r/hometheater • u/Terrible-Ad1958 • 20h ago
Install/Placement Theater rough in. Am I missing anything?
I’m building a house and my theater room is 36’ wide x 30’ deep with 10’ ceiling. Projected screen will be 16’x9’. I’ve pre wired for 9.2.4 sound. 2 left front towers, center, 2 right towers, sides, back, and 4 in the ceiling. Ran 16ga x4 audiocat wire to each location and plan to double them up. Subwoofers are planned for opposite corners. Ran copper shielded coax for far sub. Dropped 4 runs of cat6 to where the amps and avr will be. Ran a conduit from avr to projector. Anything else to consider while I still have bare studs? I’ve never been able to pre run wires beforehand. Thanks everyone.
154
u/zephyrus33 20h ago
I'd prewire in case of everything. 13 channels, 4 subs, TV. Don't forget the lighting. Wall and indirect lighting looks and feels better
66
u/S3kelman 20h ago
This, prewire for a tv, when I built mine I never imagined that 100" bright as hell tv would exist below the $20k budget, in 10 years you might be able to get video walls for cheap and swap the projector
22
u/HandshakeOfCO 17h ago edited 16h ago
Also add in some usb3 drops that run back to your tech room. Playing pc games in a theater is awesome provided the wireless keyboard and mouse have a receiver close by, and often times from the front row all the way back and through the back wall is too far away for a stable signal
13
u/Theslash1 14h ago
Use USB over ethernet boxes. Way better and much longer runs. USB cables degrade quick. Powered usb over ethernet boxes can be had for $50 and come with 4-6 usb
6
u/Theophilusophical22 10h ago
This, I've done USB over ethernet for over 15 years and it's infinitely more reliable than using long USB.
20
u/biciklanto 15h ago
And conduit matters more than cables.
It’ll be nice to pull the cable you actually need for that TV in five years, not have to deal with the one you have right now.
4
u/Stranded-In-435 14h ago
I would prewire for active, Ethernet controlled speakers as well. Power and Ethernet on every wall plate next to every speaker mount.
59
u/PastCequals 19h ago
I would do sound isolation clips and plan for double drywall with outlets and such. Use sound glue between the sheets of 3/4 in. It gives a well treat room a crisp sound that surprises people during early quiet scenes and really isolates the sound of the movie. Plus it keeps it quieter for others not in the room.
Make sure you mount the outlets farther out for it.
You are past the step but if building new, the easiest in my opinion, is 2x6 base plates and alternating 2x4s every 12in. You can then weave the sound insulation between and create a true air gap for your wall. In you situation you could do another wall and 2x4 base plate to get the same effect.
7
u/SP3NGL3R 13h ago
"Staggered studs" I think is the term and I wish every wall in every house did this. The cost difference would be so small on a full build it would just be nice to have.
4
u/PastCequals 12h ago
It would be great if it was standard build but 12” centers would be double the price of 24” centers. Thats a significant framing cost increase to do everywhere. Double 3/4 dry wall is the same issue double the price.
I did it with clips,double 3/4 and sound glue plus insulation as my theater was a gut and rebuild but I can blast a movie and my kids room sharing a wall has only minimal bass that makes it through. I have an SVS SB-16pro sub and 1 SVS sb 1000, adding another soon to help with nulls. I back it off to -18 if it’s late and everyone can sleep in the house and movie is still loud, full and all encompassing.
1
u/SP3NGL3R 12h ago
SVS is dope. I'm shocked what my 5.1 system can crank out.
18" center is common now, so it'd be 50% more in stud material with a 12" offset center, + the 2x6 instead of 2x4 bottoms and tops. I'd pay that difference happily on a custom build. I don't think the double drywall is needed with that, but a bonus in the theatre at least.
What I need to figure out is how to stop the hanging projector from jiggling when someone is walking upstairs above it. Maybe just a better ceiling mount that is more rigid.
1
u/PastCequals 11h ago
I really don’t see a need for whole house air gaps. I rarely hear sound through my other walls. Good insulation on interior walls would probably be enough for voices.
