DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

A rather HUGE home theater et al

29K views 66 replies 22 participants last post by  Fix'n it 
#1 ·
My first post here, so I'll jump right into it!

I'm outfitting an 1100sf building to act as a home theater/game room/bar/gym (what a combination!). I've been at work on it for over 2 years and have dumped over $30K into it - and I still have a ways to go!

Some links:

The Gym

The Partybarn

All my projects

It's been starting to get cold here this week, so I plan on revamping the PB site since I'll have time now (instead of throwing 200+ pics on one page!) AND time to interact a little more on the web!

Some pic highlights:


the one on the left is the Partybarn




















the gym


I got tired just posting this, sheesh - I must be getting burned out on it - heh heh. :no:
 
See less See more
9
#39 ·
Tuscola is on Abilene's south border.

The tables and chairs came from a little furniture store next to the local Big Lots (it's so unmemorable - I can't remember the name!). Anyway, There was a LOT of assembly involved. Each set probably took over an hour. I was VERY impressed by the fitment and quality of everything. Not bad for something made in Malaysia (wherever THAT is!). They are "counter height" - a little shorter then the bar but taller then normal. They were $289 a set (table+ 4 chairs). They are made of Maple - not a hard wood, but harder then, say, Pine (or Balsa - lol!). What's weird about Maple is it's pretty heavy also. I'd guess as heavy as Oak, just not as hard if that makes any sense...
 
#43 ·
Just an update. I've installed another table set with chairs, some neon (we bought previously), walkway lighting and wall mounted some older Infinity's I had laying around (they sound GREAT!). Also started populating the bar with some booze. Pics:










It's looking like I'll be able to order the screen in May! Woohoo! Can't wait! Then I'll just be one step away from fully functional - nice!

CURRENT PICS LINK
 
#45 ·
Just a little update. Finally got the screen in and tested. I still need to get the projector I want (a JVC DLA-HD350), but will use an older one (a JVC DLA-G10) for the time being until I scrounge the $$ for the 350. Here's a pretty good picture:



The screen is about 14'x9' (17' diagonal) with a 1.3 gain to accommodate lower lumen projectors.

Next week I'll be installing an overhead truss-rail so I have a movable mount for any kind of projector I want to run. Pics:





I'll have better pics after I get this thing finished next week (I hope!).

More info here: http://polarsoft.net/partybarn/av.htm
 
#50 ·
Cool - thanx for digging this thread up! The biggest upgrade I've made since I last posted is the AV machine I built. It's a coreI7 running Vista (for now), 6gb ddr3 ram, 1gb ddr3 video, dual raptors in a raid 0, tied into the AV server via ethernet. What's cool with the server, is I'm loading all my DVD's on to it (using DVD Shrink - free), and any computer on the network can pull up any DVD anytime (I leave the server on all the time - running XP). It works really well! The server currently has 2 1tb drives. I calculate I can put about 200 dvd's on each drive. If I fill them up, I've got room for 3 more! Some pics:




the machine on the top is the new AV machine, the bottom one is the AV server


The right hand monitor mirrors whatever is on the screen - makes navigation a lot easier when in the control loft!
 
#54 · (Edited)
There will be an article (with pics!) about the Partybarn in the Jun issue of Electronic House magazine - I'll have to leave a link for the online version when it comes out. I don't know if it will be a little blurb on the last page or something more...

Anyway, the author of the article found out about the PB from THIS thread. Pretty kewl! Anyway, it's a DIY contest winners article of some sort. - Can't wait to see what it looks like!
 
#59 ·
Yeah, this was a major concern that has been degraded to merely A concern. With the carpet in and many things on the floor to break the sound up - it sounds much better then I expected.

I still have leftover carpet I plan on putting up in strategic areas on the walls. I'd also like to build some bass traps in the corners...

I have to wonder about what the ramp might be doing acoustically too. It's carpeted and sitting at an angle up against the length of one wall. I have virtually no echoing going on overall, so something is dampening a lot of sound...

Some day I need a real audiophile out there to listen to it all. Since this place is multi-purpose (not exclusively a theater) it will end up having some acoustical compromises - but there's definitely room for improvement!

The article coming out also makes mention of the lack of treatment (the closest thing to a "negative" I spotted) - good catch!
 
