alkemyst

I was trying to look into those eD Cinema speakers. All I found was the mains and it was a DIY...is this how they offer them? I can only imagine the sound level potential in that room

I see now.

i am confused.

So for 7 foot ceilings you want a room 16.25x11, 8 foot ceilings 18.5x12.5 and 9 foot ceilings 21x14?

Wow dude, no need to blow a gasket. IMHO your setup looks like kitchen cabinetry and IMHO doesn't really fit in a A/V room..no need to go postal...I prefer the look of the other guy's setup even though you may have more space in your's. You are entitled to like that look and others have commented they do too. When I said 'sand-like' finish, I meant like the color of sand. That was definitely more than a weekend project and IMHO most wouldn't be able to complete it for $300. If it was that was why I was wondering how it looked close up and inside...again curious more than trying to trump some louisiana firefighter.

Not knocking you, but many people have not enough time to do DIY work so pay for a finished product. Salamander is a bit of a premium product, but you know when you buy one you are getting exactly what you are paying for. As I am entering that time of my life that time is hard to come by yet my paychecks come every two weeks; I tend to pay a premium now for things. I have been shopping almost totally online for almost a decade. It really stinks when you get a huge item like this and it's not as described. Even if they reimburse you for shipping, the time it took to unpack, find out the problem...take apart things and then re-pack is something you never get compensated for. I am really suspicious of how that setup cost only $300 though...looks good, but so do some cars at 20 feet . However, IMHO it looks very much like a kitchen to me at first glance...I'd have gone with a more sand-like finish...but that is really subjective to what I like. It does look like a nice room though..

I would avoid putting your mains inside the cabinet. For a center it's fine usually. For the mains, you are now limited to not only direct radiating speakers, but also very specific sizes as well as a limited separation.

Quantity over Quality he had mentioned in a post above. Edit: the paragraphs below are about RobC's setup, I confused his with your's. While I agree those four may border on overkill, at the same time without hearing them it's hard to say if there is anything 'bad' happening. I know a few guys with Yamaha's mostly that have front 'bookshelf' speaker setups like that for special effects. I am not sure if they make a difference or not, but the setups I heard sounded really good. I think it's a nice setup myself as far as looks. Just not sure if an additional stereo pair up front causes any issues like dual center channels can. /end edit IRT your setup, I see what he may have meant...however; that's still a quality setup even if it's a bit overkill as well. Looking like the surrounds are a 'little higher than ideal (so are mine though due the room constraints), I'd love to have rear's though but no room.

I like my Quartets, I have had them since 1996 or so. My father just picked up Chorus II and I would like to get those or the Forte II (Chorus II's are huge) and try to use my Quartets eventually as surrounds.

What stands are those on the Quartets?

dog is like, ok enough with the the pictures...start the movie.

I would think that would be different. The fan is "moving" sound, the front seating and people would be "blocking" sound. I would think there would be a difference. Either way, if he is like me, most of the time I have only the front seats occupied. I agree, but a lot here are putting a whole lot of theatre in a smaller room. so IMHO, you aren't missing much.

I doubt much sound is being blocked. It's much like that debate that was on speakers too close to a ceiling fan.

Ahh found it. Good idea. I have a 'dedicated' cat room that we use a gate to keep the two dogs out. My wife is going to be one of those crazy old cat ladies one day.

well feel or hear in low range is really the same.

I love my Ultra 12 too IronSave, but I think you are getting a bit generous on: Fit and Finish: How low can it go? It's definitely a nice build quality and even rivals many at a multiple of it's cost, but the grill could be better and the materials used too. That would add cost though and no performance increase. It's well within range of it's size constraints. High excursion subs can dig lower but at that point you are talking 4 figures. I edited my post a few up about my SPL meter tests and it turns out with correction factors it may be more favorable. I tested with AVIA not the pure pink noise they may be using for those corrections. However, my readouts were definitely lower than they should be. In the end if you want a sub in the low to mid 20-30Hz range for an average to moderate room at average power levels and listening levels it is a no-brainer.

QFT..esp with two subs. If you really want to push those limits of depth and the room it's not always going to be a symmetrical layout. I am trying now to learn how to play with phase as my little cheap sub can go 0-180 variably. If anyone has a how-to on this PM me please I do have an SPL meter and I just downloaded Room EQ Wizard. Just need to find the time to mess around with it I am stuck working on side jobs lately here.

You have the mains to back that statement up though I only recently added a minor sub to my Quartet / Academy / RS2.5 setup. However, I'd go to friends homes that had sometimes OK mains, but total overkill in the sub department. It's like my car though, I have two Image Dynamics ID10's for the low end. They are definitely not maximum SPL types, but they offer a very nice and balanced bassline with my single set of 6.5" components. Some of the dudes have enough air flow to make your hair move....it's beyond live performance levels. All that said I did win my father over to pick up a nice set of Chorus II's and an Academy to go with them I tried to sell him on the idea of 3 but he wanted a traditional wall unit. He had a Onkyo 3 in 1 setup with 5 little box speakers

well in a room with a box fan you usually don't experience that kind of sound unless talking into it. Plus most ceiling fans are much slower in rotation. Down here in Florida ceiling fans are common in all rooms..never noticed them coloring the sound unless the fan was cheap/bad to begin with.

As a private consumer you don't...it's technically only available to vendors. You may be able to call up a local place to set you up though for free or a fee.

some newer amps are auto-on. They sense input and power up. I'd turn it off though if it wasn't.

I have not done this recently...but in my past you need to hook up to the front of each component if they have no RF. A little sensor goes over each's IR one. Then a little wire can run to the back and out to whatever RF reciever you have. having just one IR blaster in front seems possible, but a wire would have to run to it.

The MX-500 is not $1000 I have it, it's actually $88 on amazon now. It's the same (as far as I know) as the MX850 without RF ability. I like the URC line up...I don't like the graphical remotes at all. I want a plain text label and URC allows that. The RF30 looks like my next remote, but I can't find one anywhere. Also RF is only going to be part of your battle unless your current components support it. You will need RF to IR transmitters if not.

I didn't see anything listed, but can this work with any laptop and just a mic or is it critical to have uber gear behind it. I am just looking to non-critically test my vehicles and rooms for levels and see what I need to boost/cut with the parametric eqs.

based on this review of the HSU STF-2 http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/189521/hsu-research-stf-2-subwoofer-test-review I am pretty sure they are relatively equals. I'd give the nod to the Emotiva with better foot options, a smaller foot print and more overall amp power. HSU gets a nod to being in the market a longer time and having a pretty big fanbase. I am willing to bet a blind test would yield no clear winner. I am going to try to go over his review when I get home and test my Ultra 12 the same way they did.