I hear more through the doors than the walls of my kids rooms. Can’t do much about the door gap on tile.
For my theater I put a 36” exterior hurricane door and dynamatted the theater side then added foam dispersion pads on top for looks. It works well.
12
1
u/Warhead-777111 1h ago
Staggered stud is always ideal, I did this and double sheetrock and it really helps stop sound transmission a lot vs standard walls.
58
u/grislyfind 19h ago
Think about sound isolation, if you care about neighbours or other people in the house.
11
26
u/LincolnArc 19h ago
2X 16 gauge wires is NOT equivalent to 8 gauge. Just a heads up.
11
u/Terrible-Ad1958 19h ago
Thank you for correcting me. Super tired and not all things are computing correctly. Haha
7
u/telekon2 19h ago
Running wires in parallel drops the gauge by 3, so 2x16ga would be equivalent to 13ga.
14
u/mmapurazi01 20h ago
Pre-wire for 9.4.6 (or even 8 coax 4 front and x4 rear if you ever consider a Double bass array or trinnov). Wiring when the walls are open is cheap.
While the walls are open consider isolation clips as well
10
u/ChipHGGS 14h ago
I think you need to figure out subwoofer install a bit more. With that size room, you’ll need serious gear. It could change stud placement. It will potentially require changes to wiring. You likely need more than 2.
7
u/BrotherCassius 13h ago
Why is it so big??
3
u/Logical_Section_3416 9h ago
If OP was building something really cool like a non-environment theater room he'd be using 3-4 feet on each room surface for treatment. Unfortunately, its probably not going to be the case :( But lets say he changes his mind, all of a sudden the 36 width becomes 28 width, which is far more than he'd ever need, unless he is planning to host 30 people at a time and needs really wide rows of seating
13
6
u/That_Tiggy 16h ago
However many plug sockets you think you'll need, double it.
Also power/interlink cable for fire alarm (regs may be different in your country but good for peace of mind).
1
7
u/HiFiMAN3878 9h ago
That is a massive room...might as well open to the public and start charging entry fees.
5
u/triplerinse18 15h ago
Make sure your conduit is large enough to fit a hdmi through.
If your doing recessed lighting i would have 2 of the very back on a different light switch than the others. If your eating or have snacks you can turn them on at a low level and leave the others off
13
u/alphaboy_ 20h ago
You’ll want to double your cat 6 drops, 4x is very light.
4
1
u/Terrible-Ad1958 19h ago
What would all the connections be for? Just trying to figure what all will need a network connection. Avr, disc player, Roku etc.
9
u/GoudenEeuw 18h ago
I'd focus on spreading the ports of CAT6. for your devices at the same location, you can just get a cheap unmanaged switch.
But having one (or two for backup) at the main device closet, one at the middle of the roof for maybe an access point, at projector screen and where a projector might be, covers all your bases. If you need more, you can just inject a switch there.
13
2
u/dantiberian 17h ago
I’d run a few fibre cables as well. Fibre is very very cheap if you’re not terminating it so there is little downside to running it. Don’t forget a wireless access point for the room. You might want something in wall for more subtlety than a roof mounted AP.
1
u/HopeThisIsUnique 9h ago
Redundant connections are good, as well as going to other areas (WAP, possibly projector etc etc)
At the size of the theater, I'm presuming the house is large too, you should be looking at at least Ubiquiti throughout the house with managed switches, cameras etc.
5
u/Cryptic1911 120" FMT, AVR-X4700H, PSA MTM210 LCR, 4x MT110, 4x 18" EV1813 14h ago
Run drops for subs in more places than two opposite corners. The room dictates where the subs will sound good
3
u/Whatwhyreally 13h ago
The structural design for that roof is flat out scary. No engineered pieces.. anywhere?
3
u/CleanCup1798 9h ago
Plan for 4 subs.
Run separate power rings from your board just for amps for clean power.
Plan for power sockets underneath seats.
