posted by ThomasW
                                                                What's the approximate size of that space? If it's one of those multiple angled areas they are excellent for the IB rearwave.

                                                                Yes pictures make these things much easier.
                                                                Yes, there are multiple angled areas in the roofline. Here's a few pictures and explanation

                                                                Projection_Screen_1 shows the center area of the projection screen....although it will be a few feet forward of the area.

                                                                Projection_Screen_2 shows the projection screen area. The raised area to the immediate right is where the right wall will stop The area to the right and behind the raised area will remain unfinished and goes back to the right at least another 20 feet.

                                                                Roof_Line gives you some idea to the top of the roof line. As you can see, it goes up a good ways.

                                                                At this point, I don't have exact measurements. The builder that is doing my framing will be coming back soon.

                                                                BTW - a few things on the framing.....The joists are currently 2X8....we will be adding 2X10s to the areas where we will have rooms. Also, I realize the rest of the framing was not ideal. We will be getting that corrected where the original folks building the house had some lumber thrown up here and there.

                                                                Note on soundproofing....I live in redneck land....My nearest neighbor is 1/2 acre away. :dudes:
                                                                Attached Files

                                                                Comment

                                                                • ThomasW
                                                                  Moderator Emeritus
                                                                  • Aug 2000
                                                                  • 10933

                                                                  #33
                                                                  This is a IB project one of the people on the Cult forum is currently building (speakers behind an AT screen). I think the sub install is quite similar to what you could do.

                                                                  Note that you don't need 67" of height..





                                                                  IB subwoofer FAQ page


                                                                  "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

                                                                  Comment

                                                                  • timotheus
                                                                    Member
                                                                    • Nov 2008
                                                                    • 54

                                                                    #34
                                                                    Thanks ThomasW! I just registered on the Cult forum so I can learn more. I am sure I will continue to have many questions. Any recommendations on the 18" subwoofers? I will start a thread there to show design, etc. Thanks!

                                                                    Comment

                                                                    • ThomasW
                                                                      Moderator Emeritus
                                                                      • Aug 2000
                                                                      • 10933

                                                                      #35
                                                                      The best choice in 18" are from FiCarAudio.com

                                                                      Don't get confused by the "car" aspect of their business

                                                                      They custom make IB drivers (IB3 at the bottom of the link above) and offer discount pricing (-$20/driver) when 4 or more are purchased

                                                                      IB subwoofer FAQ page


                                                                      "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

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                                                                      • timotheus
                                                                        Member
                                                                        • Nov 2008
                                                                        • 54

                                                                        #36
                                                                        Originally posted by ---k---
                                                                        For amps, Emotiva and Outlaw are big favorites in this forum. Several people own the Emotiva XPA amps. CJD has a pair of Outlaw Monoblocks for his big monsters and I have an Outlaw 7500. You'll need a good amp to power 7 channels of low ohm speakers like the Khans.

                                                                        For receivers to act as a pre-pro, let me know. I need a new one but just keep finding threads about bugs and firmware upgrade requirements for all the new receivers. Ughh. Onkyo seems to be very popular right now. Emotiva and Outlaw are coming out soon with a pre-pros that look to be killer. But, no one really knows anything since they aren't out, and 1st generation products typically have lots of bugs.
                                                                        Hello everyone, I'm close to having a BOM for the speakers, amps, etc. based on all your great feedback. I will post the BOM in the hope that you folks will punch holes in it. Thanks to ThomasW for the info on the IB subs! I will follow his suggestions for the subs, EQ, and amp. Do you folks have any further suggestions on pre/pros and amps? The Integra 9.9 seems to keep showing up as a solid choice for pre/pro. Please let me know what you think!

                                                                        Thanks!
                                                                        Timotheus

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                                                                        • cjd
                                                                          Ultra Senior Member
                                                                          • Dec 2004
                                                                          • 5570

                                                                          #37
                                                                          The Integra should be excellent.

                                                                          If you want baby steps, the 70x series Onkyo can function with a 4ohm load and can act as a pretty decent pre-pro if you add dedicated amps, to round out with a dedicated pre-pro down the road when a few more are available...
                                                                          diVine Sound - my DIY speaker designs at diVine Audio

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                                                                          • cobblepots
                                                                            Senior Member
                                                                            • May 2008
                                                                            • 102

                                                                            #38
                                                                            The Onkyo 805 series that I own is very good for the money. It can be had for around $600 since the 806 is now out. You'll be hard pressed to find something more cost effective for sound quality and SPL. Once I figured out the 4 ohm overload protection issue, I have had no problems powering my Mini Statements, center, and monitors. (The receiver has an option to select 4 ohm speakers as setting. All this does is limit what the amp will output for overheating protection. After watching LOTR at -5db, it was only warm to the touch). I've never turned it up past 50% volume as any louder would be near deafening.

