picky
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Posts posted by picky
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I chose it over the AVIA DVD because the AVIA was released in 1999 and the DVE disk was released earlier THIS MONTH (9/3/2003)!!! It's a newer, improved release of the original DVE from 1997. The new one includes improvments over the first release and includes HDTV screen setup. To find out more about both disks, please follow this link to a site that compares the two: http://209.145.176.7/~090/awh/aviaorve.html
So, thanks again, guys!
-Picky
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Thank you for your suggestions, gentlemen. I believe that if I do follow through with building some type of enclosure that I will likely use an interpetation of each of your suggestions. Thanks, again for the good advice.
I spoke with my projector dealer this morning: another good arguement for buying such a complex piece of gear from a showroom rather than from the internet (after-sales customer support). He had this suggestion: I am currently running my projector lamp on "Cinema" (bright) mode. He said to switch the lamp to "Normal" (standard) mode and consider the purchase of either the AVIA or DVE (Digital Video Essentials) theater calibration DVDs. Not only will the "Normal" mode lengthen the life on my projector's bulb by 40% or more (>$$CH-CHING!!!$$<)
, but the fan noise decreases greatly on "Normal" mode as well. He said that after calibrating my projector with one of these DVDs, and then giving myself two weeks to adjust to the new settings, should allow me to be thrilled by more contrast, higher definition, and greater resolution while enjoying lower fan noise. He also said to be sure my room is dark. It is! I can vouch for the fan noise, as when it is set to "Normal" brighteness, it's nearly impossible to hear the fan. If this works, then problem solved! I ordered the DVE DVD a few minutes ago from Amazon for $17 and change. -
As my home theater construction continues, it seems as though at each step, one more thing reveals itself as an issue that I had not considered in the original design. I've been viewing movies in my HT now for months. But, the room is getting gradually more quiet as the walls become finished. Because my HT is built in the basement of our home, and it's a rather small home that was built in 1943, it does not have a very deep basement. At the tallest point, the joists in the ceiling barely measure 7 feet down to the floor. My front projector hangs from these joists, putting the bottom of the projector about 6 feet from the floor. Some of my seating is directly beneath the projector, which places a person's head less than 3 feet away from the projector's bottom. The projector's fan is rated at a noise level of approximately 35 db, which normally, should be a whisper 4 feet away. Most of the time, one does not hear the projector. The problem occurs during quiet pauses in the movie. Having a 35 db wide-band noise two feet from your head in a quiet room can become very annoying. Have any of you seen plans out there on the web (or have plans of your own to share) for building a silent, ventilated projector hush box? Thanks! -Picky
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m00n:
I don't know if this will help you, but I found this thread today on the STC-rating of soundboard (Sound-Transmission Class). It also has a link at the bottom of it's page to more information. I hope this helps!
http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/soundbd1.html
Additional info: http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/faq10.html
-Picky
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Oops! I can see why you thought I had my RS7's in-wall by the way I had my profile worded. Sorry, m00n. It's the RCW-5's that are in the rear wall. The RS-7's hang by their mounting holes on each of the side walls. Sorry for the confusion!
I have changed my profile to correct this. Thanks!-Picky
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Correct, both Proj101 and Texas42! Just as I'd mentioned: We each hear sounds differently. And as I have aged (I am now 51) I have noticed a slight changes in my hearing, even though I can still hear very high-end sounds, the amount I hear of them has appartently been somewhat diminished. I do still pass hearing tests with flying colors, however. Perhaps, I am now less sensitive to this two-way Vs three-way phenomenon and the airyness that some of you say you miss? Although, getting old really sucks, age usually tends to bring one benefit with it for most of us: more money to buy better toys!!!!
