New home cinema advice

[thechippy]

Hi, i posted a thread on here a few days ago but it appears to have disappeared.

I need help with my home cinema. I have taken some advice in the past couple of days and would like your feedback please.

The room is a basement so no windows. It is approx 9m x 4.5m. For use with a fixed screen, playing BD and Sky HD.

I have a 7.1 speaker set up which I wish to use again and I have now been advised to use an Onkyo TX808 AMP and an Epson 5500 projector. The screen is about 2.4m across and I will be viewing from around 4.5m.

I want to control all of the above with one remote and have been advised that Control4 is a great system and I can utilise an iPad for the remote v
Ia the Control4 app on the iPad. This then gives me access to email and the web should i be watching footy. I also want to control between four and six lighting zones too.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[kbfern]

You might be using the set up in the basement but what will be the colours of the walls ceiling floors etc.

If they are not a dark colour you will be wasting your money spending that sort of money on the projector.

The Epson TW3500 at almost a third of the price will look nearly as good or the Panny AE4000 at nearly half the price of the 5500 will also be pretty much indistinguishable also.

If you are going to spend this much on a pj go look for yourself, get a demo of at least 3-4 projectors.

1 @ £1300 (TW3500) 1 @ £2000 (AE4000) if you can find a JVC HD350 @ £2450 and the TW5500 @ £4000 and you wont find that the most expensive is 3 times better than the cheapest.

Spend a little more on the amp as with your size room the 808 will struggle if you like it loud.

And with all the money you save look at what your sub is now and look to upgrade unless the sub you have is at least Monolith quality or better.

 

[Lee]

Hi, i posted a thread on here a few days ago but it appears to have disappeared.

You posted a thread, here, to which kbfern replied. Instead of replying to that, you started a new thread which I deleted with the reason 'duplicate'. if you look in your control panel it tells you of any moderating actions on your posts.

 

[thechippy]

I was thinking about a dark purple or dark blue for the walls. The carpet is a beige colour and the walls I guess will be the same as the walls. Thanks for the heads up about the projector though, I won't bother spending that much in that case and go for a better sub. Do you have an idea on what I should be looking for or how much to spend? I do have a decent budget but obviously don't want to waste money.

What are your views on Control4?

And sorry for double posting admin.

 

[kbfern]

What speakers will you be using with the sub?

In a room your size I would be talking about a BK Monolith at least, £500 ish depending on finish.

But better still either a SVS Box or cylinder, Ultra versions at £1100-£1400.

These are truly awesome subwoofers and will really add tremendous scale to the sound.

 

[Tight Git]

The carpet is a beige colour and the walls I guess will be the same as the walls.

Not sure what you mean, but if it's a dedicated Home Cinema Room, then you should go for matt black, or at least very dark brown.

I've got chocolate ceiling, walls and carpet tiles.

Good luck.

 

[thechippy]

The speakers are a set of Jamo which were bought about six years ago. If memory serves me right they were about £15k.

If I were to go for the more expensive sub, would you suggest replacing the sub which came with the speakers and just use one new one?

And thanks for the input about colour, although it will be for watching sports too with mates, so not sure about making it too dark. Will this make much of a difference?

Anyone used Control4?

Sorry just noticed my faux pas about the walls being the same colour as the walls?!?!? Of course I meant the ceiling being the same colour.

 

[kbfern]

Jamo do some good speakers at the top end (which is obviously what you have).So the sub may well be perfectly Ok as it is although a bit old now.

Is it a powered or passive sub (do you know the model number) as without info it is difficult to say whether the subs I have mentioned will be better or not (I suspect the svs should be better though).

As to the carpet best keep it dark if possible but you have a big room there so you could do one of two things.

If you want to keep the carpet a mid colour you could either throw a largish dark rug/sheet down on the floor in front of the screen whilst watching the movies/footy or mavbe half and half the room colour wise with carpet.Front 1/3 of room dark the rest light.

 

[thechippy]

As you say, it is getting old now so I would like to replace it, so any advise on what I should replace it with would be great. I would prefer only to have one sub.

I like the sound of the rug idea, that would work very well I think.

I will certainly go for the lower spec Epsom as you stated, I just need some advice on which AV receiver to go for now. As I have saved nearly £2k on the projector this could be used elsewhere and in particular the AMP. What do you suggest?

 

[thechippy]

I have just been looking at the review for the Onkyo 5007 on here. That sounds like it would do the trick?

 

[kbfern]

Yes 5007 will do nicely or Yammy Z7 both capable receivers.I like both makes and currently run an Onk 805 in my cinema room and Yammy RX V2700 in my living room.(my cinema room is only 12ft x 12ft so the 805 has enough power for me.

You won't go wrong with either the Onk has a bit more oomph and dynamic slam where the Yammy is a bit more refined with slightly less oomph.

The SVS Ultra 13's in either a box version or cylinder will provide all the bass you will need.

The box ones are a bit more as they are furniture grade where the cylinder is a bit cheaper if you don't mind the look.The cylinder takes up a bit less floor space but you have plenty anyway.The box seems to have a slight edge over the cylinder on performance.

 

[thechippy]

Where can I buy an SVS Ultra PC13?

And what screen should I be looking at? it will be 2400x1300 approx fixed.

 

[kbfern]

Up till recently Kent Home Cinema were the UK's retailer but have recently given the business up for SVS subs.

They are now available from L Sound of Norway they are the supplier for the UK.

Don't worry they have excellent service and the Sub comes with a 3 yr warranty.They are priced in euro's and if you order one it should come out around £1100 shipped.

SVS PC13-Ultra Subwoofer - 13,5" woofer and 750W - SVS - L-Sound EU

Are you wanting a fixed screen as if your name of chippy means you are a carpenter make your own.(there again maybe you own a chip shop)

I am no diy'er and it took me a couple of hours work with a sheet of mdf, can of grey paint and some flok tape for the black border and for less than £40 I have an very good 2.5m x 1.25m screen.

 

[thechippy]

You are correct in your detective work, but I would much rather buy a screen than make one. I have done some research into fixed screens and they seem to range from the seemingly good - around £500 to the seemingly ridiculous - around £3500.

What is this price difference all about?

 

[kbfern]

Smoke and mirrors mate

I would not pay more than around £500approx as any more will not give a big increase in performance despite what some might say.

Your best hike in performance bang for buck is keeping light out the room which is no problem in your case as it's a basement (hopefully without windows.

Your next biggest boost will be dark as possible for walls ceiling and floors.

After you have done that even a painted wall will look pretty good as a screen.

 

[thechippy]

Ok great, so my list is growing nicely here.

I have my Jamo 7.1 speakers.

I have the Epson 3500

I have the Onkyo 5007

I have the SVS PC13 Sub

I have a fixed screen approx £500

I have a BD player

I have a Sky HD box

So all I need now is the LED lighting, an HC300 Control4 box and someone to program it!!!

Great work kbfern, thanks for your help.

 

[kbfern]

The Epson TW3500 comes with a free BD player if ordered before 11th July.