Help with my home theater plan (placement, component choice, room problems)

[Sivar]

I am building a home theater (60% movies 40% music) in a downstairs carpeted 8' (2.4m) livingroom. I know little about a room's affect on sound other than that it seems to be important.

So far, the plan is:

Sierra towers W\ RAAL ribbon tweeter (mains)
Horizon W\ RAAL ribbon tweeter (Center)
Sierra 1 (surrounds) mounted to wall with wall compression mounts*
1x or 2x Rythmic F15HP <sealed>~.
Something to hold the amp and maybe pre-amp. I was looking at Lovan, Sanus, and Adona. Lovan's website appears to be abandoned so I don't trust they'll be around.
Emotiva UMC-1 pre-amp^
Emotiva XPR-5 amp^
Sharp LC-46SE94U 46" TV^ on Sanus VMPL3 wall mount^

Everything in Piano Black (to match the subs) or natural bamboo (because I think it is beautiful).

^ Already purchased

*I would use the Sierra 2 for surrounds, but I am concerned about ribbon vertical dispersion. Dave tells me (http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?5771-RAAL-Horizontal-and-vertical-off-axis-graphs&p=49450#post49450) they have +/- 3dB output at 10 degrees off-axis. I don't know that I understand vertical dispersion and placement well enough to know if that is "good" for surrounds or not. Seeking feedback on this one.

~I prefer the sound of sealed subs (I dislike sloppy bass and even slight chuffing), though I also want to "feel the tyrannosaurs stomp." Are these subs appropriate? Is it overkill to get 2 (I don't want to get one and then maybe add one later because I'd lose the 10% discount).

A rough sketch of the plan follows:
http://i.imgur.com/l1DTwO5.png
Note: I'd put the amp on the same piece of furniture that has the center channel, but both are HUUUUUUGE and only one will fit on top (neither fit in the shelves). The Horizon's size forced me to get a TV wall mount, but I would have eventually.

[curtis]

It looks like you have already purchased it, but I hope you did your research on Emotiva's history of pre/pros...and by that, I hope you did not read much more than Emotiva's own forum.

I mean that in all sincerity.

[99Problems]

I presume you'll be purchasing another amp to compliment the XPR-1 since its a Monoblock? Regardless, my incoming Horizon also forced me to wall mount my TV, which is actually great. I too have an Emotiva Amp (XPA-5 Gen2) and a UMC-200. For a stand, I went with a Salamandar http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/products/details/91d2e024-a66c-f20a-9cb5-5125e28270f2
You can get it in natural wood which would compliment the natural Bamboo nicely if you go that route. They also make the shelves in black if you go that route. As for the subs, it probably depends on your listening volume and how much of a bass head you are. Although there are plenty of folks who prescribe to the 2 are always better than 1 when it comes to Subwoofers. My room is slightly larger than what you diagrammed, and I'm going with a single Rythmik E15HP SE.

[99Problems]

It looks like you have already purchased it, but I hope you did your research on Emotiva's history of pre/pros...and by that, I hope you did not read much more than Emotiva's own forum.

I mean that in all sincerity. Yes, the UMC-1 certainly had its "challenges"... I picked up the UMC-200 after much of the firmware bugs were patched, its worked well for me thankfully.

[Sivar]

It looks like you have already purchased it, but I hope you did your research on Emotiva's history of pre/pros...and by that, I hope you did not read much more than Emotiva's own forum.

I mean that in all sincerity.
I have. I got the Emotiva UMC-1 for a discount on that model's way out, and with a 40% off guarantee on any future pre-amp. I have read that the UMC-1 started out as being extremely buggy, and that after a number of firmware updates, graduated to being merely somewhat buggy. :)

As for their amps, I have not come across consistent evidence that they are anything but excellent for the price. In fact, the best research I've done says there is very little difference between amps, though I somewhat disagree after hearing the Klipsch BASH amp that came with a PC speaker system I bought some time ago.

