BTW, I realize my reply to your questions may have reached the point where this is no longer the appropriate circle. If so, feel free to move it.
To answer a few questions:
In my current home, my TV is in the living room and is open to the kitchen. I have a Denon X1300 AVR with MartinLogan bookshelves, center channel, side and overhead speakers; a 5.1.2 system. It is a decent system is all I can say about it as there are just too many compromises. And Austin ain't what it used to be which is the main reason we are building close to Marble Falls.
I would love to take the time to read the book but time is not on my side. However, I have been reading as much info as I can on this site as well as others and my head is spinning. BTW, I am an Electrical Engineer so the terminology and concepts are not that foreign to me although I do not claim to be that knowledgeable in this area yet.
Our house plans were getting to the point where they were "locked" in but then my wife and I realized we had lost sight of some important goals. We have put the project on hold and are considering some major changes during the holidays which does allow me to tweak my original media room design. Our home is designed for 10ft ceilings and the media room is designed to be 13'5" x 15'1". My original thought was to have 2 seats in the magic zone since it will primarily be my wife and I. I will have a TV in the living room for those occasions we have visitors and need a larger viewing area. But, it occurs to me that a slightly larger room with 2 or 3 more seats behind the 2 primary seats might be better. In my mind, the room would have to grow a little to do that.
Before stumbling onto this site, I was ready to do a conventional 7.2.4. I had not locked in a speaker brand yet and was considering several brands but this site has me thinking I will probably use a GR Research solution. I have plenty of time to figure that out. What I need to do now is to figure out a room design that has few compromises and does not cost a fortune.
I am attaching an image of my original design. You will see I am trying to have the speakers out from the wall but maybe not far enough. I think I prefer a ~80" LED over a projector and was thinking it could be out from the wall roughly in the same plane as the speakers but maybe there are good reasons not to do that.
Oh, the other thing I need to do now is too design the interior. The rest of the home will have wood floors or tile but my wife and I are thinking it would be fun for the media room to have theater-like low pile carpet with a thick pad. I am not sure about the walls. I have read about 2 layers of gypsum and other things but am interested to hear from folks who have been down this path. And their may be things to do with the ceiling. I am aware of sound treatments and will use them where they are needed but I also think some of that can be built in.
Well, that is enough from me for now. Please fire away with your comments.
