Home Theater Geeks 507: Listener's Room Transformation

Host: Scott Wilkinson
Date: November 6, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Scott Wilkinson highlights a listener-submitted home theater transformation for the recurring "Home Theater of the Month" segment. The story centers on Andy Z, a passionate DIYer who renovated a challenging space into an elegant two-person home theater. Scott provides a virtual tour through Andy's process, offers practical equipment commentary, and gives tailored advice for future upgrades, making the episode a showcase of both inspiration and expertise for home theater enthusiasts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Backstory: Andy Z’s DIY Dream

• Andy Z contacted Scott in episode 492 about projector placement challenges due to a large HVAC duct.
• He set out to convert what was originally a living room (pictured in a Zillow listing) into a dedicated home theater.

“He was going to convert this room, which looks more like a living room now, into a dedicated home theater.”
— Scott Wilkinson (03:05)

2. Major Renovation Process

• Andy undertook a complete gut renovation: stripped walls to studs, replaced drywall, flooring, and ceiling.

• Noted as a significant solo effort:

  “He did essentially all the work himself. So that's pretty impressive.”
  — Scott Wilkinson (04:00)

• Heavy focus on sound and light control—painting the room fully black, installing a well-insulated floor, and adding a pellet stove for warmth.

3. Equipment Choices & Placement Challenges

Projector

• Chosen: JMGO N1 Ultra (approx. $1,000).
• Challenge: Avoiding the large air duct forced Andy to place the projector low, near the floor in an “end table.”
• Scott's note:

  “I advised him against it because it would require keystone adjustments … which reduce image sharpness, so that's an unfortunate byproduct … but this was really the best option for him.”
  — Scott Wilkinson (10:40)

Screen & Speakers

• Screen: 92-inch, 16x9 Silver Ticket (non-acoustically transparent).
• Speakers:
  • Front left/right: Klipsch FS3s (legacy from Andy’s dad).
  • Center: Klipsch KC23, shelf-mounted.
  • Surround: KEF T101s (wall-mounted at rear).
  • Subwoofer: SVS PB3000.
• AV Receiver: Denon AVR X4400H (9.2 channel).

  “I like Denon in general. And that one is a 9.2 channel. So, excellent.”
  — Scott Wilkinson (09:34)

Convenience & Integration

• TP Link dimmer switch integrated with Kasa App and Google Gemini on a Pixel Watch for voice-controlled lighting—a modern touch now common among home theater setups.

4. Room Design Details

• Furnishings: Two small recliners separated by an "end table" (supporting projector, Blu-ray player, cabling).
• Acoustic panels placed high on walls.
• Pellet stove for ambient heating.
• Some technical compromises, like keystone projection alignment, were necessary but well managed.

5. Budget and Efficiency

• Approximate cost: $12,000
  • Includes building materials, projector, pellet stove, speakers, recliners, and other hardware.
• Andy reused quality legacy gear where possible for savings.

6. Scott’s Recommendations for Improvement

At [17:14], Scott offers thoughtful suggestions:

• Speaker Placement:
  • Move front L/R Klipsch speakers out from wall corners to avoid "boomy" bass.

    “Speakers that are in that position can have their bass boosted and they can sound kind of boomy. So I would just move those speakers out …”
    — Scott Wilkinson (17:20)

• Surround Speakers:
  • Ideally, move or add surround speakers to side walls, slightly behind listening seats, for classic 5.1 or expanded 7.1 setup.
• Atmos/Overhead Channels:
  • Denon AVR supports up to 9.2 channels—could add two or four overhead speakers for fully immersive Dolby Atmos (as ceiling and HVAC placement allow).

    “...if you could put two or four speakers overhead, that would give you immersive sound like Dolby Atmos …”
    — Scott Wilkinson (17:45)

7. Community Call-to-Action

Scott encourages listeners to submit their own home theater builds for future episodes:

“If anybody else in our listening audience has a home theater they want to share, I would love to hear about it and share it with everybody. So send me an email to HTG@WIT.tv, include a few photos ...”
— Scott Wilkinson (18:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On DIY Achievement:

  “Overall. I'm really impressed with what Andy did to transform that living room into a dedicated home theater for two. He did all the work himself and … used existing equipment where he could, which is a good thing to do.”
  — Scott Wilkinson (11:45)

• On Smart Lighting:

  “This is a popular thing to do now is to get voice commands in your home theater. And Andy did that in this case.”
  — Scott Wilkinson (09:54)

• On Making Compromises:

  “Sometimes you've got to make compromises and you have to fit into what you've got. And Andy did that.”
  — Scott Wilkinson (10:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:05 – Introduction of Andy Z’s project and original room layout
• 04:00 – The renovation begins: gutting and rebuilding
• 06:30 – The all-black paint treatment and heating solution
• 08:25 – Screen and speaker selection plus projector placement challenge
• 09:54 – Voice-controlled lighting detail
• 10:40 – Technical drawbacks of projector keystoning
• 11:45 – Overall project cost, reuse of old equipment
• 17:14 – Scott’s practical suggestions for audio upgrades and speaker positioning
• 18:25 – Invitation for listeners to submit their own home theaters

Tone & Style

Scott's delivery is welcoming, encouraging, and rich in practical expertise. He balances technical accuracy with a genuine appreciation for Andy’s DIY spirit—making the episode both instructive and accessible to hobbyists at any level.

Summary

This episode is a testament to home theater ingenuity and the supportive TWiT/AVS community. Andy Z’s resourceful approach and Scott Wilkinson’s commentary together offer a masterclass in building a high-value, personalized home theater—even with spatial and budgetary constraints. For anyone dreaming of converting an ordinary room into a media oasis, the detailed walkthrough and advice here are both motivating and invaluable.