2. home-theater
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Thoughts? 26' rectangular room -- 2 channel on one short wall, 5.1 on the other

I'm interested in your comments or experience about this proposal to combine 2 channel listening with home theater. I have good tube amps, sources, speakers and another system with a modest AVR and A/V capable speakers. I have plenty of subs.

Here's the situation:

I'm about to finish out a basement that is 26' x 16' x 8'.
I was thinking of trying to have the 2 channel on one wall and the A/V on the other wall.
Two couches, back to back, would divide the room and the mid point.

Doing it this way, I would get the 2 channel set up to optimize the sound, hopefully in conjunction with the home theater, which would only need to accommodate a 65" OLED TV.

I've posted a photo of a diagram (including ideas about dedicated lines — comments welcome there, too) on my system page: https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9064/edit

The other way to do it would to be to have everything on one wall. I'm less inclined to do things this way.

Thoughts?

Thanks.
128x128hilde45
elliottbnewcombjr
5,486 posts
 
I have a very similar setup for many years:

one room, 2 channel at one end; listening chairs in the middle of the length; they rotate 180 degrees and become the side chairs of my 5.1 HT that is sideways across the other end of the room.

NOT back to back. My music system is not firing at the video opposing, iow NOT firing toward a flat screen and/or firing into the woofers of the other speakers which can/will make sympathetic vibrations. Importantly that will give you options on how to treat the far wall.

Note: all my chairs are ’open back and open arm’ design, so sound flows thru nicely.

My heavy 2 channel speakers are on 3 wheels to move in/out as dining space is needed, and to adjust toe in for single imaging or wider center imaging for 2 listeners.

photos here:

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9511


freediver
1,216 posts
 
Waste of $..Why split the budget between 2 systems..IMO go all in on a 2 channel system that will give you 90%+ of the surround stuff & slay on music videos & other formats..
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
 Elliot, Thanks for the reply -- and you have a delightful looking system. Good pointers to keep in mind and much appreciated.

@freediver  Waste of $$'s is a non-sequitur -- I already have the two systems. So, trying to distill something relevant from your post. I suppose, if the two-system room gets too complex, I have no problem with getting rid of the 5.1 stuff. I would probably just need to combine the AVR and the tube amps on a rack.

elliottbnewcombjr
5,486 posts
 
just to add, my HT, rear surround speakers:

are on their backs behind the sofa, firing up, using the space between the sofa and wall as a sort of transmission guide. surprisingly successful, and no need to solve where they or their wires would go if your systems are ’back to back’. Window/drapery locations luckily worked out and I have a light blocking shade in the window with up/dn chain just behind my head!

my HT SUB is actually at my end of the sofa facing the video and main speakers opposite. I’m essentially not aware of it unless I turn it off. It’s for Jurassic Park; Black Hawk Down; Movie Domino (what a sound track), the mains have 12" woofers.
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