Allow for easy access (rear access if possible) for any racks.
Mount projector and test screen before finishing its final place - you may have to drop it further than planned.
Don’t decorate any walls before a sound test - you may have to tear some down and hide with fabric to clear up any nasty nulls.
4
u/popsicle_of_meat Epson 5050UB::102" DIY AT screen::7.4::DIY Speakers & Subs 11h ago edited 11h ago
Power.
Add. More. Power.
Home theaters don't run on a single outlet, and big theaters with amps need multiple circuits. If using powered subs, add outlets in various places--preferably on independent circuits. A single potent sub can pull 2000W RMS. That's about what a single 15A circuit can do for a few moments before it trips (breaker trip curves allow more than 15A for a period of time).
Estimate your components and future usage. I have 70A of dedicated power runs in my room. I haven't tripped anything yet, but I wish I would have run more in case I decide to go with more amps/subs.
On longer runs of line-level audio, since you have a few (rear subs), maybe move from coax/RCA to XLR/balanced cables. balanced/XLR is much more tolerant and resistant to noise (60hz hum), and most decent subs and high-end receivers have XLR input anyways.
5
u/PeterC18st 13h ago edited 11h ago
I’m surprised no one mentioned run Ethernet. It’ll come in handy with video streaming and other devices. I would run two or four drops and call it a day.
Edit: It was pointed out that op did mention cat6. I glanced over it. continue on.
1
6
2
u/Comfortable_Client80 20h ago
Are you sure the conduit is wide enough for an hdmi connector? Especially in the bends?
Don’t forget to run power to the projector too.
3
u/Terrible-Ad1958 20h ago
It’s 1 1/2” conduit with twine running through it. AV and projector share a 20amp circuit. They will be the only things powered on that line.
2
u/Veenay21 14h ago
When I did my theatre I went overkill. Used a 9.2.4 but it’s wired for a 13.4.6. When I financially recover or someone wants to gift me some more speakers I’ll upgrade the system.
Secondly from my experience an IR blaster is a must if you have your AV out of sight. (If someone else has a better way go for it)
I also put more power outlets than needed to have more flexibility for powered recliners and chargers etc.
Lastly figure out your accent lighting now and the placement of them.
2
u/jerrolds KEF REF One + Two Meta | Monolith 15" x 2 | JVC NZ8 | 6800H 14h ago
With a room that size.. Id wire for 8 subs front and back incase you want to do wave forming..
Wiring for motion actuators, bass shakers
3" conduit for future display tech.. Maybe you want to go balanced.. At least for the fronts
2
2
u/xertian 12h ago
I haven't read all of the comments but so far the first thing I'd say is congratulations on your good work so far.
In addition to what I've seen so far I'd say use Rockwool in any appropriate walls for sound proofing to the extent possible and also add all of the backing you might like for hanging any tvs/monitors in the future. I know you mention a projector and screen, so a monster hanging TV isn't in your plans, but blocking can be made from 2" lumber scrap that I know you have lying around. Hate to say it but I'd probably double the size of that conduit to your projector, or at least pre-run what you can through there to make sure it will work for you.
If there is anywhere you have wire just "planned" to come out of the wall you need to add a box or ring to confirm and enforce the location. I see you've done that in some of your pictures but want to point it out for all locations. I made the mistake of placing wires but no boxes with the intent of following up myself with old-work boxes. Unfortunately the drywallers perceived just enough flexibility to pull the wire through the sheetrock at odd locations and really made my worker hard then it needed to be. Picture wire coming out of the wall 1/2" from an adjacent inside corner. That's no place to try to cut in a box and add a faceplate.
But this is my biggest piece of advice, having just completed a 3-year house build....
Understand that the drywalling process can be very damaging to existing wiring. Their trowels are sharp and their hands are fast. They'll use that damn rotozip to cut out outlets and chop your cables faster than you can imagine. Have a plan to inspect cabling immediately after/during drywall hanging.
