As you can see, this has been a slow project, but we're finally getting somewhere. I have more plans and now have a speaker list and screen size.

This is going to be a 7.2.4 home theater system, and that's really about all you can fit into the room. Again, my primary focus is on music and sound quality so the video part takes a second seat. 🙂 But with a 9 foot wide screen and the correct projector, that's not going to be too bad either. 

Here's the room. To get your bearings, the top of the image is the outside wall and those red diagonal lines are the windows. The right side of the image is the front of the room and the bottom of the room is open to a hallway. You can start to see some of the challenges with sound management since the room has glass on one side and open on the opposite side. Those speakers you see out in the middle of the room will be in the ceiling and the speakers at the top and bottom (either side of the sitting area) are the left and right surrounds. On the back wall are two rear channel speakers and a subwoofer (actually a dual cone subwoofer, more on the speakers below). 

Here's a side view (left) looking toward the windows. They will have a motorized blackout shade that we can control remotely. There are actually 5 treys in the ceiling. There is one large one and four other ones inside. There will be LED lights that will make the treys look like they are floating below the ceiling. 

The right image is the front of the room. It shows the three front channel speakers and the other dual cone subwoofer. Everything is hidden, you won't see any speakers or anything else. The projector screen is 9 feet across but the height will be determined on whether I go with 16:9 or 2.35 aspect ratio, and I still haven't decided on that, nor has the projector been picked out. If I go with 2.35 the shelf on top stays, if I go 16:9 it has to go. 

The side view looking out the windows (the three windows have shades over them) is on the left, with the front of the room to the right. The right side image is looking at the front of the room.

I finally have a speaker list! YEA!!!

Front Channel - All three speakers for the front channel will be identical, and I'll be using the Wisdom Audio Sage Cinema Line 2 speakers. The center speaker will be behind the screen while the other two to the sides. I will need a total of 6 channels of amplification to power these speakers as each speaker needs two dedicated channels.

SAGE CINEMA LINE 2 - Wisdom Audio

WWW.WISDOMAUDIO.COM

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Targeting high-performance media rooms and private cinemas, The Sage Cinema Series models are dedicated to hidden installations behind projection screens and fabric walls. The Line 2 features the award-winning Sage 24” Planar Magnetic Drivers, and six long linear excursion, high-output woofers. The Line 2 delivers a new level in...

Surrounds and ceiling speakers - There are two side surrounds, two rear surrounds, and four ceiling speakers, and they will all be the Wisdom Audio Sage Cinema Point 2 V2 speakers. I like the idea of keeping the same speakers for all the surrounds and ceiling. I will need 8 channels of amplification to power these.

SAGE CINEMA POINT 2 V2 - Wisdom Audio

WWW.WISDOMAUDIO.COM

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The Sage C20i offers the ultimate high-end audiophile loudspeaker in a slim and stylish design that fully integrates into any home. Perfectly suited for home theater and media rooms, C20i produces the highest level of sonic refinement and performance available from an in-wall speaker. The Sage C20i includes a large planar magnetic driver – and...

Subwoofers - There will be two subwoofers in the room, one in the front and one in the rear. Each cabinet contains two 15" cones and a 4000 watt amp, so a total of 8000 watts of bass power. We will be crossing over to the subs at 80 hz. 

Ours will be hidden so we'll just get the plain black version. They do make prettier versions though. 🙂 They also make other models of subwoofers.

Main Processor - Of course the main processor was decided right up front, and that is the Trinnov Altitude 16. Hands down the best processor in the world. Plus I am thrilled to have the best calibrator in the world coming to calibrate the room. His name is Adam Pelz and he's the expert when it comes to managing the Trinnov Processor, and he's worked extensively with Wisdom Audio Speakers. To give you an idea of his demand, he's in Bahrain right now doing a calibration. 🙂 

Trinnov | 20-Channel Reference Immersive Sound AV Processor

WWW.TRINNOV.COM

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The Altitude16 builds on the success of the Altitude32 and Trinnov's exclusive platform with 20-channel immersive sound decoding and best-in-class Room Correcti

Amplifiers - It will come down to one (or both) amp series in their line. I will need 11 channels of ~500 watts each, so 5,500 watts of power. That doesn't include the subwoofers. 

These amps come with 1 to 4 channels of amplification, each channel making 500 watts of power. This was going to be the amp I was going to use and may still be. I would need three of these.

But... these are an option I am seriously considering. 

These come with 1 to 7 channels of amplification. It makes slightly less power (450 watts) into 4 ohms (which is the impedance of all the speakers) than the other amp, but these are sonically better amps. I could get away with two of the 7 channel amps. I need to talk to Adam and Shawn to see if this power output would work ok with the main speakers, and make sure I can achieve the required sound levels.

Time to start ordering equipment!

Projector

Last but not least, we've settled on the JVC DLA-NZ9 projector. Since we have a bright room, I needed a projector that could give decent light without always closing the blackout shades, and this new JVC projector fits the bill.