Million rupee THX Ultra2 Certified dedicated home cinema

[bharath_rbk]

Hey All,

I have been an avid reader in this forum and still making an attempt to gain a bit of knowledge of this audiophile world. Hadnt posted anything since becoming member, so thought this would be the right time to give a try and also to return favor.

Finally a month long (full time) project has almost come to an end of building a 7.1 dedicated home cinema with room size of 14x21 feet. Even though title says as Million Rupee, everything is done on a budget. All the equipment is chosen to keep under certain price, without skimping on acoustics and seating. Every aspect takes an equal share of its importance right from speakers to projector screen till carpet. Overspending on speakers without proper acoustics is the least thing we wanted. When it comes to finally watching movies along with friends or family, they will not bother what all components have gone in. It should not only sound great, there should be a wow factor!!

I have never come across Crystal Acoustics as a brand talked of and their impression in this forum yet. So, I suppose this would be first thread throwing some light on the first hand impression and opinion.

To cut a long story short, Crystal Acoustics has one of the best sounding speaker package which is also a THX Ultra2 certified which doesnt require robbing a bank.

Initial Impressions

* Well built, glossy piano black and black ash finish feels premium
* Floor standers has interesting Cabinet design with silk dome tweeters mounted on top (Seems to eliminate resonances inside the cabinet). They are little bright when paired with Denon X2000, but does its job great with the movies. Stereo performance is good with tonal clarity, high frequency comes out distinguishingly well but Lows are bit laid back I think.
* Center speaker build is again robust, rotating tweeters on top. Though its a single 7 woofer, a double bass reflex port packs some punch and vocals to be very clear.
* Rears speaker has dipole design sporting two reverse facing silk dome tweeters to be mounted on the wall which does a fabulous job of dispersing surround effects and incredible ambience. Of the entire surround speakers auditioned, this one seemed to best both in terms of performance and aesthetically pleasing for the value it comes. THX logo makes an icing on the cake.
* Sub-woofer from this package has been replaced by Velodyne EQ-Max 12, and there are already many opinions about this sub. I could tell only this much, it can literally kick you on the chest with its bass. The only reason to replace Crystal sub to Velodyne is the thought it would be bit underpowered for the larger area. May be a 7.2 Crystal package would have been stellar but significantly budget would also have been increased in terms of additional sub and 7.2 supporting AVR.

Below is the list of A/V equipment involved in this build and I have included the links for particular product in case if someone would want to know more information about them.

A/V Receiver Denon AVR-X2000
DENON AP | AVR-X2000

Floor Standers Crystal Acoustics T2-TX-T2SE-BL
Centre Speaker Crystal Acoustics THX-CT-BLA
Surround Speakers Crystal Acoustics THX-D-BLA THX (2 Pairs)
T2-7.1-UL Home Theater 7.1 THX Speaker System

Powered Subwoofer Velodyne EQ-MAX 12-Inch Subwoofer
EQ-Max 12 12" Powered Subwoofer by Velodyne

Projector Epson EH-TW6100 (Full HD/3D)
Epson EH-TW6100

Projector Screen Winger Fixed Frame 133
Fix Frame Projector Screen, Fixed Frame Screens, Fixed Screens, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Exporters, India

Blu Ray Player Pioneer BDP 450
BDP-450 |

Media Player/XBMC MINIX NEO X8-H Android 4.4 TV BOX
MINIX NEO X8-H - MINIX

Universal Remote Logitech Harmony 650
Harmony 650 Universal Remote Control - Logitech

Online UPS ETON E Series DX UPS -2 kVA
E Series DX UPS 1-20 kVA

Next post would be with lots of pics, for now I would like to leave one teaser...

 

[bharath_rbk]

Pics during the construction phase

 

[bharath_rbk]

Few more, sorry I could attach only 5 at once.

 

[bharath_rbk]

Okay now, finally presenting the completed theater. Only pending item is seating, which we are still awaiting the delivery of recliners.

 

[Murlidher]

Excellent. Good stuff. I wish I could visit your place once and experience this. I appreciate your love for Sound system:clapping:

 

[sash]

Nice!!!
What is the acoustic material used? It does not seem to be glasswool.
What are those drop down panels on the ceiling?
Can you post some details on how you went about doing the acoustics? Which material? How did you construct the frames? What did you use on the top - is it fabric or carpet? etc

 

[aakashr]

excellent work!!!

any reason why you picked:
DenonX2000 over other AVRs when you have a THX speaker system.
Online UPS ETON E Series DX UPS -2 kVA over APC systems
Crystal Acoustics over others, did you demo many systems and then select?

