Building my AV setup

BoonDog

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Well, after getting inspired by so many posts here, I thought I would have a go myself, and document it for anyone that may find it interesting!

So here goes...

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The before shot... with the Q Acoustics 1010i's in the foreground...
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Ready for work to begin
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Fireplace gone!!!
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And the result of all our hard work... now dumped outside, waiting for removal!
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The frame going up...
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And that was it for today... the framing up...
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And then with kit back in for now... have a couple of days downtime before I finish the framing, put the downlights into the alcoves, and then build that cabinets for all my kit.

Had the lovely twisted speaker cable and plugs arrive today ready for plumbing in.

I have to take the 1010i's back as the wife doesn't like them, thinks they are to big :(

So have ordered a set of the Boston Acoustics XS 5.1s, so these will be installed instead.

Will post more pics as I plumb along...
 
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My twisted speaker cables and the obligitory Nakamichi Banana Plugs
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View from the front
 
looking sweet, how are you going to seal it all back up, just plasterboard the whole lot or you going to put some sort of cupboard doors for access?
 
there will be cabinets on the sides... with all cables going to patch panels... then plasterboard the main frame.

Just about to begin this process, just getting all the cables sorted and in place.. more pictures to come!
 
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one side of the downlight boxes done...
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and the other!
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with the panels in the sides and the cupboards for the av and storage
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Dry run with the TV in
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Well, SWMBO told me the Q-Acoustics where to big.. so after some research went for the Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1's... dying to get them all hooked up!
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First run of plaster done....

And thats about where I am up to... More to come now as I push for the final coat of plaster, then fit all the panels and lights for the AV setup, and then wire it all up :D
 
Ventilation holes for the old fireplace?
 
nope, lowered the viewing position with the renovation, so the three holes are from the slightly higher original position. These are now hidden by the back plate
 
Excellent Job!, I will look forward to seeing it all finished. Keep up the good work :smashin:
 
I meant do you need do leave some ventilation holes for the old fireplace, I was advised to do so a few years back when I blocked one up
 
I meant do you need do leave some ventilation holes for the old fireplace, I was advised to do so a few years back when I blocked one up

ahhh... I get you... there is plenty of airflow out the bottom of the side panels... have left them open at the bottom behind the plaster and soon to be skirting board.

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5 speaker patch panel with cables made up ready for install tomorrow.

Just have the joys of wiring p the system when finished with the final skim...

My AV setup:

Samsung 37" LE37M86BD
Sony Bluray BDP-S360
Onkyo Reciever TX-SR607
Xbox 360 (non HDMI)
V+ HD (Scientific Atlanta)
Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1 Speakers
 
did you make the 5 speaker patch panel or was it bought,if made where did you get the bits from

cheers
 
Liking the progress in your thread my friend :D

Are you using bog standard kitchen cabinet carcases to house your gear in?
 
did you make the 5 speaker patch panel or was it bought,if made where did you get the bits from

cheers

Bought it this way from here... made all the patch cables myself with cable and plugs from ebay.

Yes I am using standard kitchen bases from ikea with the matching doors, seemed easier and they came in the right sizes. They have now been finished with the tops from the original setup, cut to the new dimensions.

And with a big push over the last few days here is where I am up to.
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the patch panel fitted, with an hdmi extender installed... have to admit, I now have a less than perfect picture, so may just go for a longer HDMI that goes straight from TV to AV... guess the join wasn't great... trying to be neat, for neat's sake.
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The cupboard... still needs the final tidying up of all the cables, but getting there...
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Downlighters on, and tops installed... the new Boston's installed... need to give them a tune and find there final positions. Not to happy with the sub at the moment... seem to be getting a lot of feedback on it... hope the tunning will sort it out... :(
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Another shot...

So now just have the final paster fix to get rid of all the imperfections, then I guess I will have to get my painters kits on!


Almost done... woohoo!
 
Looking great and the cupboards work really well. :thumbsup:
You should square off the arch whilst you're at it!
 
Looking great and the cupboards work really well. :thumbsup:
You should square off the arch whilst you're at it!

Think that could be a task for another day!! need to finish this off first and trying to keep the place tidy to stop my little boy eating building debris is a challenge!

Have now played around with my settings and have the Boston's sounding brilliant... just needed to tune the sub a bit better, not quite as big as the 10" in the QA's but matches brilliantly with the tiny satellites... they are getting alot of comments!

Have ordered myself a new 5m 1.4 HDMI cable to replace the join, as any standard def telly looks horribly pixelated at times and the join is the only change in that rig.