[Sivar]

I presume you'll be purchasing another amp to compliment the XPR-1 since its a Monoblock?
My apologies -- I was thinking "UMC-1" and typed "XPR-1". I have an XPR-5. Monoblocks are far beyond both my budget and my ability to believe in high-end audio hype.


Regardless, my incoming Horizon also forced me to wall mount my TV, which is actually great. I too have an Emotiva Amp (XPA-5 Gen2) and a UMC-200. For a stand, I went with a Salamandar http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/products/details/91d2e024-a66c-f20a-9cb5-5125e28270f2
You can get it in natural wood which would compliment the natural Bamboo nicely if you go that route. They also make the shelves in black if you go that route.


That is very useful, thank you. I have had a heck of a time finding manufacturers of furniture that build shelves capable of 100lb loads.

I was also looking at this (https://app.audiogon.com/listings/stands-adona-multi-element-isolation-platform-2014-08-28-accessories-32164-palm-coast-fl) for its price, presumed durability, looks, and because I am not sure if I'll ever need to put anything other than the amp outside of the home theater



As for the subs, it probably depends on your listening volume and how much of a bass head you are. Although there are plenty of folks who prescribe to the 2 are always better than 1 when it comes to Subwoofers. My room is slightly larger than what you diagrammed, and I'm going with a single Rythmik E15HP SE.
I don't know. Other than the Jurassic Park story I posted in the "Introduce yourself" forum, its hard to say. My current subwoofer, used on my PC in an office half the size of that living room, is a Klipsch RW-10D. It seems very feeble to me, huffing and chuffing without much output.
I don't listen to rap music or recordings of lightning, but I'd like to get effortless bass in line with what music and movie producers intended. I know that sounds vague. Ultimately, I suspect budget will be the key constraint, since the system is already getting pretty expensive (for me). I am a bit of a sucker for 10%-off deals, though. :)

[curtis]

I have. I got the Emotiva UMC-1 for a discount on that model's way out, and with a 40% off guarantee on any future pre-amp. I have read that the UMC-1 started out as being extremely buggy, and that after a number of firmware updates, graduated to being merely somewhat buggy. :)

As for their amps, I have not come across consistent evidence that they are anything but excellent for the price. In fact, the best research I've done says there is very little difference between amps, though I somewhat disagree after hearing the Klipsch BASH amp that came with a PC speaker system I bought some time ago.
Yeah...I have no issue with their amps.

But the pre/pro or receiver is the control center of the system.

I also have a receiver that has quirks (but it has a feature that I think is phenomenal)...but not buggy like an Emotiva.

[Sivar]

Below: Photos of the area.
How wide and high would you place surrounds, etc. in this room?

1085
1086
1087

[99Problems]

That is very useful, thank you. I have had a heck of a time finding manufacturers of furniture that build shelves capable of 100lb loads.

I was also looking at this (https://app.audiogon.com/listings/stands-adona-multi-element-isolation-platform-2014-08-28-accessories-32164-palm-coast-fl) for its price, presumed durability, looks, and because I am not sure if I'll ever need to put anything other than the amp outside of the home theater



Yeah, I was at first going to do an amp stand as well, then do a separate center channel stand for the Horizon, but just did an A2 version of that Salamander..... Amp/processor/ps4 on the bottom shelf, Horizon sitting on top.

[curtis]

Below: Photos of the area.
How wide and high would you place surrounds, etc. in this room?

Have you read Dolby's placement guidelines?
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/surround-sound-speaker-setup/index.html

THX also has a guide that differs a bit.
http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/home-theater/surround-sound-speaker-set-up

[Sivar]

Have you read Dolby's placement guidelines?
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/surround-sound-speaker-setup/index.html

THX also has a guide that differs a bit.
http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/home-theater/surround-sound-speaker-set-up

I have not. Thank you once again, Curtis.
Those look really useful. They also tell me that no 7.1 upgrade is in my future because there isn't enough room to have a good distance behind the viewers. That kind of makes me happy, actually, because I won't get upgradeitis, which would require another amp and 2 more speakers.