Ricky's Audio Video Barn Build Project

[Owen Smith]

The speakers will be B&W
802D for front. And HTM1D ( rare ) for center ( it will be fine below the screen yet will be close to equal height plane with FR and FL ).
803D rears. Then I have available ( not sure what Ill do yet... ) another pair of 803Ds. I have 4 805 Signatures and 4 regular 805.
Still researching the ceiling speakers

Have you considered active speakers? You said you don't like long speaker cable runs but don't want amps all over the place, well active speakers put the amp inside the speakers.

 

[esimms86]

BTW Ricky, I’m sure that you know that you can upgrade the AV10 from Audyssey to Dirac Live. Given the size and expense of this project I would most definitely consider it if I were you.

 

[ar surround]

To Center Speaker or Not To Center Speaker ---that is the question.
Here is what I have and what the manufacturer says about it -

More from B&W:
The HTM1D is the largest of four centre speakers in the 800 Series. The full configuration of FSTTM midrange in a Marlan® sphere / tube ‘head’ with diamond dome tweeter on top is used, so that the system perfectly voice matches either the 800D, 801D or 802D in a substantial and powerful multi-channel installation.

The HTM1D uses three 8” diameter Rohacell® cone drivers with twin rear-firing FlowportsTM. All drivers are, of course, magnetically shielded to avoid picture distortion with CRT-based screens.

The HTM1D is specifically intended to be mounted on the floor, its low profile allowing a large projection screen to come within 2 ft. of the floor. Supplied with the system are four heavy-duty height-adjustable feet. This design allows up to 1.6” of vertical adjustment so that the speaker may be tilted back to face more towards the listeners. They have a case hardened spike at one end for carpeted floors, and a non-marking rubber pad on the other for more vulnerable surfaces.

For reference, here is the HTM1D. It's one mean looking MoFo:

 

[DuncanS]

For reference, here is the HTM1D. It's one mean looking MoFo:


View attachment 103607

R2D2 stuck in a sauna cabinet?

 

[cbmmm3]

R2D2 stuck in a sauna cabinet?

a 205 pound R2D2

 

[DuncanS]

a 205 pound R2D2

He got old, found himself sitting around watching TV listening to music and binging on snacks .................. thats me!

 

[mandrix]

24x22 room? Good grief you can put all sorts of sound goodies in there.
For reference, I have a 7.1.4 system in an 8.5 x 12.5 room crammed full of furniture and my pc's, audio gear. You can do eet!
I feel like Dirac Live is a big factor in making this room work, although I did move the forward height speakers a few times. Finally ended up with the front heights forward of the fronts, and I run them as "mid heights" on the AVR.
The top speakers are on swivel mounts, and all speakers point directly at the MLP.

 

[barfle]

First, it looks like you’re getting an incredible space, and I’m envious of the experiences you’re setting yourself up for.

Second, I’m reading a ton of mutually conflicting recommendations. Of course, we all have opinions. Most of us have been fiddling with our hobby for decades, filtered out some ideas we don’t like, enhanced ideas we do like, and continue to tweak as we go along. I’d be surprised if you, on completion of the build, didn’t find that there were multiple tweaks that will enhance your A/V experiences.

Sure, plan your dream, but know ahead of time that, even though we mere mortals try to remember all the physics and electronics, mother nature never forgets anything, and there will be some fiddling ahead, and maybe even a lot of fiddling.

As Mike Tyson is reputed to have said, a plan for a fight works well until the first time you get punched in the face.

Now a few specific comments:
Regarding speaker cables, my fronts are studio monitors, which have separate amplifiers for woofer and tweeter, with a low-level active crossover ahead of the amps. This makes the damping factor incredibly high, getting rid of the isolation a high-level crossover brings. That means I had to provide adequate power to the speakers themselves, and that it’s a good idea for those long runs to be balanced. Honestly, though, I don’t know if anyone can hear the difference. They sound pretty good to me, and that’s my baseline - pretty good to me.

Regarding the center channel, I’d definitely put it in. There may well be times when you want it out of the picture, so you should have access to the settings in your receiver to direct signals that would normally go there to the front stereo pair.

For any and all signal cabling, install conduit and make it as big as will fit in the walls. At some point an HDMI cable will crap out (I’ve had two already), and conduit will make replacement much easier. And add a few pipes to places you don’t necessarily feel you’re going to need today, because the tech will change, and ripping out walls to install and wire that overhead screen (who knows?) won’t be an issue.

Have fun with this! I don’t know how much work you’ll be doing yourself, but I’ve found that the more effort you put in, the more rewarding the final experience.

 

[cbmmm3]

First, it looks like you’re getting an incredible space, and I’m envious of the experiences you’re setting yourself up for.

