Light at the end of the tunnel.

[Hot_Monkey]

Soon I will actually be making some moves to equip my newly rennovated dedicated HT room with some new gear. I have refrained from posting anything in this catagory until now... but the day approaches. The room is wired and powered... all MIT in-wall wiring... 14g/4c speaker wire with MIT modules at both ends... MIT silver RG6 for all video and subwoofer runs... also with MIT modules at both ends. Big 100amp electrical panel dedicated for HT use with Hubbell hospital grade outlets all around. Lighting, air conditioning and utility outlets are all run seperately off of main house 200amp panel for virtual electrical isolation of all HT gear.<p>What to get... hmmmmmmmm. I have the Rotel RMB1095 and RB1080 amplifiers for a total of 7X200 watts. I have the Sony DVP9000ES DVD player... the Pioneer Elite DVL91 laser disc player(s)... I will be shopping a new speaker and sub(s) package and a pro/pro first. Speakers will likely be (predictably) B&W with a remote possibility of an M&K THX package with multiple subs either way. Processor will be either Lexicon MC12 or new Rotel RSP1066 until I can afford the Lexicon. Then a DLP projector and screen. Probably a Seleco HT300 and Stewart Firehawk screen. Then a fancy tabletop system remote to allow my wife to run the system without eight to ten phone calls to me at work. Not sure about what remote to get. That will be the last thing.<p>Wish me luck. I have been awaiting to completion of my theater for over a year... and while I still have a lot to do before it is up and running... the room is still just studs... I do now see the light at the end of the tunnel.<p>Monkey

[Igore]

HotMonkey<p>Things are looking good for you. To have all MIT as interconnects and speaker cables is just something of a big WOW smile.gif border=0 . I recently upraded my MIT Terminator 2 to MH750 Shotgun and the sound is incredible. It was given to me at $200 of the retail price so it''s not a bad deal after all. About the speakers, what do you have in mind now Monkey? Nautilus N802 as ABCIII? Those are mavels wink.gif border=0 . Can''t wait till you have all your gears setup and write a review about them. Good Luck Monkey.

[apcarandang]

Cool Monkey.....be sure to take some pics for us to enjoy of your new HT room.<p>Have fun!!!!<p> wink.gif border=0

[jstwong]

Things are sounding up for you! I''m sure you will be highly mesmerized by your eventual set-up. I know how you''ve been planning / working on it for such a long time. Keep us in the loop on the progress. Happy shopping! smile.gif border=0

[Hot_Monkey]

I''ve been taking pictures as I go... and I will definately post a chrononlogical photo album. At this point I am just dying to get things up and running. If I have to compromise a little on the particular model of speaker etc. I won''t be too upset... I can always upgrade the equipment. What was most critical to me was to create a nice room with solid wiring and electrical infrastructure so that I could litereally "plug in" whatever gear I end up going with... or being able to afford.<p>Two leading speaker packages:<p>B&W<br />Cost no object: 3 pairs B&W N804 w/bigger HTM center.<br />Cost becomes an object: 3 pair B&W N805 on stands w/smaller HTM center.<br />Other Possibility: 3 pair B&W CDM7NT w/CDMCNT center.<br />Sub(s): Velodyne HGS Series... most likely 3 subs as in THX mixing layout.<br />Completely blown budget scenerio: 3 pair CM4 with matching center and 3 Legacy Thumper subwoofers. A friend of mine runs this combination and it sounds fantastic. The little 200 watt 12" Legacy sub is a performance sleeper @ $800 MSRP. Rock solid bass. Really tight. A little low on big room output, but with three of them... not an issue. <p>M&K<br />2.5 pair S150THX center, front and rear on STWallTilt Brackets.<br />1 pair SS150THX tripole side channels on flush brackets<br />3 MX150THX subwoofers.<br />Other Possibility: 3 MX350THX subwoofers<p>I would be happy with any of these scenerios. Again, I can always change the gear... the room is the fixed part of the equation.<p>I''ll keep you posted.<p>Monkey

[voodoo]

*salivating*<br />WOW, sounds seriously wicked!!<p>I bet you''re having a blast doing it all yourself! You are installing Monkey Pillows right?<p>V

[Hot_Monkey]

Monkey Pillows are a definate. You all laugh now... you won''t be laughing when you see the photos!<p>MONKEYPILLOWS FOR EVERYONE. <p>Fight the power.<p>Monkey

Good luck! Sound and Vision should just get you and JSTWONG to review dvd''s on your killer systems!

[del44]

Don''t forget to use double 5/8 drywall. With that much sound pressure your going to need it. Happy listening.

[Hot_Monkey]

Owens Corning makes triple layer drywall with sandwiched layers of damping material for just this kind of application. That''s what I will be putting up... with a big bead of acoustic caulk on each stud of course. I have already installed acoustic barrier material on the floor to prevent the whole house from having to share in the sonic excitement. My gaol is to be able to watch movies at near reference level without bothering the rest of the house.<p>Monkey

[GreatDane]

So Monkey, how bright is that light now?

Holy Moly, I never thought I would see the day when we get to hear about the treehouse. It sounds like it will be an incredible setup. I look forward to seeing the photo album and seeing how it all gets put together.

