Large theatre room-- recommendations?

[greatfoxmusic]

Hello all,

I'm hoping to get a recommendation on a sub for my theatre room. I have a Klipsch SW12 right now (12" powered and 12" passive) and it is just not able to handle the room it's been placed in. It had no problem with smaller rooms, but the way this one is configured, it has to be turned up almost to distortion and it is easy to localize that way. There really is no room-filling bass like I was used to in smaller rooms, and the LFE tracks just kill it.

The room is 23.5 feet long and 19 feet wide. The main problem is a vaulted ceiling that is 8 feet tall at the edges and 10 feet tall at the middle, with the 10 feet tall portion down the center of the room, running the short room length (19 feet). The room has a doorway that is elevated 3 feet up on one of the long sides, right in the center of that side.

The only place I could find for the Klipsch is in one of the corners of the room, behind the couch (seating area for the theatre). I found that spot by placing the woofer at my seat and finding the sweet spot around the room.

So my main questions are.. will an upgrade to a HSU woofer produce more sound pressure than the Klipsch? Or will I need 2 subs? And if I do need 2 subs, do you place them together or in separate spots around the room? I saw the little diagram on the HSU site to fill out the room measurements, but my room is different because of the vaulted ceiling, and also a rather baffling stone relief wall that I think is dispersing the bass (hey, I didn't build this blasted room!).

So.. any suggestions from the HSU crew or anyone else? Anything would be appreciated on this. If needed I can scan in my drawing of the room with the values.

Thanks

--Tod

[tdekany]

If you can afford it, get 2 TN1220s. That is your best bet for accurate bass. Call Dr Hsu, but you'd put the 2 subs together.

[Ddavidson]

Start off with either one STF-3 or one VTF-3 Mk2 then if you want more Spl and dynamic headroom......order a "second" unit. The STF-3 arrives on the 29th Dec and the VTF-3 Mk2 is on the 12th Jan.

The other option if you have no WAF worries about a cylinder with a seperate outboard amp, is the single Tn1220Ho and the 500w amp. Once again start off with one and add another if you feel you need more Spl and dynamic headroom. The 500w amp runs two Tn's where the 250w will not.


Ddavidson

[Retread]

My home theater room is 15' by 22' by 10' ceiling with 4x12 beams across the short dimension. There is a large stone corner fireplace at the screen-end, and a 6'-wide foyer (same ceiling) at the other end that leads to the front door. About 35' from front door to screen. So it's a very large room with some odd angles.

There's a 3' offset at the juncture with the foyer. I originally had my VTF-3R located in the sort-of-corner formed by the offset, but have now moved it all the way to the corner beside the front door.

My Ventriloquist speakers are mounted on the beams focused on the primary viewing/listening position about 14' from the screen.

"Loud" is a relative term. I've done some limited measurements with a Radio Shack SPL meter. I've played the 1812 Overture and Pictures at an Exhibition with the SPL at around zero on the 100 dB scale, where the bass pegged the meter, especially on the cannons. I've also played the crossroads scene from Kelly's Heros zero on the 100 dB scale with the peaks pegging the meter on especially loud blasts. While I'm not comfortable at these SPLs, the system sounded good.

I tried running high level sweeps, but I couldn't hear the speakers for the rattles from the various things that resonated. In the early 1960s I had a job with NASA that involved doing vibration tests on Apollo components. There were always nasty sounds before test objects started throwing pieces all over the facility. When things started sounding like that, I quit. Have to do some tightening and padding before trying that again!

Bottom line, I suspect one VTF-3 will do for your room unless you are a masochist.

[greatfoxmusic]

Thanks for the replies all,

I was thinking about doing the 2 TN1220's thing (no wife factor here!), but at first buying one tube and the 500 watt amp. That way I had the option of adding another later on if one still doesn't fill up the room. When I get closer to being able to buy, I will do that recommendation form on this website to see what the Hsu people think. My main worry is being able to expand the bass levels in the room and also giving the room more sweet spots. Right now the bass is very listenable from one couch, but the other couch is in a lull. I would like to be able to position 1 or 2 subs so that the whole room is nicely filled without conflicting waves cancelling out each other! Yeah I know, this might be impossible.
Thanks again

--Tod

[Ddavidson]

My main worry is being able to expand the bass levels in the room and also giving the room more sweet spots. Right now the bass is very listenable from one couch, but the other couch is in a lull. The only way is to put the second couch in the same relative axial mode position. Its only math and putting each couch on the axial peak means you are hearing the same level. If you use a parametric eq you are also then taming at both seats.
Here is a good easy Java Script driven room calculator.

http://www.mcsquared.com/modecalc.htm

With two TNs however you could rely on close impact (less room influence) and lay one each behind each couch. You still will get cancelations but the close range impact will negate some of the room problems. For duel subs I find stacking them in the same ideal room location works best (in most rooms) and it keeps your max headroom. But the body impact of a close sub is impressive and this location certainly can help phase problems.

Ddavidson

[haionlife]

I would use 2 subs but place one along the front wall near center in its best position, then slide the 2nd along the side wall till you get the best mix in both places. Using this config does create a few mixed mode rseonances at various points that are more difficult to predict, but it will even out the troughs or nulls by allowing you to more closely match the flat or slightly peaked responses with you seating positions.

I found this was the best in my room, but am limited by the WAF, so had to move them back behind the mains...I'm using 2 TN1220s in a 15'w 22'd 8'h room with a gasket seaed doors.

You'll have to experiement to get the best results for your particular situation...and isn't that where all the fun is ;) I am an advocate of better bass and higly recommend the TN1220s, especially if you don't have the WAF to consider.

Mark