i was sad :(

[lambo_freak]

I saw someone buy a bose lifestyle home theater system yesterday. I watched the sales rep speak glitz and glame of bose up and down and i wanted so badly to step in. Is it wrong for me to feel bad for not swaying their decision. Polk and onkyo were also available at this store, which together are a far better option, performance and price wise.

I hope someone else in here shares my intrest for this stuff.:hide:

[pdisme]

I share the passion but not the knowledge. I'm having a theater installed in my new place but it's being handled by a contractor; he's very good though, I'm confident in the work he's doing, I just don't have the time to learn the whole theater/audio/video technology, it progresses at an insane rate. I'll post up a review of everything when it's done in about six weeks though. It's based around the JVC HD10k projector and some other crazy stuff, should be bad ass.

[lambo_freak]

anticipation is a very large cause of death in a students life.

[Minch00]

I have that need to correct misinformation all the time. Usually I don't however unless it's really bothering me. Something like buying an inferior stereo is your own fault for not doing research before buying, but something the conversation I heard the other day just had to have intervention.


Kid 1: Wow that SRT-4 is the fastest car ever!
Kid 2: Yeah it'll smoke anything with four wheels, some with two!
Kid 1: What do you run in the 1/4?
Kid 2: At least 9 seconds, easy.

Thinking to myself, "Wow, that looks almost stock and it takes Supras and Skylines around 1000hp to clock a 9 second quarter, let me find out about this."

Me: So what have you done to it to make it a nine second car?
Kid 2: I lowered it, gave it some lightweight wheels, and added the racing stripes. I also gave it an intake and exhaust system! *smug look*
Me: And?
Kid 2: *Blank look*
Me: Your car will do 13 seconds, tops. And no matter how fast it goes, it's still a Neon.
Kid 2: A Neon that'll smoke a Ferrari!
Me: Yep, a Neon that'll smoke a Ferrari.........made in 1987.

Kid 1: Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn.......

[lambo_freak]

thats it though, it was really bothering me. especially after reading this:

http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

its long winded, but very good.

[Mike S]

I have that need to correct misinformation all the time. Usually I don't however unless it's really bothering me. Something like buying an inferior stereo is your own fault for not doing research before buying, but something the conversation I heard the other day just had to have intervention.


Kid 1: Wow that SRT-4 is the fastest car ever!
Kid 2: Yeah it'll smoke anything with four wheels, some with two!
Kid 1: What do you run in the 1/4?
Kid 2: At least 9 seconds, easy.

Thinking to myself, "Wow, that looks almost stock and it takes Supras and Skylines around 1000hp to clock a 9 second quarter, let me find out about this."

Me: So what have you done to it to make it a nine second car?
Kid 2: I lowered it, gave it some lightweight wheels, and added the racing stripes. I also gave it an intake and exhaust system! *smug look*
Me: And?
Kid 2: *Blank look*
Me: Your car will do 13 seconds, tops. And no matter how fast it goes, it's still a Neon.
Kid 2: A Neon that'll smoke a Ferrari!
Me: Yep, a Neon that'll smoke a Ferrari.........made in 1987.

Kid 1: Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn.......

Hahaha, that was funny. Gotta love ill informed people.

Just 1 thing I would like to chip in. The F40 was made in 1987, so technically that Neon couldn't even smoke a 1987 Ferrari LOL!

rr

[pdisme]

I love the F40, raw and in your face like a real race car. Crap interior, crap paint but hold on tight when you start messing with the pedals.

[lambo_freak]

:2up: you guys are stealing my thread

[Mike S]

:2up: you guys are stealing my thread

Sorry! I've got a home theater too if that counts for the thread?

[Minch00]

Hahaha, that was funny. Gotta love ill informed people.

Just 1 thing I would like to chip in. The F40 was made in 1987, so technically that Neon couldn't even smoke a 1987 Ferrari LOL!

rr



I was thinking more along the lines of a 3X8, but I like what you done did said :D

[pdisme]

Mike, you have all the toys! It's not much to see yet but here's my theater room in its current state; 26' long by 18' wide, gonna seat 8 on the stage and room for some bean bags or whatever down front for people that don't mind being that close to the screen. Entire room is built with quiet rock over concrete and the black stuff is acoustic paneling going up.

[Minch00]

Mike, you have all the toys! It's not much to see yet but here's my theater room in its current state; 26' long by 18' wide, gonna seat 8 on the stage and room for some bean bags or whatever down front for people that don't mind being that close to the screen. Entire room is built with quiet rock over concrete and the black stuff is acoustic paneling going up.


I'll bring the popcorn! Possibly candy as well. Candy.....

[Mike S]

Mike, you have all the toys! It's not much to see yet but here's my theater room in its current state; 26' long by 18' wide, gonna seat 8 on the stage and room for some bean bags or whatever down front for people that don't mind being that close to the screen. Entire room is built with quiet rock over concrete and the black stuff is acoustic paneling going up.