[Igore]

I believe Hotmonkey has everything ready but just not his HT room ( Maybe a little touch up here and there before it''s officially finished?). I remember when my HT room was built, there was always something standing on its way from being completely finished. Monkey has got those equipments still in boxes and waited to be set up in his incomplete HT room. How frustrating is that? hehe Hope ya put them photos up when everything is done Monkey.

[Qwerty]

Sounds like a monster of a system. One of these days, I''ll have a dedicated HT room, but for now I''m going to have to live my dreams through your posts. <br />When you complete your room maybe you should be called KING KONG biggthumpup.gif border=0

[GreatDane]

<b>AN</b> smile.gif border=0 <b>TIC</b> smile.gif border=0 <b>I</b> smile.gif border=0 <b>PA</b> smile.gif border=0 <b>TION</b><p><br /> tongue.gif border=0

[Barney]

WELL????????????<br />Share with us some of you "in-process" pictures! Update us......... tongue.gif border=0

[Hot_Monkey]

I am a home theater and movie fanatic. I am a computer moron. I will need help figuring out how to post all my pictures, many of which are pre-digital camera (that''s how long this has been going on!). Rest assured I will share it all in the end. Bear with me on the photo''s. Just ask Wi11... we swapped baby photo''s a while back. It took many attempts for me to get him the Baby Monkey shots.<p>Progress report:<p>1. Finalizing contract with central air conditioning installaer to run duct work and install air handler so I can finish framing and sheet rocking.<p>2. Finalizing speaker shopping decision with my best pal who spends way too much time at my house watching movies. We have been harassing a local dealer to no end... even watching entire movies in the showroom. I give them plenty of money annually... they don''t mind. NOTE: SPEAKER SELECTION MAY SHOCK AND SURPRISE SOME REGULAR FORUM MEMBERS. Stay tuned for further updates in this department.<p>3. Have aquired most of the electronics I need... Rotel amps and processor as listed eailier. Elite LD, Sony ES DVD, etc. etc. Will pick up Monster AVS2000 voltage regluator and HTS5100 power center soon. <p>4. Finalizing DLP projector selection soon. Will leave this decision until very end. These things keep getting better and cheaper. Likely candidates are Seleco HT200DMF, HT300 and INFocus 110 or new TI HD2 equipped version. 16X9 Stewart Firehawk screen is a definate.<p>5. Did somebody mention King Kong? How odd. I collect vintage King Kong posters and my theater walls will be lined with them. I have over twenty versions of the original 1933 film poster from countries all over the world framed in identical frame material to match eachother and the room decor. Also some other vintage sci-fi, monster and horror posters... Frankenstein... Them... The Mummy... Forbidden Planet and others. I can''t wait to show you guys the finished room... it will be the product of years (decades) of hard work and home theater homework. <p>Thanks to everyone for keeping my home theater spirits up over the last year or two... living without my treasured hobby and film collection has been the ultimate challange. But you guys keep me going.<p>Onward I trudge.<p>The end is near.<p> tongue.gif border=0 <p>Monkey

[StartOver]

That seems like it''s going to be one heck of a theater. Do you have a rough date in mind for completion? Will you be up and running by Christmas time? I hope it is soon because if you have doing this for over a year, you''re definitely in need of a fix.

[Hot_Monkey]

By New Years would make me very happy.

[bcs]

speaker selection may shock and surprise some forum members? so it might not be b&w or m&k? what else are you looking at?

[Igore]

I think he''s going for all Nautilus. Perhaps All 804''s or 805''s with that big HTM center and a big sub or subs... I can''t see the reason why he would pass out on B&W or M&K smile.gif border=0 . Just my wild guess!

[Hot_Monkey]

It will definately be B&W with some one else''s subwoofer(s) or all M&K speakers and sub(s). I have just been more seriously reconsidering the M&K idea lately and am in the heat of some major demo sessions to make up my mind. Keep in mind that this is a pure home theater... 100% DVD and LD movies/0% music/0% broadcast television. It''s not that I still don''t think of B&W as the best all around speaker line on the market (for music and movie double duty), but this may unfortunately come down to economics, and the fact of the matter is that for the price of a pair of 804''s and the big HTM center (no rears or sub(s) even factored in yet) I could assemble an awesome M&K 7.1 package with multiple subs. Would it be my first choice? No. But with price becoming an object (in light of construction expenses) and considering the movie only intentions for this dedicated theater room, the M&K''s are gaining ground in the quest for a new speaker system. <p>Say it ain''t so.<p>Maybe I will figure out a way to squeeze some more budget for speakers and just bite the bullet and get the Naut''s. <p>I am reasonably sure I will be happy with either at this point. Actually, at this point... nearly two years since my theater was dissassembled and packed in boxes... I would settle for five Bose cubes and a Bazooka tube.<p>Monkey

[GreatDane]

