I currently only have one car, and I wouldn't really mind parking it in the driveway. I think it would be great to set up a nice home theater in my garage. Has anyone here had success with this? I'd love to avoid learning any pitfalls the hard way.
gofar99 Messages: 1948 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, Not exactly, but I did give it a lot of thought. The garage is about 24 feet long, 12 wide and around 11 high. Open 2X4s on the exterior wall. My plan was to partition off one end with a small 4X12 "room" so the equipment could be accessed from behind and would not intrude into the room except for the faces. The rest of things I did to a summer porch and would apply to the garage. I raised the floor on 2X6 beams on 12 inch centers supported every 24 inches on concrete posts (4 inch). The floor was Cris-crossed double layered 3/4 inch plywood. I wanted strength, but not a dead floor like the concrete would be. This was covered with a foam pad and carpet. The walls I insulted with R13 fiberglass faced with foil. The exterior wall was double layered with sheathing board over flake board (to cut down outside noise). Interior was was paneling. Ceiling was open rafters and I used R30 fiberglass with foil there. Then a sloped (1 in 10 pitch) suspended ceiling with sound absorbent tiles. I put in dedicated AC power to the room right off the circuit box and used an APC 1000 watt line conditioner/filter. Lighting and such was on a separate circuit. It was finished off with stuffed furniture and carefully placed wall coverings to manage the reflections.
All this was really great until my spouse decided she liked the room because it was quiet and warm feeling. So I started all over with the living room....
The key things I learned on this are
Manage exterior noise
Build solidly
Watch out for reflective surfaces,
A non-parallel floor to ceiling was helpful
Either the rear or front wall should be non-reflective (the other should be the opposite)
Side walls can be somewhat reflective, but not too much
Have clean AC power
Don't use conventional fluorescent ceiling lights
Be careful not to have too much sound deadening
I hope this is useful. I would have a go at the garage. Mostly the right size and shape.
That is extremely helpful, thank you so much for all of the advice! I like many of your ideas. To start with, partitioning off a room so that the equipment doesn't intrude would be great. I was thinking many of the same things as you regarding the reflective surfaces, but you really gave me some detailed direction on that.
My wife has told me she's fine with this, so I really hope she doesn't change her mind! It wouldn't surprise me, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.
LoveJB Messages: 174 Registered: October 2011 Location: Cali
Master
Wow, impressive. How much did it cost you to do all of that? I'm thinking that making your basement into a "home theater" would be cheaper and easier than turning your garage into one. Great tips though - very thorough!
gofar99 Messages: 1948 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, The cost was about $3500 in materials and it took around 3 months in my spare time (evenings and weekends)to do it. See the attached photos (room1) the current set up is room2. Not quite finished with the layout, but close. The rear wall (not shown) is about 75% open to the dining room which basically makes that the "soft" end of the listening area. The fireplace actually has a LED flat screen for a front so I can figure out what the CD player is doing. The big speakers are Altec Lansing "Magnificent" cabinets (unfortunately no drivers came with them at a local thrift shop) and are now 7 cubic foot vented subs (go to 22 HZ flat). The tall speakers are Martin Logan Vistas. Next to them are a set of Martin Logan Prefaces ( on the TV for sound on the rare occasion I watch anything). The equipment on the shelves are all my own designs and are the prototypes for the Oddwatt line of gear. Turntable is a modified Dual 701 with a Dynavector 10X5 re-tipped with a ruby cantilever by SoundSmith (awesome sounding). The CD is actually an Oppo83SE Blue Ray player (check them out - A list from Stereophile) I understand the new 93 and 95 series are even a little better.
In the old room ( ) Most of the gear is the same but the 55 inch flat screen took over and now runs with a pair of Klipsch KG4 full range speakers I got at the thrift shop.
Wow, impressive. How much did it cost you to do all of that? I'm thinking that making your basement into a "home theater" would be cheaper and easier than turning your garage into one. Great tips though - very thorough!
Having a home theater in a basement sounds like a fun idea too. I live in a part of the country where most homes don't have basements though. We get earthquakes, not tornadoes.
Bruce, those rooms look great, you definitely have a talent for this. I think what you spent is very reasonable considering everything you were able to get. Thanks again for the advice and the update regarding your equipment. As LoveJB said, you were very thorough!
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) Most of the gear is the same but the 55 inch flat screen took over and now runs with a pair of Klipsch KG4 full range speakers I got at the thrift shop. 