I'm not trying to say that RF-7s are going to be the best solution for everyone. That would be imposible and improbable. But, I do know they fit the bill for me and the wife!Also, I owe Texas42 an enormous appology: I mis-stated the model number of my living room Polk Speakers. These are NOT the huge towers (SDA-SRS) that some of us lusted over some 12 to 15 years ago. These towers are the smaller SDA-2's (I believe). They have a 1" dome tweeter, 2- 6" woofers and a 12" passive radiator. I use them in conjunction with a 10" powered Polk subwoofer, and a rather large, Polk center channel speaker. A thousand pardons, Tex!
-Picky
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Hey m00n:
The THX folks would love you! They profess that ALL drivers should be identical (including the surrounds and rears), so you are 1/3 of the way there so to speak!
I understand the screen-near-the-ceiling thing. The only way around that would be if you had a lot of room to place the RF-7 behind the screen and used one of those acoustically-transparent screens. I don't know about your place, but I know I certainly don't have much room to play with when it comes to placing large components. So, that is not an option for my HT. I have my RC-7 beneath my screen and no complaints, yet. I'm not surprised yours sounds so good! The entire front end it perfectly matched! That's pretty cool! -Picky -
I've seen some excellent rear-projection offerings of late in the 50" to 65" range from Pioneer Elite, Hitachi and Toshiba. The latter two of which also carried great pricing. (at Circuit City).
-Picky
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Continued: Some were two-way and some were three-way. The Klipsch were the only horns. Out of all of those systems, my wife and I both agreed immediately: The Klipsch were the only no-compromise speakers we'd heard, regardless of whether it was a CD or a DVD we were listening to. The Klipsch reference series to me, sound excellent, and I do not detect anything missing from the midrange on the recordings that I am intimately familiar with, such as 'Crazy On You' by Heart and others. It is my opinion that the RF's, regardless of the model (3, 5, 7, etc), sound crisp and accurate in all ranges. I do not seem to miss the midrange driver. However, you hearing is different from mine and perhaps your ears require more mid-range definition than mine? It's a hard comparison to make. Good luck!
-Picky
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Hi, Pinipig:
I'm afraid that I cannot tell you "why" they don't have midrange drivers in the Klipsch reference and synergy series speakers, but I CAN tell you this: I own a new pair of RF-7's, an old pair of Polk SRS/SDA Towers, and a VERY old pair of ADS L-810's. Both the Klipsch and Polk are considered to be two-way systems. The Polk's actually have a non-powered, 12 inch bass radiator that they like to refer to as being 2-1/2 way, but I disagree. The ADS are true three-way speakers. With that said, I used to be in love with the sound of three-way, domed mid-range and dome tweeter equipped speakers! I hated horns and two-ways because I did not think they did an accurate job in the mid-range region. I bought ADS's in 1976 and they were awesome. They had incredibly accurate and crisp mids and highs coming from their domes. But, being mid-sized speakers, they could not handle the power I wanted to throw through them. I liked my music much louder when I was a young man
(most do). I bought the Polks about 12 years ago becuase they could take 600 watts, and ever since I have felt that, although they have an excellent overall sound, they compromise the mid-range, greatly! NOW: Enter Klipsch reference series. I listened to 10 different brand systems last fall. Everything from BMW-to-Martin Logan-to-Klipsch-to-Meridian (which I cannot afford). Continued below: -
Hi, Chizler:
I have a pair of RCW-5's in the rear wall channels of my 7.1 HT. Their power handling capacities are identical to those of the RCW-3's (50-watts max continous, 200-watts peak). Rated at 8 ohms, I drive mine using a Pioneer Elite receiver (see list below) that has the potential output power of 130-watts RMS (continous) per channel (at 8 ohms). I listen to my movies and music at fairly realistic levels. Given the good sensitivity rating of the RCW-5's: 94db @ 1 watt/1 meter (93db for the RCW-3's), it is quite believeable that the speakers will seldom ever see 50 watts input, let alone their maximum rated input of 200 watts. It is my opinion that the RCW-3's should be an excellent choice for your system. Ours sound wonderful. I do know that my wife likes the looks of our RCW-5's that are in our basement HT enough that she said she'd like to see them eventually replace all of the tower and satellite speakers we have in our upstairs livingroom. I highly recommend them to you. Best of luck! -Picky
