Home Theater Design using Rives Audio

[Skiman]

I’ve been asked to start a thread on room acoustic designs, specifically my experience using Rives audio. I had the luxury of a ‘clean sheet’ with my home theater, with a large unfinished basement, and was given complete freedom to do this without any compromises from my significant other. The project began when I contacted local dealer Listen Up and explained my needs. I was actually a bit reluctant to even take this step, as I have always wanted to do things myself, however, I realized that I really didn’t have the background to tackle this without professional expertise in the area of acoustics, and I really wanted this done right. Listen Up put me in touch with Rives audio, and I selected their mid range service, which cost $2,000 about four years ago. Rives sent a very detailed questionnaire asking among other things the desired number of seats, type of display, present equipment, window locations, etc. At that time I hadn’t heard of the LS9 speakers that I recently received, by the way. I specified that I would be listening to both two channel and surround equally, and I believe this resulted in Rives specifying a retractable screen, among other things. After quite a bit of information exchange via Email and phone calls, Rives sent a set of plans for the room. At this point I could have contracted the construction with a home theater specialist, but I chose to do as much as I could myself. Only the framing, drywall, some trim, and the carpeting were contracted. The acoustic treatments were very detailed, and included the ceiling as well as all walls. Rives didn’t feel it necessary to purchase ready made panels and bass traps, though you are given that option, and provides details on how to build your own, which is what I did. My previous house had a home theater, really just a room, that I built with no regard for acoustics whatsoever, so of course the new represents a quantum leap in improvement. So overall I’m quite pleased with the results.

[Mike_TX]

I also used Rives Audio in my HT build.
I think it was the 1+ service around 2007.

Mike

[Jerrin]

Thanks for posting Skiman and Mike. I'm thinking about having R.A. design the listening/media room for my next house. I was wondering how the process worked and how much of a difference the room made versus people's older rooms.

I take it from what I have read that both of you would do it again with no complaints?

I'm looking at the level 2/2+ for my future home. I'm also wondering how they will plan for the needs of my LS9s. I suppose they'll probably contact Danny for the specifics.

[dguarnaccia]

Skiman, is your theater done? Would love to see pics if you have a link.

[Mike_TX]

Thanks for posting Skiman and Mike. I'm thinking about having R.A. design the listening/media room for my next house. I was wondering how the process worked and how much of a difference the room made versus people's older rooms.

I take it from what I have read that both of you would do it again with no complaints?

I'm looking at the level 2/2+ for my future home. I'm also wondering how they will plan for the needs of my LS9s. I suppose they'll probably contact Danny for the specifics.

Jerrin -

You are welcome.

Here is a Rives thread at AVS: link

In general I was satisfied with Rives.
However, at times I did feel a little bit like a commodity since they were doing so many designs at a time. For instance, he gave me designs for a 2 channel room when we had talked about HT/7.1 use, etc.

RE: Do it again?

1. Rives - Yes (or similar company). I think many DIYers can do much of the design with enough time and reading/training, but tough unless you are in the business or have done a number of HT/audio rooms in the past to really know many permutations.

2. Other stuff...See this:
A. AVS "What I'd do differently next time thread" - link
B. Some notes in my HT build thread ("next time" stuff near bottom of post #1) - link


Have fun and give us updates.

:thumbsup:

Mike

[arthurs]

I ended up using Jeff Hedback at Hedback Designed Acoustics. I liked how personalized and interactive he made the collaborative experience, how he re-allocated as much existing material as possible to keep expenses down, and lastly that he is a musician in addition to an engineer so he brings together the art and science of things nicely. I couldn't be happier with my experience and how the room looks and sounds....the early reviews by guys I've had by to listen have been pretty good....

P.S. Plus I had to like a guy who did Ozzy's home studio!

Whoever you go with, I would highly recommend some outside help as it led to designs I would have never come up with on my own or by reading threads on forums about what to do....

Hedback Designed Acoustics http://www.hedbackdesignedacoustics.com/

Some comments on the room and from another customer of Jeff's...

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1115953260&openflup&166&4#166

[mojave]

Art, you linked to the wrong page. :)

http://www.hedbackdesignedacoustics.com/portfolio.html

Featured Recently Completed Project:
Art Smuck dedicated listening room, Ft Worth TX. Quite an exciting project and result. Look for detailed case study to post on this site as well as Art's own post at Audiogon.com.

[arthurs]

I was actually just trying to link to Jeff's site so people could find him, but this is also a helpful link, thanks! I'll post the case study as soon as Jeff is done with it.

[Skiman]

Skiman, is your theater done? Would love to see pics if you have a link.

I don't think I'll ever stop updating it, but here it is in it's present form:

http://img9.imageshack.us/g/hometheaterfeb10283.jpg/

In addition to the three LS9s across the front, there are four Def Tech BPVX surrounds and four MFW15 subs. The beautiful wiring of the equipment rack was done by yours truly.

[Jerrin]

I don't think I'll ever stop updating it, but here it is in it's present form:

http://img9.imageshack.us/g/hometheaterfeb10283.jpg/

In addition to the three LS9s across the front, there are four Def Tech BPVX surrounds and four MFW15 subs. The beautiful wiring of the equipment rack was done by yours truly.

Nice setup Skiman! I hate to play thread necromancer, but I was wondering how you liked the sound of an horozontal LS9 CC. Does it sound the same? Did it make a big difference to movies and concert videos?

[Skiman]

Although I'm pretty sure the LS9 was never designed to be mounted horizontally, it does quite well, with one huge caveat. The listener absolutely must sit within the length of the array. By design, the sound level falls off dramatically to either side in the horizontal position. When I first got the center LS, I stood it up vertically, and listened for a couple of days that way, before I had to put it horizontal. The sound image from the center is better positioned vertically, but it's not really dramatically so. It's surprising how much the center image will be 'lifted' by the vertical left and right speakers. I suspect that Rives called for a retractable screen due the superior acoustics of this arraingement for multichannel music. And this was before I ordered the LS9s. The alternative, of course, would be to have an acoustically transparent screen, with the center LS positioned behind it. However, I have come to think that the setup I have is the better compromise. IMO, the benefits of using the LS9 as a center channel are more audible on multichannel SACD and DVD Audio.

'Necromancer'. :shiftyeyes:I had to look that word up.

[Jerrin]

Lol! Sorry about that.


Thanks for the insights. You mentioned exactly what I was interested in: multichannel music. Blu-ray audio is starting to appear and hopefully many others will follow Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, and Neil Young.

I've been debating about using my LS9's for stereo and having N3-S as the surrounds and CC in my dedicated music/game room. I had been thinking LS9's all the way, for a 7.1 system, but listening to my N3-S (made by Ruben and the Ninja) has really made me rethink things. It would be far cheaper and require much less space. But, I can imagine how good an LS9 CC must be.

Thanks again for the info.