Started construction on a future "SACD" room

[biscuithead]

Our house was built in 2001, we bought it in 2010. I think that there was an option for two walk-in closets for the upstairs master. The original owner opted for just one. I have been in the attic for various reasons and I kept looking at this unused space and thinking...
Our existing closet is 8x10 and has an organizer built in and we only use about %80 of the space, so we don't need the extra closet space. I am selling it to my wife as a potential "guest bed" room.
The space I'm exploring is approx. 6.5 feet by 10 feet. It has a sloped roof that the high point starts at 6' 7" and goes down to about 3'. I have just started to install the sub-floor.

I want to make it a 5.1 listening pod, mattress on floor, maybe tv on sloped roof. I really haven't spent adequate effort on SACDs, so I thought I would pre-wire this space for surround. What do you think of such a small space being utilized as a "listening pod" ? I plan on maybe carpeting a wall and lots of wall padding...

My best listening room in the basement is 18 X 26 and I am a little reticent about such a small space and the resulting acoustics...

 

[tonyk]

I think your concerns are well founded, that's a tiny room. If your dead set on using this room for music, setting it up for headphone listening may be a better approach.

Just my $.02.

 

[StimpyWan]

Why not? With proper room treatments, and speaker placement, that space would be better utilized for a modest surround system, than a stereo room. Use wall coverings (drapes & curtains) to deaden the slap echo, and it could work well. Also, use speakers that sound balanced mid-field/near-field, and it could sound very good. Intimate.

Heck, as a teenager, I had small bookshelf speakers, directly flanking the end posts on my bed. So, speaker placement no wider than the bed, and only 5 or 6 feet from my ears, and it sounded very good! Awesome imaging too.

Go for it (with permission)!

 

[Freddymac2]

This room sounds like a very limiting factor, but I listen to big stuff a lot.

 

[Old Guy8]

If I were setting up a room like that in my house, would use some Canton 5" two way speakers I have, but don't use in my larger rooms. Great application for some great small bookshelf speakers, imo. Room treatments become more affordable in that smaller room.

 

[Nightwisher]

It's entirely possible to have good surround sound in that small of a space. I had 7.1 basically under the footprint of a full sized bed for a couple years (add about 3 feet in width). And all my speakers had 6.5" woofers or bigger. As long as you get a good subwoofer and crossover system to compensate for the smaller speakers, you should be all set. Also, follow speaker placement guidelines to the t if possible and if you use a surround receiver use the auto setup features (I follow behind the auto setups with a SPL meter and a tape measure too).

 

[biscuithead]

If I were setting up a room like that in my house, would use some Canton 5" two way speakers I have, but don't use in my larger rooms. Great application for some great small bookshelf speakers, imo. Room treatments become more affordable in that smaller room.

Funny that you mention Canton... Last week I picked up a pair of Ergo 31 DC and I was blown away by them... I am currently looking at some GL-260s that I might use as rears. I really haven't experimented with near-field listening and I was hoping to remedy that with this room. I do plan on treating every inch of vertical space, with the aim of an absolutely "dead" space.

 

[biscuithead]

I think your concerns are well founded, that's a tiny room. If your dead set on using this room for music, setting it up for headphone listening may be a better approach.

Just my $.02.

I already have many bookshelf type speakers, I have a couple different receivers, and I have a couple SACD players. None of these are TOTL, but for the alpha version, I'll make do. I have a couple Quad systems that I sometimes listen to headphones, but headphone really aren't my thing... However if my experiment fails, this room might well become the place I put a dedicated headphone amp.

 

[biscuithead]

Why not? With proper room treatments, and speaker placement, that space would be better utilized for a modest surround system, than a stereo room. Use wall coverings (drapes & curtains) to deaden the slap echo, and it could work well. Also, use speakers that sound balanced mid-field/near-field, and it could sound very good. Intimate.

Heck, as a teenager, I had small bookshelf speakers, directly flanking the end posts on my bed. So, speaker placement no wider than the bed, and only 5 or 6 feet from my ears, and it sounded very good! Awesome imaging too.

Go for it (with permission)!

That's good to hear that near-field listening can still image well. I do love a good stereo image!

 

[StimpyWan]

That's good to hear that near-field listening can still image well. I do love a good stereo image!

I used the original Boston Acoustics A40 speakers then. Awesomely accurate speakers for the price. And as I stated earlier, they imaged really well too. Good recordings could image outside of the speakers - sound wider than the speakers were placed. Spooky.

 

[twiiii]

Unless you are willing to make the room a padded cell a room this small will never work. I guess you go on the Web and read about LEDE audio sound booths, they work, If you have the opportunity, do try a pair of Sennheiser 800 series head phones or a pair of the latest STAX earspeakers. Its big money, but cheaper than a room.

 

[biscuithead]

Unless you are willing to make the room a padded cell a room this small will never work. I guess you go on the Web and read about LEDE audio sound booths, they work, If you have the opportunity, do try a pair of Sennheiser 800 series head phones or a pair of the latest STAX earspeakers. Its big money, but cheaper than a room.