Nice! I could fit another 2 rows of couches in mine, but I never have that many people over so it's pointless. Plus I like the space :D

My room is also fully soundproofed. When you close the door you can only feel the bass ;)

[Matt]

I was considering starting a company essentially doing home theatre installs. One of my ideas for when i have the money to fund it.

[pdisme]

I was considering starting a company essentially doing home theatre installs. One of my ideas for when i have the money to fund it.

If you want to get into the biz, I can put you in touch with the guy doing my theater, it's a small outfit, may have some opportunities here and there if you didn't want to quite the day job. He quit one of Tampa's larger theater installation companies to start his own and I went with him because he was the truly knowledgeable one there.

[Matt]

No, it was just an idea i was toying around with for a business. Thanks anyway though. the idea i had was more based around home integration systems and multiroom audio (the audio engineer in me showing its face in that idea). I come up with new business ideas on a regular basis and then forget about them for the most part, i suppose thats how i'll know "the one" when i come upon it.

[zzzzdoc]

I share the passion but not the knowledge. I'm having a theater installed in my new place but it's being handled by a contractor; he's very good though, I'm confident in the work he's doing, I just don't have the time to learn the whole theater/audio/video technology, it progresses at an insane rate. I'll post up a review of everything when it's done in about six weeks though. It's based around the JVC HD10k projector and some other crazy stuff, should be bad ass.
It's never ending. I'm really into the stuff, and it's constant effort and upkeep.

Plus, most of the dealers are swine.

When I'm in a BB or CC, and I hear a salesman lying to an elderly couple, I'll take them aside afterwards and set them straight. If your not a seasoned citizen, caveat emptor.

BTW, Dave, PM me who is doing your theater. I have a lot of history with these installers in town here - both good and bad. Plus, I need to redo mine.

[zzzzdoc]

I saw someone buy a bose lifestyle home theater system yesterday. I watched the sales rep speak glitz and glame of bose up and down and i wanted so badly to step in. Is it wrong for me to feel bad for not swaying their decision. Polk and onkyo were also available at this store, which together are a far better option, performance and price wise.

I hope someone else in here shares my intrest for this stuff.:hide:

OK, I'll bite to make you feel better. What kind of system do you have at home?

[Mr. Vroom]

I have an excellent home theatre guy who is out of Tampa. He is an independent, great computer guy too(builds a mean HTPC). If anyone wants his number, PM me.

[zzzzdoc]

Sorry! I've got a home theater too if that counts for the thread?


I love the couches / love seats in your theater. Who makes them (not sure that will help me considering where you are from)?

[zzzzdoc]

Nice! I could fit another 2 rows of couches in mine, but I never have that many people over so it's pointless. Plus I like the space :D

My room is also fully soundproofed. When you close the door you can only feel the bass ;)


Yeah, you can't go wrong with good acoutical treatment. My theater was new construction, so we went for the double stud wall treatment. Two isolated full walls with insulation and air space, with double thick wall board on them. Has a sound dampening coefficient equal to 8" of concrete.

If you can hear my stereo outside the room, the occupants inside have gone deaf.:clap:

[pdisme]

I'm going with this seat in mine:

http://www.mycinematech.com/Seating/LeGrande/index.html

Yeah, the butt ugly blue is not the color for me, I'm doing two tone black and grey ultra suede with a love seat in the middle front, singles on each side, then two love seats in the back. These guys build top notch seating, and they have lots of models if you don't like that style, it's all custom so it can take a few months to get but you can make them do whatever you want, motorized, custom colors, etc.

http://www.mycinematech.com/images/BRAND_NEW/Seating/ChairPage/le_grande_over.jpg

Just PM'd you the contact info Alan.

[lambo_freak]

OK, I'll bite to make you feel better. What kind of system do you have at home?

I currently have two sony shelf systems that i got back in high school. In a couple of days I'm going to be buying a 7.1 yamaha reciever and use the speakers from the shelf systems. When out of school and employed, I'm going to replace the speakers with polk's. Maybe one day I'll get into Classe and BW, but i need something to fit the bill in the mean time.

[Mike S]

I love the couches / love seats in your theater. Who makes them (not sure that will help me considering where you are from)?

They tilt backwards as well and have leg support!

I got them from a local furniture store... here is their website
www.sevens.co.za

not sure if that helps you much lol

[Mike S]

Yeah, you can't go wrong with good acoutical treatment. My theater was new construction, so we went for the double stud wall treatment. Two isolated full walls with insulation and air space, with double thick wall board on them. Has a sound dampening coefficient equal to 8" of concrete.

If you can hear my stereo outside the room, the occupants inside have gone deaf.:clap:

I just have a double row brick wall on mine with double layers of wood and that sound absorbent foam stuff between the two sheets. Then covered it with thick carpetting.