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Although I am currently using 12 ga Tributaries-brand cable on my HT and 12 ga Monster cable on my living room setup, I can remember when I used good, old 14 ga lamp cord from the hardware store and never had any problems. (Lamp cord polarity can be discerned by the edges or grooves in the insulation on one side and smooth on the other.) It was 14 cents a foot and I'd run amplifiers having as much as 150 Watts per channel (RMS) with no problem at all with runs up to 30 feet. When I ran commercial sound for bands in the local Detroit bar/club-circuit, I used wiring snakes that I had custom-made. Anything between 250 & 1,000 watts and up to 50 ft was 10 ga and anything over that in wattage and/or footage I ran 8 ga cable. HEAVY AND VERY EXPENSIVE! In most cases, lamp corp should work fine under 30ft. If you are going up to 50 FT, I recommend 12 ga cable. Buying the more-expensive stuff is good for one's conscience, but I'm not so sure the equipment really "knows" the difference. But, I can only speak for my own experiences.
-Picky
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Hey TomL1967:
My HT is in my basement and the ceiling varies from about 7 ft to about 6.5 ft (luckily, I have short friends
). But the room dimensions aren't much different from yours: 11 ft wide by 17 ft long. As you can see from my equipment below, I am using the RF-7's as my two mains (left and right) and I must tell you that they sound perfect in that environment....low ceiling and all. I say...if they fit...use 'em! -Picky
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Ah....Christmas in September! It's so much fun to get "STUFF", isn't it? I just love the smell of brand new semiconductors! I'm excited for you! I bet you'd be up till 4 in the morning playing with your new toys! I know I would!
Live it UP!-Picky
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On that receiver selection, it's pretty hard to beat your choice of the Pioneer Elite VSX-55TXi. That's Pioneer's brand new answer to those who don't wish to lay out a king's ransom for the 49, yet still want many of the 49's features, including i-Link and bass management for SASC and DVD-Audio. I think it's a great choice. The only other way I might go would to be to look at what Denon offers. But, I'm sold on the Elites at this point. HAPPY SHOPPING!
-Picky
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Yikes!
SDDS? Hey m00n, I am all for the latest technology too. But as "Oven Mit" in the Arby's comercials says, "Will it ever en----d?....." (LOL) Please, correct me if I am wrong but, SDDS appears to currently apply to only commercial setups. Is this true? I too, would enjoy experiencing SDDS as well. Let us know if you hear anything on the consumer-front, m00n. Getting back to 7.1, I must recommend it highly to "i080054". I have 5.1 in my video production suite and 7.1 in my theater. And, although the 5.1 sounds dazzling at times, I receive so many more comments about the 7.1 setup, such as, "Hey! I keep hearing sounds coming from behind me. Are there speakers back there somewhere?" (Yes....in the walls!) 7.1 really takes things to the next dimension. As for 7.1 being considered as "overkill", I can only say that the one aspect that I can consider to be "overkill" could be 7.1's actual price (extra speakers and the processing equipment, etc.). But, if that is not an issue for you, then, I'd say go for it!-Picky
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Holy Moly! That's awesome. All we've got is one, lowly slot machine!
Hey, live it up!-Picky
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Please do not feel bad about your Pioneer's volume setting. I have the Klipsch reference system (see below) and Pioneer's Flagship receiver, the VSX49TXi, which calibrates itself. During most movies (in DVD), I set my volume control at -9 db and I get realistic sound levels from my speakers at that level. I was a bit concerned, too when I first got my Pioneer. But, I guess that's just the way they function. There certainly is no audible distortion at that level for me. Hopefully, yours is the same story. Also, when I watch digital cable, I must reduce the volume to about -16 db, as apparently the gain on my digital cable must be higher than that of my DVD player. Best of luck! Enjoy that Pioneer!