                                                                            If you are dead set on seperates, an Emotiva combo is an excellent deal and will out perform most anything on the market in that price range.

                                                                            Comment

                                                                            • timotheus
                                                                              Member
                                                                              • Nov 2008
                                                                              • 54

                                                                              #39
                                                                              Originally posted by cjd
                                                                              The Integra should be excellent.

                                                                              If you want baby steps, the 70x series Onkyo can function with a 4ohm load and can act as a pretty decent pre-pro if you add dedicated amps, to round out with a dedicated pre-pro down the road when a few more are available...
                                                                              Thanks CJD and Cobblepots! So the 70x Onkyo or 805/806 will work well with the Behringer amp that ThomasW specifies for the IB Sub? Also, it will work well with the Khanspire LCR and the RS150 surrounds? Any thoughts on the dedicated amp for the Khanspire LCR and RS150 surrounds?

                                                                              Thanks!
                                                                              Timotheus

                                                                              Comment

                                                                              • cjd
                                                                                Ultra Senior Member
                                                                                • Dec 2004
                                                                                • 5570

                                                                                #40
                                                                                I have the Onkyo 705 and have driven it past the point my ears are happy. It drives a Face audio amp for my IB sub, will have NO troubles with the Khans or RS150's.

                                                                                I should have said, 70x and up (so 805/6, 875, etc. on the Onkyo are all rated to 4ohm)

                                                                                I'd go dedicated amp on the front stage before worrying about surrounds - another nice option with a receiver instead of pre. Emotiva is reported to be good, though my one experience with them wasn't great (and I also ahve NO way to know WHAT caused, could have been the speakers, anything) but I'm vaguely eyeing their new 2 channel pre. Outlaw is pretty solid. I'd not recommend the Behringer, but some higher end pro gear may do well, or save your pennies for some fancy expensive Ayre or something... Your call.

                                                                                I run my RS150 MTM's on a semi-DIY chip-amp that's really only supposed to be 8ohm stable. That amp shuts down on my big 3-ways (which are NOT easy loads, so no surprise...) The Outlaws have no problem with those same 3-ways.

                                                                                C
                                                                                diVine Sound - my DIY speaker designs at diVine Audio

                                                                                Comment

                                                                                • cobblepots
                                                                                  Senior Member
                                                                                  • May 2008
                                                                                  • 102

                                                                                  #41
                                                                                  Originally posted by timotheus
                                                                                  Thanks CJD and Cobblepots! So the 70x Onkyo or 805/806 will work well with the Behringer amp that ThomasW specifies for the IB Sub? Also, it will work well with the Khanspire LCR and the RS150 surrounds? Any thoughts on the dedicated amp for the Khanspire LCR and RS150 surrounds?

                                                                                  Thanks!
                                                                                  Timotheus
                                                                                  The Khanspire's at a sensitivity of 90db and 4 ohm's should be drivable by the Onkyo 70X or 80X. Initially, I don't feel that you'll need an amp if you're looking to save cash. The receiver has a standard set of preouts for all 7.1 channels and should be compatable with any subwoofer amplifier you choose.

                                                                                  However, if you are going straight to the pre/amp, amp route, take a look at emotiva's website. Their pre/pro is discontinued for the new model that is not out yet but will hopefully be available soon. Should be ~$700. Their XPA-5 has been purchased by a few members here and seems like an excellent amp from their impressions. They claim it is stable at 4 ohms for 350 watts per channel which is an insane amount of power for a sub 1k amp. It is currently out of stock though...

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                                                                                  • timotheus
                                                                                    Member
                                                                                    • Nov 2008
                                                                                    • 54

                                                                                    #42
                                                                                    Thanks guys! More detail to come. I should have my framing estimate back in the next few days. Might be a few changes to my high level diagrams based on that info. Once, I have that plan, I will start diving into the detail and putting together my project plan. So my high level BOM at this point for my room is

                                                                                    1. 3 - Khanspires for LCR – see CJD’s detailed BOM
                                                                                    2. 4 - RS150 MTMs for surrounds and back speakers – see CJD’s detailed BOM
                                                                                    3. 4 – 18” FiCarAudio IB Drivers
                                                                                    4. Behringer EP2500 power amp for the IB Sub
                                                                                    5. Behringer FBQ2496 for the IB Sub
                                                                                    6. Onkyo 70x/8xx Receiver
                                                                                    7. To Be Named Amp for the Khanspires

                                                                                    Obviously, the details need to be driven out, etc. Any and all feedback is much appreciated. :T

                                                                                    Thanks!

                                                                                    Timotheus

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