2. home-theater
  3. 1052501972

Is $18,000 enough for a high end HT?

This will be my first attempt at building a HT. My room size is: 19'L x 11'2"W x 8'H. This room is a library. I want high-end stuff. I want my windows to rattle when the Apollo 13 takes off. I want to be tempted to get up and dance when a good music score comes on. I want to build it myself as I think it would be a lot of fun. I have plenty of vacation time that I could use. The following is what I would expect:

1. A projector with Texas Instruments' Mustang/HD2 and 16:9 aspect ratio
2. Recessed screen
3. 5 on or in ceiling speakers (Thiel or Triad I’m thinking)
4. 1 Subwoofer
5. DVD player
6. Power Conditioner
7. Processor
8. A 5 channel Amplifier
9. Cables for the items on the list

When I priced every thing I wanted individually the price came to over 25K. Bare in mind $18,000 is a lot of money for me. However, I figured since we spend a ¼ of our lives watching TV it is well worth the investment. I invested some money a few years ago explicitly for my HT. Besides, I figured if my wife is not happy with all the money I will be spending, I could just say, that I am not taking the money from our cash flow, rather from a fund specifically set up for a HT. I am thinking maybe I should pull money out now. But is 18k enough? I am not willing to spend that kind of money if I will not have a great HT. Perhaps I should wait a couple of more years until I save up more money and the technologies go down in price. (I'm concerned that I will say that in two years again as I did two years ago. There are always newer technologies coming out.) I have no experience with any dealer and want to know if I could expect such a deal from a reputable authorized dealer. I read in Robert Harley’s book: “Home Theater For Everyone” that choosing the dealer is far more important then choosing the manufacturer of the components. In my experience for other purchases I find this to be very true. It seems there will always be tech support issues. Also, when I want to upgrade and add components, the dealer will know exactly what I have and all of my issues and I would be able to get his/her valuable input. I plan on adding within the next year or so, an AMX system for control, a video processor and an HDTV set top box.

The cables I would start off not so high end as I want to see for myself over time if they make a difference. However, the cables that would go in my ceiling I would want high end because it would be a big pain to replace those. I would also be flexible with the projector, I would settle for a refurbished or demo unit (with valid warranty). I would even settle for a good one that has an HD1 chip and an XGA resolution. I have seen some of those and they are definitely good enough.
captaincapitalism
mrpoindexter
63 posts
 
Unclejeff, you are thinking that the industry WILL sort it out. The problem with that is that there is no such thing as an uncopyable digital file. You can make a digital file no more uncopyable than you can make water not wet.

DVD had copy protection, CSS, but it was cracked. Now, all DVDs can have their copy protection removed, so even if all future DVD players had DVI w/HDCP outputs, you could pop a DVD in your computer and use analog output.

HDTV has a chance of being locked down with HDCP. I would give it a few months after a switch gets flipped and people cannot use their high dollar 9" CRT units and we will see HDCP get cracked. It hasn't been cracked yet because nobody cares about cracking it.

DVD's copy protection wasn't broken by a pirate - it was broken by the legitimate DVD owner who wanted to play the disc in his own equipment. HDCP will be putting itself in the same situation. Like boxing's maxim of never betting on the white guy, we will have a corporate security system against a handful of skilled young hackers on a mission. You can guess where I would put my bet.

Also, remember that to make a few CRT front projectors obsolete, they will also be making over A HUNDRED MILLION voting Americans television sets just as useless. I don't know what congressmen would want to do that except maybe Fritz and Hollings.
slappy
903 posts
 
Scottht

Yeah, i see what you are saying and i guess i kinda agree with you

What i got is great for movies, but it really doesent have the whole "Theater experience"

Ive seen chairs at american furniture warehouse that are designed for HT, pretty posh, but far from the best.

I wonder how many people have a high end HT. It seems like that would be an entirely different world than what most people have.

You'd need a HDTV, at least 63in HDTV or better yet a projector, 7.1 system pumpin at least 200 WPC on all identical full range speakers, instead of tratitional Small surrounds. Not to mention a couple 1000WPC subwoofers But i guess even that wouldnt be consider3ed high end even if you were running brystons. To have it a "High end" i guess i agree, it would require HT seating, massive sound dampers to give it that shush sound, Draps on walls, Sconce lighting, etc etc

I guess a high end HT would not only be good equipment, but also the atmosphere to provide the cinematic experience.
mrpoindexter
63 posts
 
Slappy,

Most of the people I talk to are in agreement that "Home Theater" means a projector when you are talking about high-end. Unfortunately, a TV/VCR combo will be marketed as a home theater when in fact it is a TV/VCR combo.

The wattage doesn't make or break it, as you could run plenty loud on 2 watt per channel amps if you had Avant Garde speakers. You don't have to have 7.1 to be high-end, nor do you "need" a subwoofer if your mains are beefy enough. I don't run a subwoofer at all, as my bass actually is diminished when I route the LFE from my mains and into a sub.

There is no official definition of high end home theater, but around here and over at AVS, you will be looking at an HDTV/Data Grade front projector, DD/DTS system (5-7.X channel) and capable of hitting reference level across the audio spectrum. You would also be running premium equipment in the majority of the componentry.

All identical speakers wouldn't be a requirement - otherwise somebody with Martin Logan Prodigy speakers on all channels would drop from high end by upgrading his mains to E2 Statements.
scottht
398 posts
 
You got it Slappy:)
foreverhifi
229 posts
 
All depends on how you spend that $18K! If you think it's simply a matter of getting the best gear you can fit into that budget, you'll end up falling short of stellar performance. The gear is really less than half of the equation really...and the reason most never achieve truelly top caliber restults with this stuff!
If you read your magazine articles over the past several years(HT mag, Stereophile GHT mag, AV Interiors, Perfect Vision, whatever.), you'll read article after article of the importance of acoustics, equipment set up, speaker and seating placement, tweeking, calibration, knowledge, skill, and experience in doing this stuff right!
IF you want to do this right, you'll need expert help.
people like www.rivesaudio.com, PMI,and others offer some high end consulting for not too too much. YOu might look into it.
Otherwise, there's virtually infinite choices in quality, applicable gear for your needs out there, even on the used market. But the consulting and expert help..that you can't be some liberal with...chose qualified help. That's what my extensive experience around doing this stuff right has reinforced over the years. good luckk......
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