-Picky
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I went ahead earlier this year and "bit-the-bullet" and purchased Monster's M Silver Series, 8 meter component video cable (M1000CV-8M) for $350 smackers. There was no other way around this for me. It seems to work very well. I am getting a sharp, clear picture with no noticable interference. I figured it was better to go with a high-end cable given the distance, especially when the signal to the projector means everything as far as viewer-perceived quality. I know it's expensive, but it's one less thing I need to worry about in my system. I read the other posts and I am unfamiliar with some of the brand names they are mentioning, so I cannot comment on their performance. It does sound as if their may be some less expensive performers out there according to our fellow members messages. Sure wish I'd known about them back in January! Best of luck!
-Picky
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An interesting development in LCD Projectors: I just read a quick blurb this morning in my weekly email update from 'Presentations Magazine':
Quote:
"COMPANY UPDATE:
1. SONY TO STOP SUPPLYING PROJECTOR LCD PANELS
Sony announced that it will stop supplying LCD panels to other projector
manufacturers beginning April 2004, although it will continue to produce
LCD panels for its own front- and rear-projection systems. Sony cited
dropping prices, shrinking margins and an inability to make money on the
panels as the reason for the decision. The move would leave Epson as the
sole major supplier of LCD projector panels to companies that manufacture
LCD projectors." - Courtesy of 'Presentations Magazine'
SO, with the above said, it appears that either prices are droppiing in the LCD projector industry due to good sales, or the LCD projector industry could possibly be feeling the heat from the DLP projector industry....."rainbows" and all. Your choice. It seems that Sony (to my knowledge) is one of the only projector manufacturers who still does not offer any DLP models. Sony purists would have you believe the reason for that is because Sony doesn't wish to compromise by releasing projectors with "inferior technology" (there's that hang-up on the color wheels, again). I have reviewed several of Sony's LCD projectors and they are very clear, extremely bright, and fairly affordable. They do also have good color quality. I did not think they were as sharp as the DLPs however especially in viewing high definition programming. - My personal opinion.
-Picky
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Somewhere over the rainbow......
No rainbows on my Sharp DLP. Ever. Everyone is right: You must test them first hand to really get a feel for what you what & what you believe....just like picking out speakers.
A note on contrast ratios: "Madison Avenue" That's who is selling contrast ratios to projection buyers these days. Like everything else in our society, the ad agencies on Madison Avenue would have you believe that more i better. Well..in my personal opinion...it's not! I viewed my Sharp 9000 against the new Sharp 10000 and new Marantz projectors that both have the new Texas Instrument "Mustang" chip (sort of like DLP-2 (in theory, and improvementover the original))and they both are more expensive than mine. Their contrast ratios are touted to be twice that of my projector. Guess what? They are too dark even when shown on an optomized screen such as a Stewart Firehawk or Greyhawk! Even my salemans prefers the 9000 to the 10000, so much that he bought a 9000 after the 10000 came out. Since the Sharp 9000 is an older model now (as of February 2003) there should be some real deals on them out there.
So, do youreself a favor and check them out first hand, or as DrPyro suggested: go so far as to ask to bring one home. By the way, I even tried my DLP against an equally priced Runco, which some enthusiats hearld as being tops. The Runco was way too dark, especially on 'Spiderman'! Yes, it had been calibrated just as the others I watched.
So get out there with your fav DVD and have some fun!
- Picky
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Hey, Thor:
I've got the same basic speaker setup as you do. The only real difference is that I am using a Pioneer Elite receiver. I gotta tell ya, that darned 15" Klipsch Reference sub of mine sure does blend perfectly with my 7's! I know it's a lot of somolians and I am not trying to tell you how to spend your money but, that sub is worth every penny! After all, they we engineered to work in concert together. You may not need a 15, and perhaps a smaller one would do just as well. You will have to be the judge. But, I do highly recommend you consider a Klipsch sub. A local stereo shop here even recommends using Klispch subs with B&W's because they out-perform B&W's subs! They're awesome!
