View Full Version : Where to start?
This might end up being a bit of an "auto question", you know, the sort of thing where you ask something and then answer it yourself!
But what the hell!
Just looking for some hints and tips about setting up a cinema system, so fire away if you spot anything useful. :)
First up, here's the room in question. It's, erm, "a bit awkward" you might say!
http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/6521/3002.jpg
The front speakers and screen will be these:
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/6402/dscf0463cs.jpg
The screen (72") will go in the window ('blackout' curtains will be needed) with the PMC FB1's either side. Nice transmission line speakers that I'm using in my stereo system while the Yamaha NS-1000's are away for a bit of a makeover.
Centre duties taken care of by:
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/8918/dscf0465h.jpg
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/1078/dscf0466h.jpg
That thing is pretty interesting, its a PMC DB1. Somehow they've managed to shoehorn a 1.5M transmission line into something not much bigger than a shoebox! :eek:
Side speakers:
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/1386/dscf0467o.jpg
Cheap 'n cheerful, not much to say about them, really....
Same goes for the rear's:
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1992/dscf0468nq.jpg
Still in the box, though....
That little lot will be driven by:
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6212/dscf0469i.jpg
Denon AVR-1910. Don't know much about it TBH, was a bargain though!
Source components will mainly be:
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/6360/dscf0470t.jpg
Virgin V+ Box and Samsung BDP1500. And maybe one of my Denon DVD 2900's if the mood takes me.
SO, what next? :)
Oh, projector is a Panasonic PT-AE1500E. Not quite full HD (it only does 720p and 1080i) but I'm sticking with it until the lamp life is used up, then I'll replace it with something better.
Stratmangler
21-06-2011, 19:42
Jeez Mike, can't you resize the piccies ?
They're so big I became overwhelmed and forgot the original question.
God knows what's happened to the pictures, they look shit to me! :(
Let me know if it looks completely crap to the rest of you, and I'll see if I can do something about it! :thumbsup:
Jeez Mike, can't you resize the piccies ?
They're so big I became overwhelmed and forgot the original question.
Beat me too it!
I'll get right on it, mate!
Are the first two OK? :scratch:
Stratmangler
21-06-2011, 19:49
The first two were fine from the outset.
The rest are just ENORMOUS.
Friggin ImageShack! :steam:
Reid Malenfant
21-06-2011, 19:55
Jeez Mike, those pics are rather big m8 :eyebrows: Took seven ages to load the whole lot. Your 1080i projector just means it'll accept that & output 720P assuming it has built in scaling facilities which most do have.
Take it from me that there is a good bit of difference between 720P & 1080P, i'm sure you'll be waiting with baited breath for the tube to give it's last. A good friend of mine keeps attempting to extract my 1080P projector from me, he had my previous low hours Sanyo PLV-Z2 (720P) :eyebrows:
So what's the question? I'm not sure i saw one :scratch:
Phew... right, can you see the pictures without standing at the end of a field? :stalks:
So what's the question? I'm not sure i saw one :scratch:
Just looking for hints/tips on set-up really... I've pretty much got the kit! :)
The ageing Panny will get the boot when the lamp is 'done'. It's served me well for years now but is showing it's age... doesn't even support 24FPS.
When it's done it'll probably make way for the biggest plasma I can find/afford!
Stratmangler
21-06-2011, 20:29
Piccies fine now ;)
I think Mark has signposted the most obvious next step;)
Yeah, the ageing Panny is obvious... I knew that all along. ;)
Jac Hawk
22-06-2011, 09:27
speaker positioning is a ball ache on A/V systems, usually the room is the problem, not big enough and with doors in inconvenient places, front speaker placement is a bit of a no brainer i.e. each side of your screen and one just bellow, but you may need to play around with them a bit to get the best sound and i found if i angle the centre speaker upwards the sound seems to come from the centre of the tv rather than the speaker itself.
