New theater for Rs 15 lac budget

[sohels]

Hello,

I'm in the process of finalizing a home theater configuration. Room dimensions are 45 feet x 20 feet x 15 feet, seating capacity is 50. The professional installer I'm in discussions with has recommended the following setup:

Speakers:

LCR (3): Pulz M2 Classic

Surrounds (8): Pulz CS-8 Two-way Cinema Surround Speaker System

Subs (2): Pulz CW118 Classic

Preamp & crossover: See attached screenshot.

Amps (3): Pulz PMX-4810 4-Channels Professional Power Amplifiers

He plans to use the crossover for equalization and calibration. Since I'm not too keen on adding a fourth amp, this will effectively be a 5.1 setup. Each channel will be split into two by the crossover, and will use two channels of an amplifier (each amp has 4 channels). He claims that I will still get DTS-HD decoding, but the surround L and surround back L will be down-mixed (as will the right surround channels).

On sensing that I was not too pleased with this, he offered a second option - skip routing the surround channels via the crossover, which means I can have 7.1, but in this case the surround channels will not have parametric equalization/calibration. Preamp offers basic EQ.

I didn't like this idea too much either, so I suggested using a preamp from a different brand, such as:
Marantz AV7702.html
Onkyo PR-SC5509

Both have Audyssey MultEQ XT32 and will output 7.1 equalized/calibrated channels.

Now the question is, which would be the best config:

1. 5.1 with all channels professionally calibrated via a parametric EQ

2. 7.1 with only LCR professionally calibrated via a parametric EQ (subs and sats will have basic EQ)

3. 7.1 with all channels calibrated via Audyssey MultEQ XT32

4. A completely different system from a different installer (I'm based in Gujarat) - please suggest.

Appreciate your thoughts and suggestions!

Sohel

 

[ranjeetrain]

How will this theater be used? For entertaining family? Friends? Guests? Or will it need to be like a commercial theater? What equipment you need will depend a lot on that.

For the size of your space 7.1 configuration is the minimum you should go for. Also depending on the layout and seating plan, I would very strongly urge you to go for at least 7.2 configuration.

15 lacs is too less a budget if you want good sound in your space. If you care for the quality of the sound in the theater your budget will be gone in acoustic treatment.

You should consider hiring a consultant for this, unless you can deal with all the nitty-gritties of the task.

 

[sohels]

The theater is meant for common use in a new residential project.

Please see above, there are 8 surrounds and 2 subs, so I suppose its technically 11.2? I use 7.1 to indicate 7 distinct channels - surround LR and surround back LR may have multiple speakers each. We do have a consultant, who has setup several of the city's most popular commercial cinema halls.

15 lac is for AV equipment only. Acoustic treatment, recliner chairs etc will be extra.