[Matt]

Yeah, you can't go wrong with good acoutical treatment. My theater was new construction, so we went for the double stud wall treatment. Two isolated full walls with insulation and air space, with double thick wall board on them. Has a sound dampening coefficient equal to 8" of concrete.

If you can hear my stereo outside the room, the occupants inside have gone deaf.:clap:


Somewhat surprised they didn't build it on a floating floor if it was a new construction. :slap:

[pdisme]

I didn't do that in mine either, there's a false floor under the seat riser of course, 8" in the front row, 12" in the back, but the rest of the room is thick sound deadening pad with big plush carpet over that, it's going to be like one of the old Bugs Bunny cartoons where you sink into the carpet and start swimming around.

[Matt]

floating floors are amazing. A lot of studios are built on floating floors, however in the studio environment its more to stop outside noise comming into the studio... absorbs all the vibration. expensive though

[zzzzdoc]

Somewhat surprised they didn't build it on a floating floor if it was a new construction. :slap:

Isolated section of slab.


Next.

[zzzzdoc]

I'm going with this seat in mine:

http://www.mycinematech.com/Seating/LeGrande/index.html

Yeah, the butt ugly blue is not the color for me, I'm doing two tone black and grey ultra suede with a love seat in the middle front, singles on each side, then two love seats in the back. These guys build top notch seating, and they have lots of models if you don't like that style, it's all custom so it can take a few months to get but you can make them do whatever you want, motorized, custom colors, etc.

http://www.mycinematech.com/images/BRAND_NEW/Seating/ChairPage/le_grande_over.jpg

Just PM'd you the contact info Alan.

The seat looks seriously comfortable. Agree about the butt ugly blue.

[zzzzdoc]

I currently have two sony shelf systems that i got back in high school. In a couple of days I'm going to be buying a 7.1 yamaha reciever and use the speakers from the shelf systems. When out of school and employed, I'm going to replace the speakers with polk's. Maybe one day I'll get into Classe and BW, but i need something to fit the bill in the mean time.


I just stopped using my Hafler amplifier (That I built myself in 1977) and Rogers speakers on the TV in my den. Served me well for 30 years. I still like their tone (especially on voices). But time marches on. Pretty neat to get 30 years out of consumer electronics. Don't see that happen anymore.:icon_oak:

[Minch00]

If you can hear my stereo outside the room, the occupants inside have gone deaf.:clap:

That's a great, GREAT statement.

[pdisme]

I'm going to have enough Velodyne in my new place to collapse a lung. :)

[cooltech]

just for clarification pdisme is actually getting chairs that look very similar to the legrande but they are from bass industries, because cinema tech couldn't do the color combination we wanted for the room in the time frame that we wanted

[cooltech]

Just joining the convo because pdisme asked me to provide answers to any questions you guys might have about custom electronics. i don't claim to know it all by any means, but i try to stay on the bleeding edge of this industry so if i don't know the answer to your question, i will find out and post it later. my company does a little of everything electronic from cameras to sprinkler control and theaters to networking. and though i don't have a lambo, for now i'll have to settle for my cadillac in town and my Hayabusa on the track.

[pdisme]

Hey everyone, this is the guy leading the install of my theater and whole house audio, I asked him to come join the board and correct me on anything about the theater I had wrong, like the entire friggin' seating system. :lol2:

just for clarification pdisme is actually getting chairs that look very similar to the legrande but they are from bass industries, because cinema tech couldn't do the color combination we wanted for the room in the time frame that we wanted

and my Hayabusa on the track.

Post some pics of the 'busa, gotta mix a little motorsports in with all threads! :)

[Matt]

Post some pics of the 'busa, gotta mix a little motorsports in with all threads! :)

Too right! :headbang:

[cooltech]

always happy to show off the toys...

[cooltech]

As for the theater; there will be seating for ten, 4 in the front, 6 in the rear with a granite bar separating the two rows 12" deep by 10' long, the room is acoustically treated with Quietrock for insulation and an array of diffusing and absorbing panels to "tune" the room for optimum sound reproduction, video is a JVC HD-ILA 10k projection head with SO scaler displaying a 130" 16 x 9 WS image, audio will be LSA, Snell, and Velodyne powered by Krell head end equipment and all controlled by Netstreams controllers via a web tablet. And the whole-house AV distribution, Security and HVAC are also fully integrated. All that really means is that at the touch a button(or two) it will be time for a kick ass party.