-Picky
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Ken:
No problem with the Sony. Lots of people like 'em and they seem to do very well. My son is enjoying his lower-priced Sony at his house. He loves it, and I do think it sounds pretty good. He is running his with Sony satellite speakers and a Sony subwoofer. The only item I have heard determental is that Sony amplifiers tend to sound a bit bright as compared to some other brands such as Pioneer Elite and Denon. But, if you like bright, that's a good thing.
-Pick
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Ken:
Sounds like you are now well-covered in Reno for HT stores. No surprise to me. I agree: They do seem to have some very good deals on RPTV's at the places you mentioned. We (my wife and I) reviewed several RPTV's at Circuit City. Some were exceptional performers (Hitachi & Toshiba)with great prices. We looked at plasma too, including Pioneer Elite's 50" and neither plasma nor RPTV looked "cinematic" enough to us. That's when we decided to go front projection. It's like being at the movie theater...without the gum on the floor.
One word of caution: It you plan to install your screen in a room that has a lot of uncontrollable ambient light, you may wish to consider going with a RPTV or a Plasma, as front projection requires a darkened room. My HT is in my basement and I have eliminated all of the windows. If your room has windows, you may be able to cover them with light-blocking window treatments. I can't stress enough how important light control is with front projection! It's imperative.
Ah, yes, the B&W 800 Series. Nice sound. When we were first looking for a sound system for our HT, I must admit that B&W was one of our first serious considerations. We listened to over 10 different systems including the following brands using the DVD 'The Matrix' (lobby shootout and helicopter rescue scenes) for comparison: B&W, M&K, Meridian, Atlantic, Klipsch, Boston Accoustics, Martin Logan, Kef, & Energy just to name a few. Although I am a much more critical listener than my wife, only one set of speakers jumped up and got both of our attentions at the very same moment: Klipsch! We were shocked! At the time, the only Klipsch speakers I had ever owned (or cared for) were the Promedia 5.1's hooked up to the PC in my home office. I was a speaker snob. I always dissed on Klipsch because they used horns instead of domes. I thought that horns sounded "honky". Well, snob-no-more. I am converted and enlightened! The Klipsch were the only speaker we heard that were dynamic enough to make the scenes we were watching seem more believable and true-to-life. The B&Ws, although excellent for listening to music (so are the Klipsch) they seem to fall on their faces watching movies unless you have monstrous amounts of power amplification available (I do not). The Klipsch never broke up or sounded edgy, regardless of the volume and I am happy to report the same results from them when I brought them home. They always do what I ask of them, including while listening to music. I have yet to be dissappointed, and they are less expensive than most, especially the Meridians! I do think the Meridians are better, but look where you've got to go in price just to beat the Klipsch! No thanks! I also discovered, most of the newer theaters in my area use Klipsch speakers as well. So, now with the DLP and the Klipsch, my sights AND sounds are both just like being at the movies! I'm going to have to buy some gum.......
-Picky
, but the fan noise decreases greatly on "Normal" mode as well. He said that after calibrating my projector with one of these DVDs, and then giving myself two weeks to adjust to the new settings, should allow me to be thrilled by more contrast, higher definition, and greater resolution while enjoying lower fan noise. He also said to be sure my room is dark. It is! I can vouch for the fan noise, as when it is set to "Normal" brighteness, it's nearly impossible to hear the fan. If this works, then problem solved! 
I ordered the DVE DVD a few minutes ago from Amazon for $17 and change. 
I have changed my profile to correct this. Thanks!
Hey, live it up!
Question on Bass Shakers
in Home Theater
Posted
Hey! Check out the bass shakers on the theater seats in my friend's theater. He's got a really nice theater and theater site: http://www.fatbulldog.com/
-Picky