My new 5.1 system

[HomerJAU]

Day 1 of installing my baby 5.1 system at my new house yesterday. This is in my living room/kitchen/dining room (open plan area about 8m x 6.5m).

I decided to use Focal 300 series in-wall fronts and in-ceiling rears with a small Rel sub as my wife wouldn’t allow floor standing or boxes in this space. The ‘front’ wall is timber framed drywall. Side walls brick external with timber framed internal drywall. Typical building method here in AU.

The project is now delayed as the centre speaker has a 100mm sewer pipe right in the centre plus a 90mm x 45mm stud that needs to bu cut. To reroute the pipe I’ll need to remove a second stud. This wall is (probably) load bearing so I now need to rip off a large section of drywall to add a support lintel and new supporting studs underneath. This needs a builder, plumber and plasterer... Looks like next week before this will be done at earliest...

Day 2 just about to start. This should complete all new Ethernet cabling, IP security cameras and (most importantly) see all the new cabling for my main 7.1 system run through walls/ceiling and we’ll have multichannel music back up and running after over 4 weeks without, after moving house.


I’ll post a few pics later.

 

[GOS]

Can't wait to see the pictures Garry......

 

[Snood]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice Awesome Homer

 

[4-earredwonder]

Day 1 of installing my baby 5.1 system at my new house yesterday. This is in my living room/kitchen/dining room (open plan area about 8m x 6.5m).

I decided to use Focal 300 series in-wall fronts and in-ceiling rears with a small Rel sub as my wife wouldn’t allow floor standing or boxes in this space. The ‘front’ wall is timber framed drywall. Side walls brick external with timber framed internal drywall. Typical building method here in AU.

The project is now delayed as the centre speaker has a 100mm sewer pipe right in the centre plus a 90mm x 45mm stud that needs to bu cut. To reroute the pipe I’ll need to remove a second stud. This wall is (probably) load bearing so I now need to rip off a large section of drywall to add a support lintel and new supporting studs underneath. This needs a builder, plumber and plasterer... Looks like next week before this will be done at earliest...

Day 2 just about to start. This should complete all new Ethernet cabling, IP security cameras and (most importantly) see all the new cabling for my main 7.1 system run through walls/ceiling and we’ll have multichannel music back up and running after over 4 weeks without, after moving house.


I’ll post a few pics later.

Homer, sounds like a great system but the only thing I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT is a lot of current music is QUAD only which means pay particular attention to how the FOCAL in wall fronts are imaged or else you won't get a perfect phantom center channel if they're NOT. BTW, do the Focals have leeway to move them right or left or are they absolutely stationary because in all of my surround set~ups, all my speakers are angled.

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

Yikes.

My "big home improvement project" here is figuring out how to get a single ethernet cable run from the front to the back of my apartment. It'll be a bit tricky, but at least it doesn't involve rerouting sewer lines! Hats off to you, man. Good luck with everything.

 

[HomerJAU]

Here’s the front wall yesterday. I have 55” Sony OLED being wall mounted above the centre speaker. The distance between L&R is approx 2.2m. Rears will be ceiling mounted directly opposite each L&R front just behind the main listening position.

Here’s the centre speaker problem. 100mm PVC sewer pipe from upstairs. Load bearing stud too.

 

[filper]

Could you box out the centre speaker and use the open rear baffle without disturbing the drain pipe ? Then compensate for the (minimal if any) speaker distance in the AVR setup ?

 

[HomerJAU]

The AVR should do that (Denon AVR X3400H) as it has Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room acoustic measurement. Not sure my wife would like the look though. The Focals do have a surface wall mount but that would be a 90mm depth.

 

[HomerJAU]

Here's my main system as it is this morning. We're getting a custom made entertainment unit under the 75" Sony TV (TV will be wall mounted). New blinds going in in about 4 weeks. This is a dedicated media room built on top of my garage.

Front:

Back:
Sides are in final position. The small black Focals at back will be wall mounted today (high). Centre speaker wont be there

 

[dr. simple]

I’ve never engaged in the arguments for and against the center channel, but this is the best argument I’ve heard against it! I’d do the same thing, by the way...

 

[HomerJAU]

Here's the speakers I'm using in the Living Room:

3 x In-walls: Focal 300IWLCR6
https://www.focal.com/en/custom-int...peakers/300-series/in-wall-speakers/300iwlcr6

2 x In-Ceiling Speakers: Focal 300ICW8
https://www.focal.com/en/custom-int...00-series/in-wall-in-ceiling-speakers/300icw8

Sub: Rel T/7i
https://rel.net/shop/subwoofers/serie-ti/t7i/

 

[timothyemerson]

Cool, man! It's awesome seeing people's listening/viewing spaces and great having a project come together - particularly something you've purpose-built. Lovin' that angled wall too.

 

[kap'n krunch]

that is SWEEET!!! great stuff.. enjoy.. getting a new system is always such a delight!!! I can't wait to get my Mrantz 7012 to power the lovely Polk Audios S50.. they may not be very expensive but they sound wonderful to me!!!

 

[esimms86]

Here's my main system as it is this morning. We're getting a custom made entertainment unit under the 75" Sony TV (TV will be wall mounted). New blinds going in in about 4 weeks. This is a dedicated media room built on top of my garage.

Front:
View attachment 34575

Back:
Sides are in final position. The small black Focals at back will be wall mounted today (high). Centre speaker wont be there
View attachment 34576

Nice FROG!

 

[holland123]

That is awesome Garry, first phil gets a dedicated listening space, now you, I'm jealous as all hell, you both suck by the way

 

[HomerJAU]

An update:

Still waiting to get the sewer pipe moved. Should be tomorrow.

All the new ethernet cabling, speaker wiring, security cameras and new automated Gate lock now up and running.

The fibre optic HDMI cable from my main system (upstairs) can feed 4K UHD video (and multichannel music) from my satellite receiver (and media player) to the new 5.1 system being installed in the living room. The Satellite receiver has a Bluetooth remote that works from downstairs and my media player has two WiFi remote apps so I can play any track/album or playlist from anywhere, including outside in the BBQ area, next to my new 5.1 system in living area. Glass sliding doors can be opened to hear full sound (neighbors may not be happy about that).

I discovered the main room upstairs is fully insulated with acoustic batts. I was very surprised how low the sound level is from outside when my main 7.2 system is at high volume inside (neighbors will be happy about that).

I'll post more pics once in-wall speakers are in.

 

[HomerJAU]

Sewer pipe moved:

Before:

Yesterday after studs removed, support lintels added and pipe rerouted. I also added acoustic rated insulation batts around speakers and pipe. I added more after this shot after new plaster board added:

Hanging TV off wall bracket today, fitting centre speaker under TV. First listen very soon!

 

[MrSmithers]

Nice one! That's going to be brill. I can almost hear Dire Straits "we've got to move these colour TV's" coming out in 5.1!

 

[rustyandi]

Sewer pipe moved:

Before:
View attachment 34698

Yesterday after studs removed, support lintels added and pipe rerouted. I also added acoustic rated insulation batts around speakers and pipe. I added more after this shot after new plaster board added:
View attachment 34699

Hanging TV off wall bracket today, fitting centre speaker under TV. First listen very soon!

What happens when you get a bigger one?

 

[olgitnorm]

Pipe or speaker