[mcgsxr]

OK, here are a few more shots of the recess into the foundation.

It is 44 inches wide, and about 18 inches deep.  Once they spray foam the back and sides, it will be around 40x16 behind the wall.  Full height, so around 90 inches or so, but I don't intend to use the full height.

It will be mostly behind where the display will go, and partially hidden by the bulkhead on one side.

Hard to think what else to put in there BUT subwoofers!

I actually framed that wall leaving 2 inches behind the studs to the foundation wall.  2 inches of closed cell foam will be sprayed in.  By leaving this wall (where the display will go) 2 inches proud of the foundation, I can allow for in wall speakers if I chose.

[mcgsxr]

Ahem, OK bass freak shots aside, here are a few more of the general framing of the space.

This is a shot from the display wall back past the pool table towards the dividing wall into the utility space.  You can see the fridge inside the utility room.



Here is a shot of the recessed area beside the pool table.  I intend to put in cabinets with a countertop there - like a bar area but not one you go behind, just one you approach from the pool table.



Here is the framed in bathroom, the large gap between the studs is where the door will go.  Shower on the right, vanity and toilet on the left.



OK home theatre fans, this is the door to my media closet.  It wil allow front access to the gear.  The rear of the closet will remain open, allowing me to access the back of the gear in the future.



Here is a side shot of where the media closet is, by the stairs.

[Bob in St. Louis]

The ability to stand up and be 'face to face' with your gear is priceless.
Not having to crawl around on your hands and knees (in typical audiophile fashion) playing with wires is one of the best things I ever did.
You'll thank yourself over and over for that one item alone Mark. 

[mcgsxr]

Interesting point Bob.  I had planned the closet to keep the gear out of the room for WAF and noise and light issues.  I also wanted a place where all the wiring would converge, to assist with future changes.

I had actually not thought about how high to make the rack, I was going to reuse a regular height rack.

Food for thought.

[Bob in St. Louis]

My rack is about 7' tall, all of which is exposed from the front and rear. I can take a pic tonight if you'd like.
Just don't  judge me based on my wire mess though. 

[eg]

My rack is about 7' tall, all of which is exposed from the front and rear. I can take a pic tonight if you'd like.
Just don't  judge me based on my wire mess though. 

Around here we have glossed that "Azores Wiring" ...

Good stuff, M. How's the leg?

[eg1]

Around here we have glossed that "Azores Wiring" ...

Good stuff, M. How's the leg?

Sorry for any confusion -- that was my message, but I haven't logged in for so long that I forgot that was an even more ancient account ... 

[Big Red Machine]

Interesting point Bob.  I had planned the closet to keep the gear out of the room for WAF and noise and light issues.  I also wanted a place where all the wiring would converge, to assist with future changes.

I had actually not thought about how high to make the rack, I was going to reuse a regular height rack.

Food for thought.

Love what you are doing here.  My next HT someday will not have the gear in the room, not due to blue lights and displays, but due to heat and visual effect.  I envied those who put their gear in a room or alcove off to the side and out of the viewing area.  For 2 channel though, we're egotists and need to show our wares!

I did find it handy to have the movies racked in the rear of the room so when we converged we could easily converse about a choice.  But this requires it to look good versus putting these away in another closet area where you can just use simple shelving w/o trimming them out.

[mcgsxr]

Plumbing final rough in for the bathroom finishing up tonight, I will post some pics.

Box of cables arrived today, so I can spend weekend hours finalizing my HT wiring runs.  Conduit will go in later, these will be the permanent runs of speaker wire, CAT6, RG6 and a few others.

Electrical starts in full force tomorrow, and spray foaming is lined up for next Friday.

[mcgsxr]

Pex joined to copper and distributed to the corner bathroom. 

Below are a few shots of the finished product.

[Big Red Machine]

Don't forget to insulate the interior bathroom walls for noise reasons.

[mcgsxr]

Solid advice.  I am the lucky bugger doing the insulation other than the spray foaming, so there will be Roxul in the interior bathroom walls, and the dividing wall into the utility area.

Electrical has begun, a focus on the exterior walls to ensure all is good by next Friday for spray foaming.

Pony panel to be installed in the media closet for the 8 dedicated lines for AV.  I know that sounds like a lot, and I am sure it is overkill, but WTF, I own the panel, and I CAN!

[jparkhur]

I had a problem with my washer, when i used speed wash, it really cuts on and off the water and the PEX that is in that area knocks hard.  I appear to have forgot to attach it all down.  I would insulate or spray foam around the holes that the PEX is going through to stop any possible knock when pressure is added/released on the system.  And yes, overkill is ok, you only get one chance at it and you don't want to be putting holes in walls.  Also, the extra piping for fishing wires is a plus for future stuff.


Jon

[mcgsxr]

Proof I am not just reading the suggestions, I am following through!

Below are some pics of the spray foam added to the PEX in the bathroom plumbing.







Below is one shot of the electrical progress. 

