Personal listening environments

Steinberg Lounge
1

Hi everyone.

I am expanding my space and creating a listening space for myself. The area is 12’x12’ with one of the sides open. Attached is a picture of the floor plan for this space. It is the open area where you see the l-shaped couch.

Here is the deal: I am thinking about doing a surround sound setup in that room and there will be a speaker in the bathroom and speakers in the bedroom as well.

Does anyone have any experience with in-wall speaker solutions that sound good? I have heard some before and I have always thought they sounded like crap, but it has been a while.
Also, I am looking to dedicate a HTPC computer and run a media app which will be j-river:

So does anyone have any experience with a setup like this? I would like a nice system since I listen to music all the time (the stuff I am mixing and released music) I just don’t want cube speakers hanging off the walls. Who knows… maybe there are god solutions that look and sound good. Oh, no Bose!!! LOL

Ok, to wrap up:
office: 2 ceiling/wall speakers
bedroom: 2 ceiling/wall speakers
bathroom: 1 ceiling speaker
personal listening area: Surround system: rear speakers in wall or ceiling. Standing front L-R-C and sub is fine.

HTPC computer
a few sound cards for all the zones/speakers
a few multi-channel amps to drive everything.

Any input or experiences greatly appreciated. The listening room is my biggest priority. I want it to sound good, but it doesn’t have to be hyper accurate like my control room.

basement plan.jpg
basement plan.jpg1315×867 442 KB

2

Oh, your wife is moving you to the basement too?

3

Nope. I’m not married. The basement is partiality below grade. There are 5 windows to the outside world and the air is conditioned. :slight_smile: stained concrete floors, lighted birch tray ceilings… a beautiful space that voids the basement stigmata. Ill snap some pictures once completed. Best of all… away from all my work and void of clientele traffic. My girlfriend is excited :wink: she has a 5 acre plot with a farm house.

4

Actually sounds pretty nice! Can’t help you with in-the-wall speakers, though, I never found any I liked, not that I looked very hard.

5

The real problem with in wall/ceiling speakers is the resonance and loading with the walls/ceiling. You could have it sound great in the room, but vibrate the dishes right out of the kitchen 3 rooms away. You can spend a life time trying to deal with all of the issues, or you can put them in and all will be good. Hard to tell.

I’ve been in a couple of houses that have Paradigm that sound really good. But, IMO good ol’ free standing speakers with a couple of subs is the ticket. Although you said you don’t want that.

6

http://www.polkaudio.com/products/whole-house-audio/

7

Hey, thanks for the feedback. I think I will go with this system.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Speakers/Home+Theater+Speakers/SP-PK52FS

Maybe I will go À la carte and go with an energy sub as people tend to think their subs are a bit better.

Not a high-end system, but that isn’t what I want. I just want to be able to enjoy p*rN in surround… (Steve) :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

8

surrounded by p*rN hmmmmmmm :smiling_imp: