Big Daddy's Home Theater Thread

[fupduk2]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Read my post #14. I have been adding, moving, changing houses, building, etc. for over a century now. It is not that easy to worry about wires when you are a compulsive tweaker and change things every day. If I walk into my movie room, I end up tweaking and changing something. How many of you have run the Audyssey program at least 50 times? I also own an SPL meter and end up overriding everything that Audyssey does. It is just part of the fun.

I once invided some pro installers to my house to help me with wire management. They took one look and joked that it looked like pasta. I plan to make the speaker wires on the walls a bit more orderly. I will then get a court issued restraning order against myself that I should not be allowed into the movie room. I am not sure there is much I can do for the cables behind the equipment.

Are you a vampire?

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by fupduk2

Are you a vampire?

Yes, I don't sleep at nights and I like beautiful women, although I don't suck their blood. Keep quite and don't mention it to my wife.

[fupduk2]

Those facts aside, you said you've been working on it for a hundred years.

Nice system/s none the less.

[Blu_Ray_Fan]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

When I bought the Martin Logan, I only had the Def. Tech. center channel. I was looking for something more powerful. I was also fully aware of the so-called timbre matching, but after many years of playing with speakers and tweaking them, I have reached the conclusion that although timbre matching is important, it is a bit over rated. Even two identical speakers from the same comapny do not sound alike in a small home theater room because of interaction with room boundaries, carpets, curtains, furniture, etc. Location in a room is probably as important as the built quality. This is even more important with subwoofers because of the long wavelengths sounds that they output.

Several years ago, I went to a dealer in Orange County, CA and spent several hour with the ML speaker. I was very impressed, but it cost $1,800. I explained to them that I already had a center channel that matched my two front speakers. They agreed that if I did not like the results, I could bring the speaker back. I am sure you know about ML speakers. They weigh like a ton. You need two people to carry the center channel. Anyway, I brought the speaker home and attached it to my system. After a break in period, I was surprised how much it blended with the rest of my system. I am a compulsive tweaker. I have connected them individually. I have tried increasing the level of one more than the other. I have connected them out of phase. I finally settled on the following setup.

Each center speaker is run by a separate channel of the Cinepro amplifier. I used the knobs on the Cinepro and adjusted the level of the two center channels. The Definitive speaker is set about 1 db higher. Then I used the equalizer within the Denon to get the best sounding result for all speakers. It gives me very good results. Typically, when people on this forum complain about the perfomance of their center channel, I want to invite them to my house for a demo.

I also use six surround speakers: four side surrounds (2 on each side), and two rear surrounds. The Denon receiver is one of the few receivers that supports this configuration. They are called A & B. When I run the calibration program, it adjusts the level of each one individually and then again it adjusts the combined A + B level.

WOW! You could have just said "They sound good" Thanks for the GREAT explanation though!

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Blu_Ray_Fan

WOW! You could have just said "They sound good" Thanks for the GREAT explanation though!

Thanks. Now you understand what I mean when I say that I am a compulsive tweaker. Unless I do my best in explaining something, I won't bother to post anything. If you look at my other threads and posts, you will understand this.

[Blu_Ray_Fan]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

If you look at my other threads and posts, you will understand this.

I've read them all. I joined blu-ray.com allmost a year ago, but was lurking for months before that. I have read all about your subs, x-overs, lol etc...

[Tru2theBlu]

Is Big Daddy your alter ego? You really seem to be into it.

[HAMP]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

My wife is now using the HT room as a bedroom. Every once in a while, I have to carry her upstairs to the bedroom. This is one of the negatives of making your wife more appreciative of HT.

That's niiiice, My girl is into me and the HT thing. She falls asleep while watching movies all the time. I use to turn the volume up so she'll get up and go in the bedroom, but that doesn't work she will just lay there.

Wierd thing, if she is already in the bedroom and I turn it up she will ask me to turn it down.

The sweet spots for the bass is something else!!!!

[Blu_Ray_Fan]

Originally Posted by HAMP

Wierd thing, if she is already in the bedroom and I turn it up she will ask me to turn it down.

Same thing here! She falls asleep with the damn thing at reference level, then when she goes to bed it's "Can you PLEASE turn it down!?!"

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Tru2theBlu

Is Big Daddy your alter ego? You really seem to be into it.

I have multiple personalities. You don't even know about my collection of SLR and digital cameras and Zeiss lenses. You should also see all the computers that I have built. I have built at least 50 computers in the last 10-15 years. Every member of our family has a computer built by me. I won't even mention anything about my plumbing expertise. One of the hardest jobs I ever did was to install a reverse osmosis water filteration under our kitchen sink. Imagine drilling a quarter inch hole in solid steel in the middle of the night. Thank god our house is not very close to our neighbors and we can make as much noise as we want without any concerns to our neighbors.

The above mentioned are my part-time hobbies. I aslo have travelled to many other countries, written a few scientific books and articles, and love ice hockey. Unfortunately, the Kings suck and I hate the ducks. Let's go Kings.

P.S. I only sleep one night a week.

[JJ]

Ahh - but do you know as much about Architecture and History as I do? Or bilingual with dabblings in 2 other languages?



I see that since you don't sleep, you live out your dreams,

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by HAMP

That's niiiice, My girl is into me and the HT thing. She falls asleep while watching movies all the time. I use to turn the volume up so she'll get up and go in the bedroom, but that doesn't work she will just lay there.

Wierd thing, if she is already in the bedroom and I turn it up she will ask me to turn it down.

The sweet spots for the bass is something else!!!!

Originally Posted by Blu_Ray_Fan

Same thing here! She falls asleep with the damn thing at reference level, then when she goes to bed it's "Can you PLEASE turn it down!?!"

Both of you need to get this remote that is made for men and give it to her as a birthday gift.

MenRemote.jpg

[ixlegitballinxl]

that remote is backordered now, I just bought them all

[JJ]

LMAO! Pops has humor!!!

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

I don't believe there is any redundant wires.

I'm sure you don't have redundant wiring, I commenting on the 'mere mortals' who dabble in home theater.

• I have separate amplifiers powering all speakers.
• I have two Def. Tech Super Towers w 15" powered subwoofers. I have two RCA cables going from the receiver's front pre-outs to the inputs of the Cinepro amp and two sets of wires to the Def. Tech. speakers. The Cinepro amplifier powers the mid-range and the tweeters. At one time, I had them tri-amped. The speakers have to be plugged in for the built-in amps. In addition, I have to run two RCA cables from the receiver to the built-in sub amp.
  

• How does one tri-amp? Is it through utilizing parallel wiring? i would think series wiring would cause delay issues.
  

  There are two center speakers: Martin Logan & Def. Tech. The Martin Logan needs power and has to be plugged in. The center output on the receiver has a Y adapter attached to it. From the Y adapter, two RCA cable go to the Cinepro amp inputs and two sets of speaker wires go to the two center channels.

  again, parallel wiring?
  

  For the rear surrounds, there are two big Bose 901 speakers. Desipte all the hatred toward Bose on this forum, the 901's are unbelievably powerful and can take almost an unlimited amount of power. They can easily over-power my two front Def. Tech. super towers. The Carver TFM-45 amplifier powers these two. So I have two RCA cables going from the rear pre-outs of the receiver to the inputs of the Carver amp and two sets of speaker wires from the amp to the Bose speakers.

  The old bose tower speakers were amazing, haven't heard the 901's. I think many of the informed don't hate bose, they just feel you can do better for the cost of the current systems. Others pick up on this and the bashing begins. Somehow 'for $3k you can get xxx' always is diluted to 'bose sucks'.
  
  

  If there was any more room, I would reconnect the Laser Disc player and 200 CD changer.

Hopefully the new shelving will assist in the endeavor!

I have connected and re-connected this many many times. We have changed houses a few times and we have gone through major construction upgrades. Between writing sticky threads for Blu-ray.com, making subwoofers, and watching Blu-ray movies in my spare time, I am just too tired to worry about the cables.

Your set up is gorgeous. Revolt against the wiring fanatics! Your setup is aesthetically pleasing (LOVE the jazz band) you can't really SEE the wiring, and with all the tweaking, I'm sure sounds amazing. I love playing with equipment, so next time I have a business trip to SoCal, I'll hit you up

[blu_world]

ah,cool..


Any rare D-VHS tapes in 720P/1080i picture?.




its when blu-ray,hd-dud didn't exist yet,with picture in 720P or 1080i

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Slec

How does one tri-amp? Is it through utilizing parallel wiring? i would think series wiring would cause delay issues.

There is a thread on bi-amping and bi-wiring with a sticky. In order to tri-amp, you need three amplifiers and your speaker must have speaker level input connections to reach the woofer, mid-range and tweeters. You need to attach Y adaptersto the pre-outs for the fronts and three sets of RCA cables (L & R) from the pre-outs to the inputs of three amplifiers. From the amplifiers your run three sets of wires to the woofer, mid-range and tweeter. My Def Tech super tower has a built-in amplifier for the 15" built-in subwoofer (just like a powered subwoofer). As a result, I only need two additional amplifiers for the mid-range and tweeters.

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

There is a thread on bi-amping and bi-wiring with a sticky. In order to tri-amp, you need three amplifiers and your speaker must have speaker level input connections to reach the woofer, mid-range and tweeters. You need to attach Y adaptersto the pre-outs for the fronts and three sets of RCA cables (L & R) from the pre-outs to the inputs of three amplifiers. From the amplifiers your run three sets of wires to the woofer, mid-range and tweeter. My Def Tech super tower has a built-in amplifier for the 15" built-in subwoofer (just like a powered subwoofer). As a result, I only need two additional amplifiers for the mid-range and tweeters.

I'm all over bi-amping, I like the way it sounds vs. standard wiring. Had never heard the term tri-amping and thought you would need external crossover and/or additional terminals on the speaker box. Built-in powered sub with external amps answers it. Learn something new every day. Thanks!

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by blu_world

ah,cool..
Any rare D-VHS tapes in 720P/1080i picture?.

its when blu-ray,hd-dud didn't exist yet,with picture in 720P or 1080i

I remember D-VHS. It had a very small market, even smaller than Laser Disc. I didn't get involved with the format. Most of my movies on video tape are on VHS or S-VHS. I also have a few rare Beta movies. I am too embarrased to mention that I have the original Deep Throat on Beta. It was a very controversial movie in the 1970's and was banned in many states. The more the government put pressure on the theaters, the more the people wanted to see the movie. Some of the actors were put on trial. It was a ridiculous case since there were no minors involved. There is a documentary about the movie that was on TV. I had to buy a copy out of curiosity. At least, that is my excuse. Compared to some of the stuff they openly sell these days, it is pretty lame, but it is funny.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Slec

I'm all over bi-amping, I like the way it sounds vs. standard wiring. Had never heard the term tri-amping and thought you would need external crossover and/or additional terminals on the speaker box. Built-in powered sub with external amps answers it. Learn something new every day. Thanks!

The amplifier on the Def Tech is internal. Most HT people use passive bi-amping as you do not have access to the crossovers. A few people have the courage to open the speaker and disconnect the crossover and use external crossovers. It is not as hard as it sounds.

Most professionals use bi or tri-amping with external two-way or three-way crossovers. Most speakers for clubs, concerts, and DJ's allow for this. I own a Pyle Pro external three way crossover that cost $70 and I use on a subwoofer that I built to cntrol its volume.