#60 ·
I still have leftover carpet I plan on putting up in strategic areas on the walls.
I hate to sound negative..but that's a real bad idea.

First, from a safety standpoint. Carpet mounted vertically will ignite and spread much more rapidly than when laid on a floor. Have you ever seen nylon or other manmade carpet materials burn. I have. Not a nice thing to see, not to mention the smoke.

Second, carpet isn't a good broadband absorber. It sucks the highs out of the room as it absorbs by virtue of the 1/4wavelength principle. At 1/2" thick, maximum absorption would be in the 7000hz range and above, and virtually nothing below it.

The best bang for the buck, is patchwork panels of Owens Corning(or Knauf etc) 2"thick 703 rigid fiberglass, that is covered with fabric, with frames as an option. Or however you want to implement it. Even on the ceiling. Also as hanging baffles.

For best bang for the buck Bass trapping, I suggest whats known as Superchunks of the same product. However, usually, these are created by cutting 4"thick panels, 2'x4' in half, and then diagonally, and stack them in a corner. These have been tested in a lab, and work "mahvalous dahling"
:laughing:



Although, instead of stacking them, you can place the panels themself diagonally across a corner. You want these from floor to ceiling though.
The reason is, low frequency room modes terminate in the corners. Even the wall ceiling corners. Thats why the pictures below show the test specimensat the floor/wall intersection. It doesn't matter. For the Superchunks, you can build fabric covered "screens frames", and for the simple panels placed across the corner, you can actually wrap them in fabric...or however you want to implement it. The point is, the fabric needs to "breath". However, I would cover the frames first with a layer of 2mil poly before covering with fabric. This will reflect the upper mids/highs, so you don't absorb too much of the high frequencies.



The 2" panels can be mounted offset from the wall too. These are known as resistance absorbers, and also work on a 1/4 wavelength principle, which means when mounted offset, increases the 1/4wavelength depth to the boundary. Which lowers the frequency of absorption too.
As to the patchwork principle, this is used to increase the absorption coefficient, due to diffraction around the edges and impedence mismatch in the open areas. This is called the "edge effect" and is used all the time.
Bar owners used to use this back in the 60's. Ever see a bar with Mirror and carpet tiles used in a checkerboard patten? Voila...patchwork absorption due to impedence mismatch. Which also is a poor mans "diffuser".


Another factor you might consider IS diffusion, although it appears you have lots of that behind the bar.:laughing: Seriously though, you might consider building a few Polycylindrical diffusers. Very simple to build and make very nice visual elements as well. Ask me if you are interested. The principle is used around the world in many many studios and music related buildings.
Another is QRD;s(Quadratic Residue Diffuser). They look stunning, and are used in Home theaters/studios around the world, although the math to build them is pretty scary.


Your project looks great though. I like the industrial look..especially the truss.:yes: Bar is nice too. I love lighting like that. Even used a little bit similar on my studio console.

Oh, btw, the cheapest product I've found in 4"thick rigid fiberglass, is buying 4'x10' panels from a Knauf insulation distributer, and cut it yourself. Very easy to cut. Still fairly expensive though. But it damn well works, vs carpet..or like some people try...eggcrates:whistling2:

As to the ramp, that would be difficult to tell what it does, other than maybe reflect, or maybe act as a membrane absorber. You might install some 703 on the underside maybe...or build a HUGE bass trap under it.:laughing:
However, your mezzanine decks may contribute to other modal resonances as well. Studio designers use this principle to actually "create" musical interval resonances at particular frequencys to enhance the "musicality
of the Live rooms as well as the Control rooms. They actually build a large soffit, which in effect is like your upper walkways.

You might consider lining the underside of these, but without testing the room, its impossible to tell if they are creating sonic anomolys.

fitZ

btw, heres a few pics of a huge geometric "diffuser(and fabric covered absorbers, and a huge basstrap prior to being filled with insulation and covered. Might give you some ideas:)

Anyway, enough bla bla bla.





 
#65 ·
Wow, this is a ridiculously ambitious undertaking. I really don't have any tips or anything to bring the table, but I just wanted to say good luck and I am enjoying looking at all the progress you've made.

Your gym/tan room look great too.

Cheers,
VinD
Thanks! I'm sitting out here right now with some Bacardi 151 - :thumbup:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top