The room is being built... I have 90% of the construction materials (dumpster diver on job sites) and I have all of the stereo gear (hoarder). I was originally going to build the room as a play room for my 2 and 4 year old, but then selfishness set in and I decided I needed another listening area. The speakers will all be placed in nooks that will be built-in to the walls, and I have lots of foam and fabric left over from re-upholstering some boat-seats that will become my padded walls. I did check out those sennheiser 800 series though, and YIKES on the price. If this room is a bust, I will leave the speakers in place and turn it over to my kids...

 

[biscuithead]

Today I finished the room... about to move in the equipment. The ceiling and 1.5 walls are treated with acoustical foam. My entry 5.1 receiver is a Sony STR-DE885 (CL$20) and a Denon DVD-2200 (GW$12) both have remotes... For now, front mains are Canton Ergo, Center is an Infinity, rears are AR, subs are Dayton 8". I know I am missing the matching speakers of a respectable 5.1, but this will do for now. More to come as equipment will be hooked up.

 

[tcdriver]

I like it. Let us know how it works out.

 

[hjames]

Last time set up a small listening space ws during my cllege days in the early 70s ...
it was in a short attic with angled side to each side.
I put some plywood on one side so I could lay back against it ...
a meditative space, long before 5.1, of course,
with various medicinal aids to relaxation and listening ...
but way too hot in summer!

I prefer a larger space now ...

Our house was built in 2001, we bought it in 2010. I think that there was an option for two walk-in closets for the upstairs master. The original owner opted for just one. I have been in the attic for various reasons and I kept looking at this unused space and thinking...
Our existing closet is 8x10 and has an organizer built in and we only use about %80 of the space, so we don't need the extra closet space. I am selling it to my wife as a potential "guest bed" room.
The space I'm exploring is approx. 6.5 feet by 10 feet. It has a sloped roof that the high point starts at 6' 7" and goes down to about 3'. I have just started to install the sub-floor.

I want to make it a 5.1 listening pod, mattress on floor, maybe tv on sloped roof. I really haven't spent adequate effort on SACDs, so I thought I would pre-wire this space for surround. What do you think of such a small space being utilized as a "listening pod" ? I plan on maybe carpeting a wall and lots of wall padding...

My best listening room in the basement is 18 X 26 and I am a little reticent about such a small space and the resulting acoustics...

 

[sqlsavior]

I certainly hope pictures will be included!

 

[biscuithead]

Last time set up a small listening space ws during my cllege days in the early 70s ...
it was in a short attic with angled side to each side.
I put some plywood on one side so I could lay back against it ...
a meditative space, long before 5.1, of course,
with various medicinal aids to relaxation and listening ...
but way too hot in summer!

I prefer a larger space now ...

Yeah, I can see myself installing an air conditioner in here in a few months... but this is my 16th active system in the house, so I am just happy that my wife and kids put up with my obsession. I put in some color LED light strips to simulate the effects of the "tea" I imbibed in college...

 

[biscuithead]

I certainly hope pictures will be included!

When I get the gear running I'll take a few shots. I don't know that I'm proud enough to share...

 

[biscuithead]

Well... just for giggles I spent the last few nights in my Canton-cove (thought that sounded cool). So we are also using it as a guest room. The finished foot print is 10.5 ft by 8.5 ft.
...And those nay-sayers were pretty much right. For 5.1 it is way too small. I hated the way it sounded with the subs and the center and the surround. BUT, for a near-field Canton experience, I am very pleased.
I have 90% of the ceiling covered in acoustic foam, 20% of the walls covered in a foam/carpet backrest, and another 30% of walls covered in acoustic foam. Floor is carpeted. There is just enough room for a queen mattress on the floor, and thankfully my wife keeps the house stocked with enough pillows to further dampen the sound with 10 of those nonsense items.
Overall, I am pleased with the build, and it cost less than $400 to do (equipment included). I can't sing enough praise for the Cantons. Norah Jones and Mark Knophler like the room too!
Pic 1: The "door" or entrance into the Canton cove (still need to build actual door). 34" wide X 52" tall. Trimmed in oak, this is where I spent the most money on new material.
Pic 2: Leaning through the door, I built the light fixture in the corner (explosion proof fixture and old Edison lamp, painted copper). Wall on right is Poplar floor underlayment, sanded and stained and clear-coated. Back wall is just sheet-rock with a shelf and light built into it, covered in 2" pyramid foam.
Pic 3:Looking down the pitched ceiling towards stereo rack built into truss members... Cantons smiling back.
Pic 4: Reading light built into back wall at head of bed. Room is on its own 20amp dedicated circuit (arc fault protected) sharing lighting and power.
Pic 5: My helpers. I'm laying on bed looking toward "door". Can you see the pocket for one of the surrounds under the door?
Pic 6: LED strip. that can change any color. I just put aluminum tape behind for reflectivity. Corner of pic shows a 1970 thermostat for a test-well.

 

[biscuithead]

It was fun and just another reason to set up another stereo system. Maybe the 5.1 stuff will be moved to another area at some point and I'll hook up the Dyanco ST-70 (still under the knife) to the Cantons in this space... I love options!

Most of the materials came from dumpster-dives and cast aways from construction sites. I had to buy the carpet, the oak trim and 75% of the foam. Otherwise this was just some labor and a few bucks. I wish I could find the picture of my kids helping me paint (leftover house paint). They were covered... it was a blast!