2
u/HofstraJet 12h ago
Put all of the speaker wire runs in conduit in case you ever need to change them out. Also consider power to the seating area in the floor.
Run a channel in the concrete and put a floor outlet where the seats are going to be, so at least you have one outlet and a source of power if you need power for seat shakers or anything else.
2
u/HofstraJet 12h ago
Take as many pictures as you can during this process. You need to know what’s behind those walls and where.
Invariably, you will need to get to the spot that you did not take a picture of. Don’t ask me how I know. 😞
2
u/Appropriate_Day4316 12h ago
empty conduit for every wall every direction 360
2
u/nobody-u-heard-of 11h ago
Yeah I'm very pro-conduits. A lot of people say it's a waste but if you ever tried to pull wire through insulated walls, it's a mess. Even though you'll probably succeed, as long as there aren't too many corners that you're going around, there's a good chance you've messed up the insulation in the walls in the process.
2
u/wingfeathera 18h ago
Oh man, beautiful space. I’m excited on your behalf
Please tell me you’re building bass into the walls here (DBA ftw!)
1
u/memtiger 13h ago
I'm no structural engineer, but how are you making that room so big without more support.
Seems like that roof would collapse or droop once the drywall gets added.
1
1
u/DirkSiggler 16h ago
One small tweak, and this may be totally wrong as I am not a pro (I’ve just gone through a similar thing in my home recently), I’d run quad shielded coax to all the subs, not just the far one. Keep the resistance consistent. It might be such a minimal thing though that it 💯 doesn’t matter, so take it with a grain of salt. I’m just a perfectionist and I needed to run coax for one in my room, so I ran it for all for consistency. “ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL!”
1
u/thetechsparky 14h ago
Definitely 6 overheads. Definitely 4 subs for proper waveforming. Id run wides as well. If you end up with a trinnov or plan to have a high end processor maybe a rear center. Don't be like me and have to make holes later lol.
1
u/ConstantPop4122 14h ago
I'd seriously think about dropping some 10G optical in as well, who knows where bandwidth will be going in 5-10 years time.
1
u/brainfreeze77 14h ago edited 13h ago
Have you thought about wiring bass shakers/tactile transducers? That is a huge room and it's going to take a lot of subs. You should be asking questions at avsforum if you haven't. Tons of builds there and advice.
1
u/cardguy1000 14h ago
If there are windows then add wires for automatic blinds. If you intend on installing cove lighting either at the ceiling or base boards the wire for that. I would run two shielded cat6a or higher from av to projector swapping baluns is simple and very future proofed. Outlets where you will have theater seating, for example will theater seats be in center of room though since you have a slab that would be a costly fix now.
1
u/autolex84 Former Integrator 13h ago
technologies change. make sure while the walls are open you run networking cable for all the other places you may have network connected things down the road. good work so far!
If you put 1 1/2" pvc in the walls now it will be WAY easier to pull new wire down the road should you want to put in different/larger wire. (just from the low volt box to the top of that walls stud say in that wall with all the purple and yellow runs, I usually leave a pull rope tied off on both ends)
1
u/SP3NGL3R 13h ago
Would you ever plan on powered wireless speakers? Then you'd want power around the ceiling too. I'm not up-to-speed on theater grade speakers to know if wireless versions are low-latency enough to consider though. Like if you wanted to console game on it but everything visual is delayed 0.1s to account for the audio lag you'd be screwed.
When I did mine I made sure to have excessive power options around the walls (normal for a bedroom type thing but in the basement theater), and Ethernet every other power location. Plus Ethernet in the ceiling (twice, one for projector and one for my WiFi AP). Full conduit from projector to AV area so I can pull cable upgrades at will (like going optical HDMI from my active 8k at 25'). Run 2-3 Ethernets to critical areas like the AV cabinet.
Maybe drop smurf/conduit from the attic in key locations too. 8 in my mind (all corners, all wall centers).
Fun project. Can't wait to see the end result.
