| Editorial September 2005
Custom Theaters and the Do-It-Yourselfer
I’ve often heard older
audiophiles reminisce about brands such as Heathkit and Hafler and the early days of
hi-fi. Back then, many enthusiasts modified their own amplifiers and speakers, or built
them from kits or even from scratch. Those early projects turned out to be the impetus for
some of today’s most successful electronics designers and engineers to get into the
field in the first place. Although a do-it-yourself (DIY) audio community is still kicking
around, the movement, at least in terms of electronics and speakers, is not as robust as
it once was.
But if home-theater enthusiasts aren’t building their
own electronics -- after all, surround-sound processors are pretty darned complex -- they
do seem to be tackling another area of the hobby in healthy numbers: the home-theater room
itself. It wasn’t till I began researching the topics of acoustics and room
treatment, sound-isolation construction techniques, and dedicated HVAC and lighting, to
name a few, that I began to see just how many people build or rebuild or treat their rooms
themselves. It’s easy to understand why: Have you seen the prices of construction
labor and materials these days?
Two of Home Theater & Sound’s writers have
begun custom home-theater projects. Jeff Van Dyne and Eric Hetherington are both finishing
basement home theaters and doing much of the work themselves. Some experience with basic
construction pays off, for sure, but when planned and designed carefully, and maybe with
help from friends, the task of finishing a space to use as a home theater is not as
daunting as it might seem.
My own new room will be dedicated to audio reproduction
only; my theater will remain in my downstairs living room. Although I’m leaving the
heavy construction, HVAC, and electrical work to others, I’m subcontracting out each
of those steps and completing the more manageable tasks, such as insulating and painting,
myself. There are myriad resources available: articles within the SoundStage! Network,
online forums and chat rooms, vendors that cater to the DIYer. A little searching will
yield answers to just about any construction- or design-related issue you care to name.
Whether you’re building a simple home theater in your living room and need advice on
wiring in-wall speakers, or are building, from the ground up, an acoustically isolated
home theater complete with popcorn machine and custom seats, just a little looking around
will find you the help you need to do the job right.
I see this DIY movement as significant to the future of the
industry. The strong enthusiasm of those committed enough to undertake such work
guarantees future long-term interest in the hobby. A custom theater can be an exciting
project to tackle, and there are benefits to it you might not initially see: it adds value
and usefulness to your home, it can be a family project everyone can be involved in, and
it can free up space elsewhere in the house. Along the way you can also learn a lot about
sound and video reproduction, room acoustics, electrical issues, and so on. The best part
is when you’re done and are able to sit back with your family and enjoy the fruits of
your labor. What could be better than that?
If you had a hand in building your custom home theater and
would care to share your experience, let us know. We’d love to hear about it. If
you’re considering such a project but have been procrastinating, maybe it’s time
to get started -- you just might be up and running for the holidays. Either way, it looks
as if DIY is alive and well in the custom theater department. I can’t imagine a
better sign for the future of our hobby.
...Jeff Fritz
editor@hometheatersound.com |
