The basement is the way to go, assuming you can AC/Heat it and that that equipment can be isolated so as not to provide a nasty 'noise' floor. That being said, what you are looking for is 'live' music levels of volume. Everything else becomes just background music, and Bose can take care of that without spending $30K. When I built my last house I created in the basement a custom designed listening/media room. High WAF, live music/movie listening levels that could not be heard outside the room, no comprise with speaker placement. You can tweak forever. Looking at your picture I see the 'wife' every where, it will never work, especially with all the glass. Believe me, living rooms are like 'dressy' dresses, and you know who rules there. A small tip if you are going to the basement, put a two inch exterior, heavily striped door at the main floor entrance door to the basement. Also use these type of door every where a door is needed in the basement space. Look into Armstrong Wave ceilings and put heavy carpet on the floors and achieve a 'dead' room, then all you hear are the speakers without any room colorations. So, spend $10K on the room, and $20K on the equipment. You will never regret it.
What Volume do you listen at?
When you sit and listen actively to your stereo, what volume do you like to set it at?
I am thinking about replacing my mediocre system with a new High Dollar System ($30K). My guess is that when you have High End gear, you naturally want to play the music at a higher volume. Is that true for you?
I have a RadioShack Analog Sound Level meter. It tells me that when I have music on in the background I set it at about 50 dB. When I set it at what seems right for serious listening, it is more often 75 or 80 dB.
One implication of this is where I will put my new listening room. I had intended to put it in our living room (pictured in the link above). However, if I will be always wanting to play so loud that my wife will complain, perhaps I should set up a room in our basement.
I am thinking about replacing my mediocre system with a new High Dollar System ($30K). My guess is that when you have High End gear, you naturally want to play the music at a higher volume. Is that true for you?
I have a RadioShack Analog Sound Level meter. It tells me that when I have music on in the background I set it at about 50 dB. When I set it at what seems right for serious listening, it is more often 75 or 80 dB.
One implication of this is where I will put my new listening room. I had intended to put it in our living room (pictured in the link above). However, if I will be always wanting to play so loud that my wife will complain, perhaps I should set up a room in our basement.