"The room you choose is as important as the components..."
By Theo Kalomirakis

There are a number of elements involved in creating the optimum home theater experience: picture, sound, seating, and the environment. However, proper application of good sound and picture is the single most important element. For some, design would be considered the number one priority, but no matter how great a room is, a beautiful design can't compensate for bad picture and sound. Good design enhances the theater experience but cannot stand alone. Design and technology must go hand-in-hand.

With this in mind, how do you know where to put your home theater to achieve the best results…the best home theater experience? People tend to use whatever empty space is available to them in their home. When you don't have an empty room in your living space, the basement is the next logical choice. Some people convert an extra bedroom. Acoustically, the best space is one in the center of the house, a room with no windows. This feature is another reason that the basement is a popular second choice. Many family rooms have been upgraded to "media rooms." There is a difference between a media room and a dedicated home theater. A media room is multi-functional, providing a variety of uses to the family, whereas a dedicated home theater's sole function is as a theater.

So, once you've chosen the space, where do you start? You need to get advice from someone who knows what home theater is all about. Having a space doesn't necessarily mean that it will work for a home theater. If the room is too narrow the sound will be in your face. If the ceiling is too high you'll have a problem with sound reverberation (echo). Rooms can be tweaked with acoustical treatments to alleviate some of these problems. Room proportions that are too big can be made smaller, ceilings can be lowered, or sometimes raised. Proper room proportions are important, height to width is key.

The room you choose is as important as the components that you choose. It is the frame on which your theater will take form. Once your room is made acoustically fit and the A/V system is carefully chosen and in place, your theater experience becomes magical. Owners used to select rooms that had dedicated space to show-off their A/V equipment, but in a move towards a more realistic theater environment, most equipment is hidden. Many theater owners will show off their A/V equipment as needed, otherwise it's hidden in a variety of ways. This makes the theater experience more of an escape from the ordinary.

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