I've got my choice of two large rooms for my listening space; now what?

Duckzilla

"Laugh it up fuzzball"
I decided to move out of the city and into the country, for a bigger place, more land, and the house I found is way beyond my expectations. While searching I only went to physically look at two houses. The first was a bust, the second I wanted as soon as I saw the listing. There was a description of an upstairs "family room", 21' x 18", plus "megastorage". As I reached the top of the stairs, I found the good-sized family room would need some work to make it ready to use as a dedicated listening space/HT. There's windows at both end, and just about every inch of wall space, floor-to-ceiling, has built-in cabinets. They can be removed, and I can get around the windows so I can mount a 120" projection screen, so I headed for the door to the rest of the 2nd story space. I wasn't prepared for what I found; the entire length of the remaining area is almost completely open, 40' x 25', just enormous. The drywall needs to be taped and spackled, the floor is bare plywood (and doesn't make a sound when you walk across it), and some cabinets and shelves need to be removed, but other than that its impressive. I viewed it Sunday, put in my offer Monday and the offer was accepted Tuesday! Do you guys think it's too big as-is? I'm putting a pair of Infinity RS1b's up there, but I can shorten the room, and build a kind of HT foyer in there, to make it about 30' x 25' or so. Oh, and the bonus is that the living room on the ground level is 15' x 19', which my WATT/Puppies will like just fine. I also want to share the challenges that lie ahead of me in the next 30 days;

April 3rd Close on my current house, and have 35 days from then to vacate
April 12th: First Deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinsons'
April 26th: Second surgery for DBS
May 1st or 2nd: Tentative closing date for the new house.
May 9th: Have to be out of the old house.
Think I have enough excitement in my life? Did I mention that all the funds for this are coming from an inheritance (from the UK), which I won't have until the week of April 18th?
 
Sounds like a really cool home!
40 x 25 is HUGE - maybe turn some of that into storage for your spare gear ...
a listening space of 30 x 25 still seems large -
do you have lots of friends for Movie Night(s)?
 
It is a pretty cool place. I didn't mention another bonus; a small workshop off the family room filled to the ceiling with shelves packed with caps, boards, tubes, about 25-30 tube amps (prob from consoles; there's 4 or 5 around) and transformers. I'm a little unclear about the plan, but if I understand correctly, the listing agent is responsible for getting the house cleared out, and has to tag anything I'd like to keep, and they won't throw it into a dumpster. I'm going with two of my friends this Sat to get the inspection done, and I'll be tagging the stuff to keep. No pics yet, not until it's cleared up. I think I'm going to draw up some plans to include some sort of foyer, with double doors, maybe a ticket booth, and storage for other gear won't be a problem. Stay tuned...........

P.S. I just noticed your HT gear list includes an Integra 9.8. Just picked one up 2 mos ago for $75, got the mic off eBay for $12m and a new remote for $50. I've given it a test, but not really used it yet. It's one impressive chunk of electronic sophistication....can't wait to try it!
 
Bass modes are very much affected by dimensional ratios. Even ratios, especially squares are to be avoided if possible.

The 40x25 is much better in that regard and close to my 26x15 room which offers very neutral measured response albeit with assistance from DIY bass traps.
 
I wasn't prepared for what I found; the entire length of the remaining area is almost completely open, 40' x 25', just enormous. The drywall needs to be taped and spackled, the floor is bare plywood (and doesn't make a sound when you walk across it), and some cabinets and shelves need to be removed, but other than that its impressive. I viewed it Sunday, put in my offer Monday and the offer was accepted Tuesday! Do you guys think it's too big as-is?

I wish I had a room that size, you have plenty of room to have the speakers off the walls, room to move your seating location to the optimum spot and still have space behind you that the frequencies can pass by and not bounce back at you.

Look at the space and layout in this room, not to mention it's full of cool gear.

 
4-2-7 hit the nail on the head! Most can only dream of a space that size and all the possibilities and options you have!
And that work room with all the tube gear, keep it all! Once you're in and settled, take inventory. Decide what you want to keep and sell.

Our family room is 18 X 22, and it sounds great in the space. I have my AR3's currently there, along the long wall, about 14-15 feet apart. The sound stage is fantastic! So I say the more space you have to work with, the better.

Last summer I went to a one day estate sale. The PO's were super hoarders! It was unreal, dangerous really, had to sigh a form that I was entering at my own risk. The gent was some kind of engineer or something and the basement was packed with old tubes, transformers, cables, big capacitors, it was almost scary, and there was no power, so no light! I managed to grab a Bogen tube amp and cage, and some other small stuff. In hind sight, I should have grabbed as much as possible to be saved and sold to others looking for some of this type of stuff.

Anyway, congrats on your new home!
 
Fill the room with all those goodies!

And now that you have a lot of privacy you can get a nice set of outdoor planter speakers.
Outside is an amazing listening room too!


Congrats and enjoy!!!
 
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Well, went on Saturday for the house inspection, and had to walk away from it. The house was a structural nightmare and I'm not even sure that it could even be repaired. It would appear that there are no building inspections out in the country.
 
Good for you Duckzilla in not getting caught up in the moment and knowing it was time to walk away.:thumbsup: Something better will come along for you
 
Good for you Duckzilla in not getting caught up in the moment and knowing it was time to walk away.:thumbsup: Something better will come along for you
motorstereo, I so wanted that house, but walking away was the only option, and you were right, something else did come along, in the form of a tri-level, 3br, 2ba, living rm and a large lower level basement, which will be about 20' x 15', when I'm done taking down walls and cabinets. The WATT/Puppies will find a home in the living room and I think there will be ample room for the Rs1b's in the other room. Neighbors are 50 yards away on one side, 20 on the other, and non-existent front and rear. I even have my dream come true, in the form of a 35' x 25' pole barn. I close on it around the end of April.

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