[Minch00]

As for the theater; there will be seating for ten, 4 in the front, 6 in the rear with a granite bar separating the two rows 12" deep by 10' long, the room is acoustically treated with Quietrock for insulation and an array of diffusing and absorbing panels to "tune" the room for optimum sound reproduction, video is a JVC HD-ILA 10k projection head with SO scaler displaying a 130" 16 x 9 WS image, audio will be LSA, Snell, and Velodyne powered by Krell head end equipment and all controlled by Netstreams controllers via a web tablet. And the whole-house AV distribution, Security and HVAC are also fully integrated. All that really means is that at the touch a button(or two) it will be time for a kick ass party.

Anything with that many big words and specifications has to be fantastic! :headbang:

[pdisme]

What do you guys think about blu-ray vs hd-dvd?

[Minch00]

What do you guys think about blu-ray vs hd-dvd?

They make players that support both, but from what I've heard HD-DVD is going to win eventually. But to be safe just buy the player that does both.


Or buy a PS3 and HD-DVD Player, since the PS3 is cheaper than the majority of Blu Ray stand alones.

[lambo_freak]

They make players that support both, but from what I've heard HD-DVD is going to win eventually. But to be safe just buy the player that does both.


actually blu-ray is leading right now. there are more film studios recording into blu-ray than hd-dvd. PLus, more companies like sony, lg, pioneer, and others also back bluray vs toshiba with hd-dvd. I have not had the opportunity to really watch either. INtresting fact though, a dual format disc was recently created. I dont remember the name of the manufacturer, but i know i was forwarded an article about it not to long ago.


Or buy a PS3 and HD-DVD Player, since the PS3 is cheaper than the majority of Blu Ray stand alones.
the dual player would be the cheapest to do.

[lambo_freak]

I am about to get a 7.1 reciever. Excluding the center channel, would you all suggest 6 dipole speakers, 6 monopole speakers, or a combination? I would like to be fully embursed in the sound, and dipole do a goot job at that; but I also love the awesome masculine look of a large tower. I know I'll be happy either way I go. I just dont want certain frequencies to be missing at certain angles by mixing different sizes (dont worry, I'll stick to the same line of speakers for timbre). Anyway, I'd like your thoughts and ideas.

Oh one more thing. If you had a reciever with a stereo zone two, would you guys ceiling mount them so there'd also be sound above? Would those be better mono or dipole's? Just a giddy thought I had a while ago. :)

[Matt]

Holographic discs are in development right now. i'll have a look and see if i can find some more info. they hold some insane memory.

[Minch00]

actually blu-ray is leading right now. there are more film studios recording into blu-ray than hd-dvd. PLus, more companies like sony, lg, pioneer, and others also back bluray vs toshiba with hd-dvd. I have not had the opportunity to really watch either. INtresting fact though, a dual format disc was recently created. I dont remember the name of the manufacturer, but i know i was forwarded an article about it not to long ago.


the dual player would be the cheapest to do.



Yeah, but porn is going HD-DVD. And that decided the Beta/VHS war :D

[cooltech]

I just dont want certain frequencies to be missing at certain angles by mixing different sizes (dont worry, I'll stick to the same line of speakers for timbre). Anyway, I'd like your thoughts and ideas.

Oh one more thing. If you had a reciever with a stereo zone two, would you guys ceiling mount them so there'd also be sound above? Would those be better mono or dipole's? Just a giddy thought I had a while ago. :)

first off, congrats on the choice to get a new system. ok to the specs: unless you are going to listen to everything in 7 channel stereo( which you wont because it sounds like a crowd of people yelling over each other) not having the same range in each of the different zones is not important. the information recorded on a 7.1 disc is specific to each zone. surround information for the sides and rears is all recorded keeping in mind that those speakers will only be able to produce from about 600 Hz and up. but the only thing that the mind registers for direction is high frequency anyway so this works. your best bet is to buy a good matched setdepending on what you will be listening to most of the time: movies only require a alot of sub and a great center channel the rest of the speakers can be "bookshelf" in size but of similar quality to the center, if you will also be listening to things recorded in two channel like concerts or standard definition TV channels, you will want to also pay close attention to the front left and right, as the center will not be playing when you are in two channel. for most people who use their room for multiple things(parties, movies , etc) i recommend a nice set of matched front towers and center, and a set of four on wall surrounds for full spectrum playback. as to recommendations it depends entirely on which receiver you buy and how much $$$$ you want to spend.

[lambo_freak]

if I had a dvd player and a reciever that both had 8 channel input and output, are those terminals digital or analog? would i be better off using a fiber optic audio cable or doing the 8 channel in/out?

[cooltech]

according to
THX you should keep the signal digital for as long as you can in the signal path. if you use the direct inputs in analog the receiver has to convert them to digital before they go into the amp anyway. not to mention most of the media that you will be watching will have multi level decoding that must be done to get the surround right. a THX ultra 2 receiver connected by digtal coax or optical cable will be able to decode the disc and put the right surround effects in the right places.

[lambo_freak]

to bad a thx ultra 2 reciever cant be found for less than $3k. I already have my media room planned out. :D