My sparky loves the 5 dedicated lines in the media closet, with about 3 feet of romex!  The other 3 lines head off to the display area, and one for the potential PJ down the road.  I am lucky the PO of the house was a woodworker, I never would have popped for the cost of the pony panel, and breakers etc.

[mcgsxr]

Spent the AM going through the space applying extra straps to gas and water lines, to assist in preventing rattles down the road.

Also used some of that open cell pipe insulation in various areas, again with an eye on future pipe rattle prevention.

Well worth the $20 and 3 hours of wandering around with the flashlight, short ladder, and screwdriver.

Also spent some time planning out a fixed shelf near the top of my media closet, where a gigabit switch and my router will live.  I think I can run Cat6 up to the main floor and the 2nd level, though where it will terminate may not be ideal, it may come in handy in the future.

[Big Red Machine]

Very nice.

[ctviggen]

Are you going to do anything like double walls or 2xt6 walls with 2x4 staggered studs?  That and two layers of drywall isn't too expensive (it's the green glue, hat channel, and isolators that get insanely expensive). 

[mcgsxr]

Fair question about "to what lengths" will I go?

As stated early on, this is not a dedicated HT space, it is a basement family room and games room.  It will feature 5.1 surround, and a pool table.

There are no other rooms adjacent to this space, other than the bathroom and utility room, so 2x6 walls or staggered studs seems out of scope for me, I usually think of those as measures to prevent lateral sound travel.  The wall that the display will go on (immediate term measure, plumbing for a PJ, but not sure I can get that done right away) is spaced off the foundation wall by 2 inches, so it will actually effectively be a 2x6 wall by the time you factor in the 2lb closed cell spray foam behind it done to 2 inches. 

I am going to use 5/8 drywall on the ceiling, with resilient channel to hang it.  I am using Roxul in all interior walls (bathroom, utility, media closet) and the ceiling. 

I am just doing what is simple to do, and affordable to do.  My own time I value at zero, so things like this AM wandering around sourcing and fixing potential rattles just seems the right thing to do.  I have experience with big bass in cars, and I know that rattles will come up long after you button up the project.  Short of lugging in subs and doing sweeps, I am doing what I can to forecast and address things that will rattle.  I will fill the void around the main HVAC trunk in the bulkhead too.

I am wide open to suggestions, and as you see I will even follow the ones I can do and afford!

But in the end, it is an open concept basement family room that I will play pool in just as much as I will watch movies.  Thankfully some of the sound measures taken with an eye on bass will also address the sound of the breaking balls playing billiards.

The AC stuff I am going over the top with, just because I already had the equipment -  the prior owner of the home had the 70a pony panel in place for his heavy woodworking gear.  I simply re-purposed it into the AC heart of the HT setup.

[mcgsxr]

Limited progress that you can actually see, but many hours spent down there this past weekend.  I did some simple stuff like rewiring my main floor HT cabling that passes through the basement, shortened up some HVAC runs so they would not interfere with lighting placement etc.

I struggle with getting the lighting right, since I hope not to have to redo anything.  When we redid our kitchen in the Fall, it was pretty easy for me to figure out what I wanted, since I had lived in the space for 7 years, and knew what I wanted to change.  I am having a harder time designing this space from the ground up, and hoping that I get the lighting right.

The first of the IC boxes went in for the pot lights today, and it looks like I am on the right track.  The bulkhead divides the space effectively in two lengthwise.  On the side nearest the stairs is the work out area (treadmill, stretching mat) and then the bathroom.  On the far side is the family room/HT.  Across the front by the utility wall is the pool table. 

There are currently 11 pots on the workout and hallway side.  There are 11 planned for the HT side, including 5 around the pool table.  I figure I better have some lights around there, for times when pool is not the focus, and the cover is on the table and drinks are all over it etc.

The only light IN the bulkhead, will be the hanging pool light at the near end.  I know that leaves a pretty dark area down by the display, near the bathroom, but I think I will have to tackle that with a floor lamp.

Spray foaming is this Friday, so I will get some pics of the aftermath up Saturday, when we are allowed back into the house.

I have 50 feet of vaccuum tube to do a code compliant series of conduits, and did another order of network and audio cables from a Canadian redistributor of Monoprice cables.

I am now up to 3 potential displays, but will focus on just the main one initially.  There could be another smaller one by the treadmill, and one in the built in area by the pool table - that one is likely to pull dual duty as a PC monitor.

Planning is easy, but affording is not!  Thus, I am focused on investing in the ability to have more screens eventually, even if that means I am less kitted out initially.

[Bob in St. Louis]

The only light IN the bulkhead, will be the hanging pool light at the near end.  I know that leaves a pretty dark area down by the display, near the bathroom, but I think I will have to tackle that with a floor lamp.

In my experience, lighting near the screen has never been an advantage. I've got mine "zoned" with other (very necessary) lights in the room, and the bulbs near screen have always been a hinderance/distraction. To the extent where I've unscrewed those two bulbs just enough they never come on. Your solution of a "non-zoned" floor lamp, since it's near the bathroom might be a good idea.

Bob