Monkey,<p>I don''t know how you have kept from going crazy.....nearly two years.....OH! wait.....Bose....<i>nurse,20cc''s STAT!!!!.........this man is delerious!</i> wink.gif border=0 <p><br />I guess that''s what''s great about having friends that are into HT too, you can still get your fix.<p>...but in the end, It will have been worth it all.<p><br />What movie will be shown for your HT premier?<br />Have you planned this......popcorn, beer( there will be a beer fridge, right?) smile.gif border=0

[Hot_Monkey]

First flick?<p>No question... Beaches with Bette Middler. I mean Lord of The Rings.<p>By the way... me and a buddy enjoyed a rousing viewing of Blade II this evening and the speaker decision making is a done deal. You can bank on...<p>Three Pairs of B&W CDM7NT''s (front, side, rear)<br />Either and matching CDMCNT center or simply an additional single CDM7NT as the center.<br />(Screen height will determine this choice)<br />Three subwoofers to be determined... very likely Sunfires or Velodyne HGS.<p>What a load off. I spent the whole evening playing musical speakers one last time and the decision comes as a relief. On to the next decision. Home theater here I come.<p>Wahoo.<p>Monkey

[gbedevian]

Wow, Hot Monkey, it''s gonna be great! You remind me that I have dvd''s from Netflix awaiting my family/AV room remodeling finish. They''re also "Lord of the Rings" as well as "Apocalypse Now Redux". I''m in the process of getting speaker wire in the walls right now before we hang drywall and although I''ve already got some 14 AWG biwire ready to go, I''m still trying to find a reasonable deal on some 12 AWG biwire to use instead. Gonna check Tweeter next, and I know they want their revenues. Anyway, I can relate to the anticipation. I''m excited for you and me. Keep us updated, and........you really oughtta splurge and go for the 805''s with a good bass management system, or just, doggonit, go to ebay and bid on 3 pairs of 804''s and get it done right. Just put your foot down and do it for all times sake. You won''t regret it. Go Hot Monkey!

[Hot_Monkey]

The long term plan is to trade in the CDM7''s on three pairs of 804''s and the big HTM center. The CDM7 choice is a financial one. It''s not like I consider them to be inadaquate in any way, I just know that the Nautilus three-way sound will find a place in my system one of these days (years) when I can afford it. For now, I need to keep the budget free to get the room finished. Without the room, the difference between one speaker and another is not big deal. In truth, I have a real love affair with the CDM7''s two-and-a-half-way sound, which sounds fuller at low to moderate volume than a big three-way does. This is actually a very desirable performance feature for me... Baby Monkey''s room is directly below the theater, so I will not be cranking this system for a few years to come. For this reason, I might be buying the CDM7''s even if I could afford the 804''s right now. They are the right guys for the job. And with my Rotel 200 watt amps, they will be powered just right. The 804''s would also sound fine on these amps, but I have the feeling I might want more power with the Naut''s, and I really can''t afford new amps as well.<p>Home theater soon. Must have home theater soon.<p>Monkey

[Gill Man]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> NOTE: SPEAKER SELECTION MAY SHOCK AND SURPRISE SOME REGULAR FORUM MEMBERS. Stay tuned for further updates in this department <hr></blockquote><p>I was betting on a HUGE shock and thought Husker had talked you into the Rockets! smile.gif border=0 <p>Looking forward to seeing pictures when they become available. BTW, Ritz Camera and most major chains can digitize traditional photos. Many people in this forum (me included) can facilitate getting pictures to a place that will post them. Good luck with the rest of your project!

[Haywood]

In a word, WOW. That''s gonna rock! Love what you did with the wiring and damping.

Monkey,<p>I must chime in...go with the (4) Nautilus 805''s, an HTM-2 and an HGS-15 -- that''s what I am running off an Denon AVR-5800 (w/5803 upgrade) and it''s awesome. I can only imagine with the Rotel setup...<p>Of course, there is something to be said for two HGS-12''s but I preferred the single sub (smaller room).<p>Cory

[Hot_Monkey]

At $2K per pair, the big debate is CDM7NT''s vs. Nautilus 805''s. <p>I do believe that the 805''s are a touch cleaner sounding. But over the years and with the many diffenent arrangements I have run, I have come to really like the sound of a system that allows for all speakers to be run at a somewhat lower crossover setting than the two-way 805''s would allow. They have fantastic bass response for their size, but not quite that of the floorstanding CDM7NT''s. I think I have decided that I am willing to give up a touch of Nautilus clarity for the more full range sound of a floorstander. And after all, the mid-driver on the CDM7 is the same as an 805, and the tweeter is very similar, so it is not like we are talking about a huge quality step down. I wouldn''t go any lower in the line (603,604) for fear of losing that sweet open top end and super clean mids that personify the high end B&W sound, but the CDM7''s seem like a very reasonable comprimise for my needs and preferences. Plus you would have to factor in three pairs of $600 stands if I go with the 805''s. My speaker budget is running a bit tight, and I still have to leave room for three subs. $1800 for stands is a bit much. If you factor them in, the 805''s now cost (list price of course) $2600 per pair, and at this point it is not much of a jump just to move up to 804''s and call it a done deal. With this kind of logic, I will be quickly be way over budget.<p>And again, in the long term, my goal is to upgrade to all 804''s and the big HTM.<p>Long long term.<p>Monkey