How isolated is your hi-fi?

My favorite room was a basement in my memphis home that was large enough for a hometheater setup on one end (complete with 7.1 sound) and a pool table on the other end. It became the best room in the house and could easily handle music and/or movies along with a pack of people playing pool. The room acoustics were pretty good as the room was 25 by 60 rectangle with concrete floors and concrete walls.

My current set up is a family room (had to leave memphis,ugh) so the setup is not as friendly I still have the 7.1 home theater and pool table but the room dynamics are not as good and the pool table is between the listening/seating area and the speakers. It is still the favorite room in the house and gets lots of use. I did have a dedicated room for music but found it did not get as much use since it was isolated.

I will have a dedicated room for ME when we purchase a house...hopefully something with 13' ceilings, nice and large, and big enough for me to put a grand piano in for my own practice....mmmmm...sounds good.

I think all this opinion one way or the other truly in most cases lies on the "Female Factor" not only due to is it too much to have in the living room physicall, but does she really want to hear and see this thing as much as we would like to use it...

Thats my current issue, I will be able to blend it into a family room environment if need be, but I know it will most likely get even less use as she would be in the kitchen behind it, or doing things in the main part of the house.. Some women might love this, some are completely happy if you can tuck it away elsewhere, besides that unless your lucky enough to have one that is interested in something other than listening to some top 40 crap on the car radio, than you can get away with more I am sure.

However I think I am going to make my audio comeback soon with a decent basement room to get away when needed, by the way this is not a lifeless way to listen to music, fact is most of us that are in this have pretty good friends etc.. that like to come over and have some fun listening, so I guess having an area that does not jeaprodize the main portion of the house is not all that bad in most cases. Plus yes if you can dedicate and even isolate a spot, well you have more capability late night, or anytime of the day just going for a couple hours to listen while others use the house for what it is really designed for.

I'm pretty lucky, I have both. The HT is in the family room off the kitchen - it has blackout shades and wiring in walls and the big Vandersteens are 3' from the back wall, but the only "sacrifice" the wife has made is the 58" gloss piano black RPTV and matching equipment rack. We use this system and the B speakers for whole house sound.

Upstairs in my Lair, I have a tube amp, speakers, and a universal disc player. I can hide out here when the wife has company over or is engaged at something that requires quiet. I go here to get away or really concentrate on the music, or listen to something she fiends objectionable: Joan Baez, PP&Mary, etc.

have a dedicated 2ch area in basement--it is very nice to have a melt down place to listen and also for friends as well -great area for parties but since someone was sitting on my sub and eating(it was so hard to be nice)-parties ended --upstairs have a HT system near kitchen can be enjoyed by all --thinking of putting a 3rd together in the bedroom -- when HT is being used to watch some banal programs--?? if I have 3 systems does that qualify as audio store or just certifiable :):)