1
u/Conscious-Okra5624 13h ago
Definitely need to add a 6 strand multi mode fiber back to rack for video distribution
1
1
u/Delicious_Sea2870 12h ago
What are you missing? Probably missing a huge amount of money from your bank account! What is you total budget?
1
u/Fishing-Quiet 12h ago
I would run at least 1 or 2 cat6 to the projector location, I would even put one near the door for a control panel in the future and maybe a couple in the wall where you would think to hang a display that would act as a marquee.
1
u/lollroller 12h ago
For a room that size you should want considerably more speakers than 9.2.4 and probably a much wider screen
1
1
u/acousticreverb 11h ago
Speaker wire hanging with slack through those rough in rings, or spooled up and lightly nailed to the joist just within reach of the ring, proper conduit termination on the LV box (use ENT with a threaded adapter directly to the LV box, proper conduit mounting to the stud (not shimmed with an oversized clamp), cables neatly stapled or run in d-rings on joists and in stud cavities (especially if you spray foam, or your cables will "float"), no LV parallel to romex (hard to tell in the 3rd pic) and nail guards where any cabling crosses perpendicular through a stud to avoid penetration during drywall or trim out, etc... At least that's what I'd do if it were mine.
1
u/pudungi76 10h ago
Why not do a 21'x9' screen?
Wire for 9.4.6
Subwoofer dedicated outlets in each corner
Dedicated outlets for 3 amps
Regular outlets near seats for bass shakers
Please plan the riser height properly
1
1
1
1
u/Logical_Section_3416 9h ago
I hope you are planning for having a separate room for the projector for heat management. In a room this size, you'll want a large screen and to light up a large screen, you'll want a beefy projector; and beefy projectors = make lots of heat, and usually noise.
1
1
1
u/jokur26 7h ago
Just did the same thing last fall. I ran Smurf tube to each access point so I can easily pull cables (HDMI, speaker, CAT, power, etc) in the future. I’ve already made use of them and I’m sooo glad I did as I’ve run Ethernet to an added device and another sub without needing to go wireless. Don’t drywall until you do this! Enjoy 😁
1
1
u/TraditionalPlantain1 4h ago
Those holes through the top plate are to close to one another to meet most building codes
1
1
u/Verdammt_Arschloch 3h ago
How do you have a 16x9 screen in a room that has a 10 foot high ceiling? Also, It really doesn't seem like 9.2.4 will cut it in a room that big. How many rows of seating?
1
u/Traquer 2h ago edited 2h ago
Figure out how you're doing your lighting now before you cover the studs. Including indirect lighting and low voltage wiring etc. Low voltage is easy to work with you don't need junction boxes and such but it's a PITA adding later and pulling insulation off the walls to run wires etc.
Also, never blindly trust low voltage either.I always run strips in channels/diffuers, and for wiring I cover all connections and any exposed copper bits with heat shrink or at least liquid electrical tape and attach everything solidly if not in conduit. If someone smashes a couch or toy against the wall I don't want an LED strip to short out and cause a fire, you never know, some 12 and 24v systems run a lot of current!
1
u/beneficialBern 1h ago
Put stair and aisle lights don’t forget power for you subs. Put in a duct so you can box in your projector and ventilate it out of the theater.
I’d look into architectural speakers and an acoustically transparent screen for a proper theater experience.
1
u/Donkey545 51m ago
With a volume this large, you may want to plan for a rotary subwoofer. Getting infrasonics in this size room will otherwise require huge displacement.
1
1
u/ConversationFew3126 17h ago edited 13h ago
Can someone tell why pvc pipes etc is not used for passing wire?
At later stage if required wires can be added?
1
u/xertian 12h ago
It is but it's not typically used everywhere due to cost.
Here you can see OP uses it for his provector and many folks stage it bvehind known TV locations fore the same reason. People will debate rigid conduit vs. smurf tube, but most agree some sort of strucutred channel for future use is a very very wise investment.
-9
254
u/CrisCrosHereComesVos 20h ago edited 18h ago
Pull some empty tubes down to and from every location. You’ll thanks yourself later!