2. home-theater
  3. 1052501972

Is $18,000 enough for a high end HT?

This will be my first attempt at building a HT. My room size is: 19'L x 11'2"W x 8'H. This room is a library. I want high-end stuff. I want my windows to rattle when the Apollo 13 takes off. I want to be tempted to get up and dance when a good music score comes on. I want to build it myself as I think it would be a lot of fun. I have plenty of vacation time that I could use. The following is what I would expect:

1. A projector with Texas Instruments' Mustang/HD2 and 16:9 aspect ratio
2. Recessed screen
3. 5 on or in ceiling speakers (Thiel or Triad I’m thinking)
4. 1 Subwoofer
5. DVD player
6. Power Conditioner
7. Processor
8. A 5 channel Amplifier
9. Cables for the items on the list

When I priced every thing I wanted individually the price came to over 25K. Bare in mind $18,000 is a lot of money for me. However, I figured since we spend a ¼ of our lives watching TV it is well worth the investment. I invested some money a few years ago explicitly for my HT. Besides, I figured if my wife is not happy with all the money I will be spending, I could just say, that I am not taking the money from our cash flow, rather from a fund specifically set up for a HT. I am thinking maybe I should pull money out now. But is 18k enough? I am not willing to spend that kind of money if I will not have a great HT. Perhaps I should wait a couple of more years until I save up more money and the technologies go down in price. (I'm concerned that I will say that in two years again as I did two years ago. There are always newer technologies coming out.) I have no experience with any dealer and want to know if I could expect such a deal from a reputable authorized dealer. I read in Robert Harley’s book: “Home Theater For Everyone” that choosing the dealer is far more important then choosing the manufacturer of the components. In my experience for other purchases I find this to be very true. It seems there will always be tech support issues. Also, when I want to upgrade and add components, the dealer will know exactly what I have and all of my issues and I would be able to get his/her valuable input. I plan on adding within the next year or so, an AMX system for control, a video processor and an HDTV set top box.

The cables I would start off not so high end as I want to see for myself over time if they make a difference. However, the cables that would go in my ceiling I would want high end because it would be a big pain to replace those. I would also be flexible with the projector, I would settle for a refurbished or demo unit (with valid warranty). I would even settle for a good one that has an HD1 chip and an XGA resolution. I have seen some of those and they are definitely good enough.
captaincapitalism

Showing 2 responses by jimbo3

jimbo3
304 posts
 
EVERYBODY is less expensive than Stuart. Usually by ALOT. Guess if you have a champagne budget and the eyes of a hawk, the infintessimal difference might be sufficient justification.

By recessed, do you mean a ceiling roll-up or a fixed screen recessed into the bay? If it's a ceiling mount, you'll need to make sure the joists are parallel with the case as you can't cut into the joists without some serious structural problems to overcome.
jimbo3
304 posts
 
The new Panasonic projector that Tpidgeon mentioned is the PT-L300U. It's been out since January and is NOT a data projector like most in that price range. I had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison with a $12,000 projector that was just a couple of years old and the differences were, at most, slight. It's available for under $2000. Mitsubishi also makes a nice unit for around $3500. I don't remember the model, but think it started with "XD". It's not really much better than the Panasonic, but has a few more lumens for room applications that have more ambient light.

Da-Lite has a new screen that isn't in their catalog quite yet (but I think it's on their website under "new products") called "high contrast matte white" and is great for use with projectors. Da-Lite's customer service is great, too. Stuart is SERIOUSLY over-priced, IMHO.

That'll leave you with a little extra cash to spend on better sound, acoustic treatments for the room (very important) and a second sub.

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