 

[mavi]

everything fine..
please can u guide me why didnt u use glasswool ?
any reason u put..
Projector Epson EH-TW6100 (Full HD/3D)
Projector Screen Winger Fixed Frame 133

dear u can use 3.8mm led screen instead of projector....one time investment and more than lakh hour of viewing..use ur THX Ultra2 Certified dedicated home cinema for general viewing too.....

 

[bharath_rbk]

Nice!!!
What is the acoustic material used? It does not seem to be glasswool.
What are those drop down panels on the ceiling?
Can you post some details on how you went about doing the acoustics? Which material? How did you construct the frames? What did you use on the top - is it fabric or carpet? etc

There are many articles on health hazards listed on using glass wool, again its a debatable topic. Many people have stopped using it and it has been replaced by PVC Foam material specially designed for acoustic treatment. It does same or even better job in sound proofing. There is actually multi layered paneling work on wall (Ply + PVC Foam + Perforated cardboard + Sponge + Fabric).

Infact, the acoustics treatment job was given for a 3rd party sub contractor which included all work & material. Even lighting and carpet was covered under contract.

excellent work!!!

any reason why you picked:
DenonX2000 over other AVRs when you have a THX speaker system.
Online UPS ETON E Series DX UPS -2 kVA over APC systems
Crystal Acoustics over others, did you demo many systems and then select?

Main reason to stick with Denon X2000 was the audition done with it and it sounded good. It has sufficient power, all features that is just enough for home usage without any bells and whistles. Alternative option in the same price range was Yamaha RX V675 which had 7.2 support. Marantz is bit overpriced.

ETON UPS distributor is neighbor, so its the only reason to choose. Any issues, we know whom to contact.

Happened to audition most popular brands, but choosing Crystal Acoustics over other brands was actually very simple. As a whole package, it is still the most value for money package by far while compared to Dali's/ Wharfedale's/ Paradigm/ Focal in their tier II segment because it is what that can be compared with. I was not even aware of this brand until I saw at HT Store JP Nagar. Still many dealers are not even aware of this brand.

 

[aakashr]

Sane here, not really heard of crystal audio. But if it can sound as good as the likes of wharfs, paradigm, etc. would have to hear them. Was asking about getting a THX AVR to go with the THX speaker system, did you consider?

 

[haisaikat]

@bharath, I think the surround speakers are set a bit higher than the normal ear height if I compare the plastic chair in one of the pictures as more or less the approx seating height. Ideally they should be placed such that the tweeter and woofer has the ear around the middle of them. Although from the pictures I am assuming that these are dipoles and hence not sure if the rules are different for them.

 

[bharath_rbk]

Sane here, not really heard of crystal audio. But if it can sound as good as the likes of wharfs, paradigm, etc. would have to hear them. Was asking about getting a THX AVR to go with the THX speaker system, did you consider?

Am not sure you can get a THX certified AVR in the price range of X2000 which performs better than that. THX is a testing process which costs money for the manufacturer for mere certification. I have read, Denon builds a much higher quality standard than Onkyo THX receivers has. You get more bells and whistles with the Onkyo, but their A/V receivers tend to run hotter and can overheat more easily. This indicates that their amplification section is not as robustly built as the Denons are. Not having a THX AVR doesn't mean it has compatibility issues THX certified speakers processing the sound. Denon has all the typical DSP's required to process Dolby/DTS modes.

But, for newer companies, THX certification works nicely as a marketing tool. Crystal Acoustics passed the minimum criteria of performance league by getting the THX Ultra2 certification that it can put its way through the competition.

@bharath, I think the surround speakers are set a bit higher than the normal ear height if I compare the plastic chair in one of the pictures as more or less the approx seating height. Ideally they should be placed such that the tweeter and woofer has the ear around the middle of them. Although from the pictures I am assuming that these are dipoles and hence not sure if the rules are different for them.

You are right! The surrounds are placed bit high due to the space constraint at the back. There is just enough space for the recliner on the raiser, placing down will actually land just on top of the head. I presume dipoles will balance for a better surround sound stage unlike bookshelves speakers which creates a more linear sound.

 

[haisaikat]

THX certification works nicely as a marketing tool. Crystal Acoustics passed the minimum criteria of performance league by getting the THX Ultra2 certification that it can put its way through the competition.

The certification cost is added to the cost of the item for sure. But nevertheless one additional query THX Ultra 2 is covering areas upto 3000 cubic feet so ideally the only vaiable in your case is the height which I am hoping you have kept accordingly (saw false ceiling) to stay within the limit.

