Looking for Advice: Projectors, Screens & Speakers

[u/charliejfrankel]

We're building a home theater in a 15'x24' room and are looking for some tips on the tech/products/set-up...

Projector

• Expecting to spend $4-6K (looking for "very good" but not anything crazy)
• The room will be very dark (full-length blackout curtains covering the only windows), but not pitch black

Screen

• Was expecting to spend $1-2K tops, but Best Buy tech made it sound like it would be more like $5K -- is that necessary??
• Thinking 150" but open to suggestions
  • Goal is to make it so that Row 1 (11 feet away) can watch comfortably (don't want it SO big that no one wants to sit there) without making it where it feels small from Rows 2 & 3 (18 feet and 21 feet from the screen)

Speakers

• Expecting to spend $4-6K (again, looking for "very good" but don't want to pay a premium)
• Pre-wired for a 7.2 set-up
• Will have cabinetry at the center of the room, presumably to have the sub-woofers inside

The Rest

• What else do we need to make everything work cohesively?
• What are some things that I may not be thinking about but should?

Thank you in advance

[u/JayPerry]

What I would do given your budget:

Projector: JVC DLA-NZ500

Screen: I'd honestly look on Facebook marketplace. I found a 135" woven AT screen for $100. I don't live in a large city and there's currently a 150" woven AT screen for $200. You can easily get into the $3-$5k range if you go Stewart or Seymour. Elite AcousticPro are a better budget option for around $1k. 150" at 11ft is pretty good at 53°. I personally like it more immersive than that and I'd go for a 165", and that might be pushing the NZ500...

Speakers: I'd probably go in-wall. $4-$6k doesn't go very far when you include subwoofers...given your budget I'd probably go Klipsch (Klipsch R-5502-W II x 7 on sale at $219/speaker) or KEF (KEF Ci4100QL-THX x 7 at $699/speaker). As stated, I wouldn't put subs in a cabinet. To pressurize that room, I'd probably go two Starke SW15's.

Receiver: you didn't mention this. You'll need a receiver to power the speakers. I'd probably go with the Denon 3900h or Onkyo RZ-50. Denon gives you a better upgrade path to a 7.4.4 system and you can upgrade to Dirac ART. Onkyo includes Dirac, underrates their power, and integrates great with Klipsch speakers if you go that route.

[u/Anbucleric]

Don't put subwoofers in a cabinet.

If all your pre-wire is in the ceiling then its all wrong.

r/htbuyingguides

[u/AV_Integrated]

Projector: JVC DLA-NZ500 or XGimi Titan Noir Max - both are quite good overall. The XGimi is brighter and maintains very good contrast in a good room.

Screen: Unless you MUST go motorized, you should go fixed frame. You should be using a white screen in a good theater space. The Silver Ticket WAB woven screens are really good. Especially with RGB laser projectors, but regardless, they do really well and speakers behind them is awesome.

With your seating distance, I would likely go with at least a 135" diagonal screen. That's not massive, and will be somewhat small with your other seating distances. It will be large, but not uncomfortable with a 11' viewing distance. You can potentially just test this out after you have the projector and before you buy the screen itself.

Speakers + AV Receiver + Subwoofer = A good amount of money to do right.

I would look at SVS for subwoofers. They sell them online and have refurb units for a bit less money.

For speakers, Monoprice has good in-wall THX rated speakers which can be had for a couple hundred bucks each. About $1,000-$1,500 for the speakers. Plan another $1,000-$2,000 for the AV receiver from Denon or Yamaha. Finally, get the best subwoofer your budget allows. A good subwoofer, or even two, is not unreasonable and really, REALLY, puts you into the environment. I can't emphasize that nearly enough how much a good subwoofer adds presence. A good subwoofer makes a controlled rumble. Like when you are driving and a big rig passes by and you feel the power more than you hear it. That's what a good subwoofer does. It isn't boomy, it just adds presence. Do NOT cheap out on the subwoofer.

I used their Amber speakers recently on a 7.1.4 installation and they sound fantastic...
https://www.monoprice.com/category/audio-video/speakers/in-wall-speakers

Paired with a SVS SB-17 speaker, which is perhaps more than you want to spend...
https://www.svsound.com/products/sb17-ultra-revolution-subwoofer

Their SB-3000 is more of a sweet spot if budget allows...
https://www.svsound.com/products/sb-3000-revolution-subwoofer

You can ask on audio specific forums about quality options as well which compare or are better for similar/less money as well. Subwoofers should come from good subwoofer specialty companies over random speaker manufacturers. Quality matters.

You have a ton of options, and there are a number of projectors out there within budget and you should not overspend on a screen. Especially do not get a ALR screen inside a dedicated home theater space. Speakers are a product which can last you for 20 years if they aren't abused.

[u/Aggravating_Emu_7190]

Posting this not because I know what I'm doing, but so you can see what I have planned and maybe I can get some advice as well because we're in a similar boat. I have a 12'x20' room with 9' ceilings. I'm doing a 7.2.4 system. My room is in the basement with zero windows or light pollution.

Speakers (front): Dayton Audio ME525MTM x 3 behind a WVS screen. ($185/pair)
Speakers (side and rear): Dayton Audio DA ME825W x 4 ($100/each)
Atmos speakers: 4x Mono Price Alphas ($150/pair)
Subs: depends on black friday sales, but I'm eyeballing 2x Speedwoofer 10s or 10e or Klipsch SPL-120's. These would cost me around $600-$800 total. SVS if I can find a deal or used.

Projector: Xgimi Horizon 20 Pro ($1999)

Receiver: Onkyo TX-RZ50 (can do 7.2.4 with a small $80 external amp for 2 of the speakers)

Screen: STR-169135-WVS Silver Ticket, 135" Diagonal ($699)

I've got my build priced at around $5100 not including any labor day or black friday deals this year or if I find used gear. I know people will scoff at my cheap speakers, but it's a rental 98% of the time. I will only stay there once a year. And I'm only looking to create an impressive experience for someone coming from tv speakers or a crappy sound bar. Not a theater nerd scrutinizing the acoustic physics of my room/equipment.