Just need to pull my finger out now and get the glass plaster on and get sanding!
 
quick update... progress has been slow while I try and let SWMBO sort out colours or wallpaper.. wallpaper... no colour, no wallpaper. urgh

In the mean time I have got the dimmer switch installed for the downlighters... they were just a bit bright, but under control now. I have also got a fitter in tomorrow to join some carpet to finish off along the front. Was going to have a go myself, but a carpet seaming iron is an illusive thing. @ÂŁ30 to finish it all off, seemed money well spent anyway!

Slowly ticking off the todo lists...

PS Took my first set of Boston's back... the sub started making a horrible ticking noise, like the amp was just turning itself on and off constantly... Got a new set, fired them up and the difference was immense. I was a bit disapointed with the bass reproduction coming down from the QA1010i's, was prepared for a bit less omph, but feared I was looking at something that just couldn't deliver the impact I wanted. Thankfully the new set seems to have taken care of it, and for such tiny speakers, the sound stage they deliver is amazing. Recommend them!
 
great job. :thumbsup:

but where did the speakers go which you mounted/marked next to the TV, is it hidden behind the plaster board? :confused:
 
ignore that you replaced them. Teaches me to read next time :facepalm:
 
I am getting rather frustrated with the sub with my Boston's... It has the 'switched' on state... but in constantly seems to be in standby and when watching television its just bass-less. Sounds horrible and tinny...

Now I have just got a spare rca cable to connect it up with to test if its the 10m cable I installed, but if its not that, I am at a loss to explain the complete lack of bass. It makes the experience of watching telly horrible, and for ÂŁ300 I would expect a lot more...

Can anyone think of anything else I can try? It is connected to my Onkyo 607 and I have tried playing with the setting there and it still sits idolly on standby ... frustrated
 
That plate - the LEFT and RIGHT are wrong way round - looks odd. Know its only cosmetic but still strange.

ahhh... I get you... there is plenty of airflow out the bottom of the side panels... have left them open at the bottom behind the plaster and soon to be skirting board.

DSC_0597.JPG

5 speaker patch panel with cables made up ready for install tomorrow.

Just have the joys of wiring p the system when finished with the final skim...

My AV setup:

Samsung 37" LE37M86BD
Sony Bluray BDP-S360
Onkyo Reciever TX-SR607
Xbox 360 (non HDMI)
V+ HD (Scientific Atlanta)
Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1 Speakers
 
yeah, I didn't see that when I ordered it, not even really sure why they have L & R on them as its just the polarity so that doesn't even apply. It is in the back of a cupboard so you would never notice. You see the panel and the clips when the door is open and you would be hard pressed to see the small text.

Update: I have just laid the carpet and thats all finished, am running a different cable to to sub and it seems to have made a difference, but will give it a couple of days of consistent running before order yet another cable :/
 
I am getting rather frustrated with the sub with my Boston's... It has the 'switched' on state... but in constantly seems to be in standby and when watching television its just bass-less. Sounds horrible and tinny...

Now I have just got a spare rca cable to connect it up with to test if its the 10m cable I installed, but if its not that, I am at a loss to explain the complete lack of bass. It makes the experience of watching telly horrible, and for ÂŁ300 I would expect a lot more...

Can anyone think of anything else I can try? It is connected to my Onkyo 607 and I have tried playing with the setting there and it still sits idolly on standby ... frustrated

is the amp set up properly ie the correct frequency cut of points have been inputted correctly at the GUI. I dont know about the Onkyo amps but on mine there is a setting to turn on LF low frequency which helps drive the sub.
 
yeah, all the frequencys are setup fine... I swapped out the cable to a shorter one and it runs fine, appears that the long 10m sub cable is knackered :(

Will have to order yet more cable... seems non stop!

Have now had the carpet done! looks good..
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and also done some tidying up on some edges and put on the skirting board...
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Went along to B&C at the weekend and have picked out the colours finally, so will have to finish the prep work and then on with some paint! nearly done...

Ordered a new Harmony remote today, so will look forward to playing with that... anyone know a good infrared repeater, or RF would be even better. I couldn't afford to go the Harmony RF route at the moment... but maybe at xmas Santa might be good to me!
 
Hi BoonDog,

Been watching the progress on this and all looks really good! You must be pleased with how its all coming along!

Just wondering if you managed to get all your issues with the sub on the Bostons sorted in the end.
 
very pleased with how it is coming along... will be even happier when I can sit down and relax! Although there are loads more projects to move onto next!

The sub issue seemed to come down to the cable... I had run a 10m cable to hide the sub out of the way, and I think at one stage I had all of the unit pinning it onto the base. Didn't help that it was like that while I was leaning inside the cupboard wiring it all up. Once I changed the cable to a shorter cable the bass is brilliant, infact I turned it down today cause it was was booming away!

Still find that the actual staging on these bostons are brilliant... just an amazing sound for such small speakers!
 

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