Second, I’m reading a ton of mutually conflicting recommendations. Of course, we all have opinions. Most of us have been fiddling with our hobby for decades, filtered out some ideas we don’t like, enhanced ideas we do like, and continue to tweak as we go along. I’d be surprised if you, on completion of the build, didn’t find that there were multiple tweaks that will enhance your A/V experiences.

Sure, plan your dream, but know ahead of time that, even though we mere mortals try to remember all the physics and electronics, mother nature never forgets anything, and there will be some fiddling ahead, and maybe even a lot of fiddling.

As Mike Tyson is reputed to have said, a plan for a fight works well until the first time you get punched in the face.

Now a few specific comments:
Regarding speaker cables, my fronts are studio monitors, which have separate amplifiers for woofer and tweeter, with a low-level active crossover ahead of the amps. This makes the damping factor incredibly high, getting rid of the isolation a high-level crossover brings. That means I had to provide adequate power to the speakers themselves, and that it’s a good idea for those long runs to be balanced. Honestly, though, I don’t know if anyone can hear the difference. They sound pretty good to me, and that’s my baseline - pretty good to me.

Regarding the center channel, I’d definitely put it in. There may well be times when you want it out of the picture, so you should have access to the settings in your receiver to direct signals that would normally go there to the front stereo pair.

For any and all signal cabling, install conduit and make it as big as will fit in the walls. At some point an HDMI cable will crap out (I’ve had two already), and conduit will make replacement much easier. And add a few pipes to places you don’t necessarily feel you’re going to need today, because the tech will change, and ripping out walls to install and wire that overhead screen (who knows?) won’t be an issue.

Have fun with this! I don’t know how much work you’ll be doing yourself, but I’ve found that the more effort you put in, the more rewarding the final experience.

Thank you Barfle

 

[barfle]

Thank you Barfle

Soitnly!

 

[4-earredwonder]

To Center Speaker or Not To Center Speaker ---that is the question.
Here is what I have and what the manufacturer says about it -

More from B&W:
The HTM1D is the largest of four centre speakers in the 800 Series. The full configuration of FSTTM midrange in a Marlan® sphere / tube ‘head’ with diamond dome tweeter on top is used, so that the system perfectly voice matches either the 800D, 801D or 802D in a substantial and powerful multi-channel installation.

The HTM1D uses three 8” diameter Rohacell® cone drivers with twin rear-firing FlowportsTM. All drivers are, of course, magnetically shielded to avoid picture distortion with CRT-based screens.

The HTM1D is specifically intended to be mounted on the floor, its low profile allowing a large projection screen to come within 2 ft. of the floor. Supplied with the system are four heavy-duty height-adjustable feet. This design allows up to 1.6” of vertical adjustment so that the speaker may be tilted back to face more towards the listeners. They have a case hardened spike at one end for carpeted floors, and a non-marking rubber pad on the other for more vulnerable surfaces.

The B&W HTM1D

Ricko, is there any way of actually auditioning it with the two front l/r speakers?

 

[mandrix]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but run a 20A circuit for your audio gear.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

The B&W HTM1D

Ricko, is there any way of actually auditioning it with the two front l/r speakers?

If you check out post #555 you'll see he's had this combo in use for the last few years:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/show-us-your-gear.6450/page-28

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but run a 20A circuit for your audio gear.

Better yet. More than one.

 

[cbmmm3]

The B&W HTM1D

Ricko, is there any way of actually auditioning it with the two front l/r speakers?

hey Ralphie
I audition all the time. I have this unit and the 802Ds in my current set up.
See here --

 

[J. PUPSTER]

For reference, here is the HTM1D. It's one mean looking MoFo:


View attachment 103607

Is that a speaker or an Atlantic Supertanker?

 

[cbmmm3]

Is that a speaker or an Atlantic Supertanker?

 

[4-earredwonder]

hey Ralphie
I audition all the time. I have this unit and the 802Ds in my current set up.
See here --
View attachment 103609

Which BEGS the Question:

less MQA and

MORE CINEMA!

Excellent set up Ricko ! That center channel is a BEHEMOTH! And certainly MUCH better than the one I have in one of my systems mfg by B&W about 12 years ago!

PROGRESS!

 

[ar surround]

If you check out post #555 you'll see he's had this combo in use for the last few years:

The above is the referenced photo. Like Ricky says, the height of the center compared to the fronts is ideal.

 

[4-earredwonder]

View attachment 103613
The above is the referenced photo. Like Ricky says, the height of the center compared to the fronts is ideal.

And behold those GORGEOUS Classé Amps flanking those front speakers!

REAL CLASSÉ!

And hopefully, ALL QQ Members will receive exclusive invitations to Ricko's first annual BARN DANCE!