Nevertheless very nice setup, enjoy and lot s of congratulations for your rocking setup.

 

[sash]

THX certification on receivers is not just a fancy label. It certifies that a receiver has power to drive your speakers to reference volume levels in a given space (select/ultra etc are mainly differentiated by the space they operate in).
If your receiver does not have enough power to drive your speakers, then you will not be able to make use of the full potential of your speakers.
An alternative is you could add a power amp like Emotiva XPA-5 to your receiver if it has main zone speaker pre-outs. But i don't think X2000 has main zone pre-outs

 

[sash]

Crystal acoustics seems to be a brand to be taken seriously
http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/partners/crystal-acoustics-partner-profile/
Some good reviews
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/floo...-ultra2-certified-floorstanding-speakers.html
Good call i guess

 

[bharath_rbk]

The certification cost is added to the cost of the item for sure. But nevertheless one additional query THX Ultra 2 is covering areas upto 3000 cubic feet so ideally the only vaiable in your case is the height which I am hoping you have kept accordingly (saw false ceiling) to stay within the limit.

Nevertheless very nice setup, enjoy and lot s of congratulations for your rocking setup.

Yes, it is just under 3000 cubic (14*21*10). Its fine, once the place gets occupied with recliners then even it gets reduced. Thanks a lot!!

THX certification on receivers is not just a fancy label. It certifies that a receiver has power to drive your speakers to reference volume levels in a given space (select/ultra etc are mainly differentiated by the space they operate in).
If your receiver does not have enough power to drive your speakers, then you will not be able to make use of the full potential of your speakers.
An alternative is you could add a power amp like Emotiva XPA-5 to your receiver if it has main zone speaker pre-outs. But i don't think X2000 has main zone pre-outs

For now, X2000 should suffice the power requirement with current set-up. May be in future, AVR will need an upgrade for an additional sub or something else. AVR's tend to get outdated pretty soon unlike speakers. So do not wanted to spend more on AVR. If we had the budget for an Emotiva, we could as well go for a better AVR (may be X3100 or a THX certified one).

The budget for all AV components (speakers + avr + projector + screen + cables) was set to 4 Lakhs. So, for this price I think we managed to choose what best we could get.

 

[bharath_rbk]

Crystal acoustics seems to be a brand to be taken seriously
http://www.thx.com/consumer/home-entertainment/partners/crystal-acoustics-partner-profile/
Some good reviews
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/floo...-ultra2-certified-floorstanding-speakers.html
Good call i guess

Thanks for the pointers! Infact, I did a thorough review of it. And a THX 7.1 Package + Denon X2000 = Rs. 2,35,000/- is a pretty sweet deal by far. Check out the link here
http://htstore.in/index.php?route=product/product&path=18_74&product_id=289

 

[haisaikat]

THX certification on receivers is not just a fancy label. It certifies that a receiver has power to drive your speakers to reference volume levels in a given space (select/ultra etc are mainly differentiated by the space they operate in).
If your receiver does not have enough power to drive your speakers, then you will not be able to make use of the full potential of your speakers.
An alternative is you could add a power amp like Emotiva XPA-5 to your receiver if it has main zone speaker pre-outs. But i don't think X2000 has main zone pre-outs

Ideally to get the ideal THX performance your speakers and AVR both must be THX certified at the same level (Ultra 2 in this case) and you would have to listen at reference level (which otherwise may be too loud for home viewing, that is why AVRs have features like THX Loudness Plus, etc) then only you would be able to utilize the full potential of the certification.

Bharath, if you do upgrade in future, upgrade to a similarly certified AVR only. For now, enjoy what you have bought.

 

[pkhammu2005]

Thanks for the pointers! Infact, I did a thorough review of it. And a THX 7.1 Package + Denon X2000 = Rs. 2,35,000/- is a pretty sweet deal by far. Check out the link here
Crystal Acoustics T2 THX ultra Certified 7.1 Home Theatre Package

The room looks neat.But recently i enquired about the T2 crystal package & was given a price of 1.4lacs in hyderabad.denon x2000 for 50k.

 

[s_ravi77]

Congrats Bharath,
Infact I am looking for getting my own dedicated home theatre done in couple of months ( It is still under construction). I am yet to audition Crystal T2 speakers, but have got very good reviews. Let me know if I can visit your place to have a look at your setup. I am sure that it will be of great help to me because even the budget I am looking for is very close to what you have planned.