2. home-theater
  3. 1129489407

Very BIG Room? Music and Home Theatre Challenge

Could anyone please comment on issues that come to mind when setting up audio and home theatre in a big, barn like room?

I have been asked by a friend for some advice on a soon to be renovated "great room" which will be converted from a barn that was attached to their house.

Therefore, the new room will connect with the kitchen and extend to approximately 25' wide by 60' long with 14-15 foot ceilings.

The walls are made of stone and the floor is hardwood.

At the far end of the room, there will be a new chimney and fireplace installed, and the only brief I have so far is that will do lots of entertaining in this room, have a bar, and approximately 3 different seating areas within the room, and would consider a large projection or display device over the new fireplace.

The room is naturally pretty dark, which I hope will help with the video aspect.

As a Magneplanar fan, I would like to recommend 3.6s and all the Maggie surround sound speakers, but I need to learn more about their tastes and preferences.

I do know my friend loves to watch football and tennis, so I am also thinking HDTV in a big screen format.

But any ideas for such a project would be greatly appreciated.
cwlondon

Showing 5 responses by unsound

unsound
7,344 posts
 
O.K., how about giving us a budget? Please indicate all the needs, such as speakers (how many?), power, cables, source, etc.?
unsound
7,344 posts
 
I am of the opinion that the only way to really be sucessfull with a home theater is in a really big room. Planar speakers would not be my choice for this application, the cost of amplification and limited dynamic range can be a challange. Front projection would be my first choice here as well. The fireplace can be a handicap both visually and sonically.
unsound
7,344 posts
 
Panasonic's commercial plasma's might work fo you Cwlondon, but, for the big room I'd still suggest a front projector.
unsound
7,344 posts
 
While all the recommendations for horn loaded speakers make a lot of sense, they will sound very different than Maggies. Though I recommended against Maggies for this application, I do like them. On the other hand horns are not my cup of tea.
unsound
7,344 posts
 
As I've said earlier and as Elevick and Shiva have pointed out there are very sound reason for suggesting horns, especially in this application. If one is trying to simulate the sound one hears in a movie theatre, it makes even more sense. I have no desire to replicate what I hear in movie theaters. I certainly hope we can do better than that. While Shiva points out all that might be good in horns in a theatre he does leave out all that is bad. I haven't been to a movie theatre in California, but I have in New York and elsewhere too. I suspect that the top N.Y. theatres have sound sytems comparable to what ever any other locale might have. Well, I find them just dreadfull. As Shiva carefully suggests they can be too loud, where even whispered dialogue is shouted into the cinema. Despite the many speakers there is no real soundstage and side and rear speakers are always gimicky and too self evident ( hight tech special effects aside, you know Star Wars et al.) The honkyness is absolutely annoying and I always leave with a mild headache and my ears ringing. I don't suggest that my priorites are the same as everyone elses and horns may be just the ticket for some. As for me, not my cup of tea.
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