Dedicated audio room build thread aka The Big Dig

[HughP3]

Its awesome that you are keeping us in the loop with this build as it progresses. Really enjoying all the efforts and attention to details that you and the construction team are pursuing.

Thanks Jturbo - I will do a walk around vid and post on YouTube. Will post the link in a few days.

 

[jturbo]

Thanks Jturbo - I will do a walk around vid and post on YouTube. Will post the link in a few days.

Thats great. Ive enjoyed the pics also.

 

[HughP3]

As promised a short video of the project. Lol no i wont quit my day job as I suck as a presenter but hope its still informative.

We are getting close to needing the HVAC system installed. I will have a separate dehumidifier system (yes can turn off as needed) to keep the activated carbon dry. Once that is up and running the carbon can be shipped and we start to fill/install boxes. After the boxes are in, wiring can be installed. The wiring has to run on the room side of the boxes.

 

[Halcro]

As promised a short video of the project. Lol no i wont quit my day job as I suck as a presenter but hope its still informative.

We are getting close to needing the HVAC system installed. I will have a separate dehumidifier system (yes can turn off as needed) to keep the activated carbon dry. Once that is up and running the carbon can be shipped and we start to fill/install boxes. After the boxes are in, wiring can be installed. The wiring has to run on the room side of the boxes.

Amazing....
Thanks for posting.
Looking forward to the completion and seeing your equipment
Do you have analogue?

 

[Macattack]

Well done Hugh. Looking forward to the rest of the build.

 

[HughP3]

Amazing....
Thanks for posting.
Looking forward to the completion and seeing your equipment
Do you have analogue?

Halcro - no analog. I like to jump around and digital is just too easy for that. I still have my very old Luxman tt but it is no match for the current equipment. If i could borrow a hi-end setup to try maybe I could be persuaded

 

[microstrip]

Great work. Are you going to use carbon in all the cavities?

 

[HughP3]

Great work. Are you going to use carbon in all the cavities?

Thanks. Yes all of the wall cavities and all of the ceiling + door.

 

[PeterA]

That recent video was very helpful to explain what you are doing. Very impressive and thank you for sharing.

Vinyl takes dedication. Based on what you are doing, it looks like you could handle it. If you don't already have a large LP collection, it may not be worth jumping in. OTOH, You might be pleasantly surprised if you hear a high level vinyl rig and think it is worth adding it to your system. We have some members who are going seriously into vinyl and have small collections.

If you have this all complete and music playing by the end of the year, I will be most impressed.

 

[HughP3]

That recent video was very helpful to explain what you are doing. Very impressive and thank you for sharing.

Vinyl takes dedication. Based on what you are doing, it looks like you could handle it. If you don't already have a large LP collection, it may not be worth jumping in. OTOH, You might be pleasantly surprised if you hear a high level vinyl rig and think it is worth adding it to your system. We have some members who are going seriously into vinyl and have small collections.

If you have this all complete and music playing by the end of the year, I will be most impressed.

I have no vinyl collection, gave it all to my brother in law 15+ years ago. I do miss Sheffield Labs DD Thelma H and Pressure Cooker but that could be fond memories (the CD does suck tho, no comparison). If i go for more equipment it will be higher up the dCS chain but my wallet is very sad right now and needs a break.

 

[Loheswaran]

Some my find this interesting, some may say other things but I think this site is in the formers camp.

I got frustrated when my search for a speaker upgrade led me to the realization that my small room would not work for what i liked at AXPONA this year. I was at a cross roads. I wanted a big performance increase but I either jump into the deep end, give up the hobby or be content with a descent but never a great system. At 61 years and seeing friends pass already, my wife and i decided this is our forever home so we.. jumped. And we jumped big for speakers. Our initial short list of speakers were ML Neoliths, Avantgarde Duo Mezzo XD and Rockport Cygnus. However the Best of Show choice for us at AXPONA was Gryphon Trident II. Much more money than the latter's but in the end I wanted a forever speaker, no more what ifs, no more searching, so we bought them. They are sitting in crates at my house waiting for Joseph Cali to install when the next phase is ready.



Attached are some pictures of progress so far. I am hoping to be live by the end of the year. Will post as things progress.
Cheers, Hugh

Can I just say this is like the Remington shaver advert - I like the shaver so much I bought the company...

I love the fact that your project is surrounded by trees - I assume you live a good distance from any traffic noises.

I did a small dedicated room at my home in the UK where I created 'a room within a room' in my loft - and I thought that was cool...

congrats can't wait to see the final result

 

[HughP3]

Can I just say this is like the Remington shaver advert - I like the shaver so much I bought the company...

I love the fact that your project is surrounded by trees - I assume you live a good distance from any traffic noises.

I did a small dedicated room at my home in the UK where I created 'a room within a room' in my loft - and I thought that was cool...

congrats can't wait to see the final result

Thanks for the response Loheswaran. The location is very quite rarely hear cars. Maybe target practice but no cars lol...

 

[Big B]

A suggestion since you are at HVAC. I put a powered vent right by my projector. It draws off the heat from the projector and keeps theatre from being an oven.

 

[HughP3]

A suggestion since you are at HVAC. I put a powered vent right by my projector. It draws off the heat from the projector and keeps theatre from being an oven.

Hello bigb thanks for the suggestion but this is 2 channel only

 

[Loheswaran]

Hello bigb thanks for the suggestion but this is 2 channel only

Out of pure interest - why? -
You do not necessarily have to lose out - optimise for 2 channel and just add some back channels - James Bond style screen down at the touch of a button - sofa come up from underground ... sorry getting carried away

 

[jturbo]

Curious how things are progressing?

 

[HughP3]

Jturbo the build is progressing just a little slow. Hvac was delivered, holes cut for duct work last week but ducts not installed yet.

The last bit of the framing was the door. My framers got cold feet so I roped my brother in-law(s) into the build. Seth is a cabinet maker and was confident we could build it.
I needed the door to be constructed just like the walls. All of the layers + carbon filters. And the full door thickness would be 14 inches and weigh we think 350 pounds. I wanted the door to be 74” wide by 84” tall. And I wanted the door to be in 2 parts like French doors. We quickly realized that a 14” French door could not open a typical 90 degree, it jams. So We decide to cut the doors at 45 degree opposing angles. we also needed very straight materials and wide. We decided on 3/4” oak plywood. Super flat and we could cut to any length and width we needed. We also decide to double the plywood for all the construction. Everything in the build is glued and screwed. I already had ball bearing hinges rated at 200 pounds per hinge. Each door would get 3 hinges. The hinges I modified by adding additional plate steel to lengthen them 5 inches. I Tig welded, not super pretty but strong. Used drill press for the 10 additional screw holes each hinge needed. We basically designed the doors as we went along. From the video link below you can see I am very pleased with how the framing and mounting turned out! Finger pressure to move is all that is needed.

 

[jturbo]

Holy Moley! That is fantastic!

 

[HughP3]

HVAC going in. The Ducts are lined and also have internal baffles for noise reduction.

 

[HughP3]

Also ceiling stuffing is complete. This is the layering schematic. Alternates btwn 10" and 8" air space.