Hope everyone is well and wishing you all a Happy New Year.
Well, I've finally made the jump to an AT screen and boy am I impressed.
After an incredible difficult time with assembly, grazing the velvet off in 2 small areas along the way, I finally finished it earlier. I'm overwhelmed with joy and the feeling of success and feel very proud. As soon as I saw the fabric fully stretched across the frame, I felt like a weight was lifted and my OCD and sadness about the scrapes went away. I had in mind to patch them over with some black flock but I can't even seem them. Fortunately, the frame beneath is also black, albeit a bit shiny and the grazes are at 2 corners and not large.
I'm typing this on my new screen. I've placed the screen on top of my subs and safely propped up for the time being. against my XTZ M6 speakers for the time being. The image doesn't perfectly fit the frame, so am hoping it isn't because the frame is not perfectly square - it might be out by a 1 mm or 2, actually - and hoping it's just my projector and or frame that is not level. I had the same issue with my Duronic screen. But I can live with it, I think.
Firstly, I am overwhelmed by how good the image is. And the sound? Oh, man! The SAMs are singing. Nothing prepared me for this, which included draping a bed sheet over my speakers or placing my old PVC screen in front to try and get an idea of the AT experience. I can't imagine how good things will sound once the room is furnished and treated. So, here's to that. No reflection whatsoever from the SAMs, I was worried there might be some minor reflection from the woofer cones which are a satin finish and reflect lamp light, for example. But there is nothing at all.
I can't get over how good LCR sounds. There is the feeling of perfection, completion, unification (between image and sound and LCR) and everything how it should be. I can't imagine how good things will sound once my room is furnished and treated. There isn't even any acoustic foam between the speakers. I am happy I am doing the JBLs justice. It took a lot of going back and forth, comparing setups so finally realise this was the way forwards for me. For example, the last time I went back to tests on my non-AT screen, it just didn't click for me anymore overall. Mind you, it wasn't too bad but IMAX especially was not as immersive with the taller image - a compromise for the compromise of having to have my centre below the screen, but as high as possible for it to sound decent - and further viewing distance.
I'm so happy I went with an AT screen in the end. I will be using it as CIH + IMAX: now preferring CIH - smaller 16:9 and 1.85:1 content really benefits from the extra brightness, vibrancy, sharpness and overall viewing experience. And I am still loving and favouring an IMAX experience, which is why I stuck with a16:9 screen.
I hope to make some magnetic masking panels using strong magnets in the back of the frame. Unfortunately my X7900 doesn't remember its lens memory perfectly, but I'm willing to adjust it each time if I must. I know that this is a common issue with most lens memories. I hope to upgrade to a native JVC 4K in the next couple of years, though, so hopefully they are more stable.
I chose to not use the black backing for the screen as I had a hunch it would look fine without it, and it really does! Oh, boy. And lights behind the screen will show the speakers up better with just the white fabric, too. I could even re-purpose the black backing material for the masking panels. But I will try to source some good AT material first instead.
Time to crack on with the room as soon as possible.
A big thanks to all that encouraged me that I could do an AT setup in my room. Experimenting, taking my time and making small but confident steps was the key for me to get to this stage.
fallinlight