Subs are a bit tricky but in my room i have it firing at 45 deg across the front speakers, but to be honest much depends on the sub you've got and the room characteristics, but make sure you have enough cable to try the sub in a few locations, and pick the location that sounds best to you.
Now for the rears, most people don't have enough room to have the rear speakers behind them, i don't, but i've found that i get a good effect by having them as far away from my listening position as possible and high up on the walls angled down towards me and pointing slightly behind me, if that makes sense.
Subs are a bit tricky but in my room i have it firing at 45 deg across the front speakers, but to be honest much depends on the sub you've got and the room characteristics, but make sure you have enough cable to try the sub in a few locations, and pick the location that sounds best to you.
Ah, yes... notice how I haven't mentioned those?
I know very little about sub's as I've never used one before, and at the moment don't have one. I'm kinda hoping I'll get away without thanks to having three transmission line speakers up front. Time will tell!
Reid Malenfant
22-06-2011, 17:18
Just make sure you set the sub output on any BD or DVD player to 'none' & all speakers to 'large'. The players will then feed the sub output into both left & right front channels ;)
Jac Hawk
22-06-2011, 19:35
Ah, yes... notice how I haven't mentioned those?
I know very little about sub's as I've never used one before, and at the moment don't have one. I'm kinda hoping I'll get away without thanks to having three transmission line speakers up front. Time will tell!
for the real low frequency stuff you'll need a sub, normal speakers just aren't designed to do what a sub does trust me;)
Reid Malenfant
22-06-2011, 19:48
Oh i don't know Mike, have you ever heard PMC transmission lines? Take it from me that even the 6.5" driver floorstanders will happily chuck out 20Hz at a pretty high volume :eyebrows:
I know what you are saying though & i'd agree with you entirely given just about any other speakers, but the PMCs are not ordinary speakers by a long chalk :cool:
I would experiment with dialling out the centre speaker - may be worse or better, personally I prefer it without the centre.
Mark? 6.5'' drivers + small cabs = proper deep bass? Nah, no way. The impression of deep bass, maybe... not physically possible is it? - and they are not true transmission lines are they?
Reid Malenfant
23-06-2011, 16:04
Martin, the floorstanders are true transmission lines & will reproduce 20Hz at quite a reasonable level. The smaller cabs will be good for 35Hz at quite a high level. Unlike a reflex which just damps the driver over a narrow frequency band, a t-line will do this over a few octaves if well designed.
Take it from me that PMC are well designed speakers. If i was going to purchase any modern transmission line speakers then PMC would be top of the very small list :)
Mark, I was maybe being a little pedantic with the 'True' appelation. The theoretical true transmission line loses all of the rear radiation of the cone down an infinite rear 'line'. Real world (as opposed to 'true') Transmission Lines use the output of the line to augment the low bass frequencies. Which is closer to a reflex system it seems to me.
I wasn't at all knocking PMC - I've not heard any of their domestic speakers but I'm aware they have an outstanding reputation.
Reid Malenfant
25-06-2011, 16:48
Ah, yes i see & agree. If going on the classical definition then no they aint & no speaker ever will be :eyebrows:
I was thinking you might have been thinking along the lines of the RTLs made by TDL.
The whole principle is intersting though. Are you familiar with the single-driver V Capel design? I always fancied having a go at that although you can't get the racetrack driver any more I think. I still have the little book with the design somewhere. Last time I started on that idea I was going to use JBL 3-way in car drivers:lol:
Reid Malenfant
26-06-2011, 16:53
Ah yes the Capelmeister :eyebrows: Not strictly a transmission line, more of a folded labyrinth. In a T line the line is generally larger than the cone area at the driver end & it tapers (spreading the pipe resonances) down to an area that may be slightly smaller than the driver.
Guess who also has that book somewhere :cool:
Hmmm,
I gave the 'front end' a little try last night, no "proper" setup though, just a temporary lash up.... might need a sub after all! :(
I'll wait until it's all put where it's going to stay, but at the moment the jury is out!
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