What's the optimum size/shape/layout for an AV room?

[the_sanguine]

I'm building an extention and want to include a dedicated AV room so I effectively have a blank sheet of paper. I would probably opt for a 50" plasma so how shuold I plan the room?

What size & shape? Where would the perfect sitting/speaker position etc?

[bloodynora]

This is probably the most difficult question of all!! You could look at some American dedicated cinema rooms or some in the members gallery to get an idea of how many possible answers there are to your question

Have you thought about getting a professional AV installer to help?

[the_sanguine]

Yes, my friend installs professionally for a company called Sound Ideas. he installs though doesn't design. also, the work he does is normally for famous people with limitless budgets. I don't really have a particular budget in mind but would imagine probably something like an Panny 50V10, Yamaha Z7 and RX6 AV12 (from reading reviews)

I was interested in a few opinions

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

If its a dedicated room then go for a projector. Size wise how many people are you planning to put in it?

[MarkP80]

You really can't pick the size of the screen before you know the size of the room! You need to first at leat have some idea what size the room is going to be. What will you use it for? - Just watching films? Sport? TV generally? How many people, just you on a sofa? Or 50 guests watching the footie?

- A bit more info needed before you can get the appropriate advice, so tell us what you are hoping to achieve.

Cheers,
MarkP

[the_sanguine]

Fair comments. Normally there would only be up to 3 of us but I would like to be able to have say up to 6 people. Mostly I would use it for films (freesat and blueray probably) and footie. I'm not looking for an ultimate room though really just a decent installation and was wonderng how you guys thought I should think about planning the room

[bloodynora]

How big will (or can) the room be? will it be long and narrow, square or, as in my case, parallelogram

If you can get a sketch of it uploaded then that would help - if you want to PM me the size I can do one for you in GoogleSketch.

[the_sanguine]

I have a blank sheet of paper really. The limit would be about 6m x 6m but smaller would be better

[Docta teef]

6m by 6m obviously would create a square room (clever ain't i) if its to be a dedicated room sonically this would not be ideal if you can it should be longer front to back there are ratios for the sonics for length width and height i would advise you do a search then work back from the 6m length.

[Ianfromnotts]

This might start pointing you in the right direction for some ideas and more searching

Cardas Audio

[the_sanguine]

Thanks guys, I guessed square wouldn't be the best shape. I think the room will have to be rectangular though, I understand the theory of the Golden Trapagon but didn't really want to go quite that far