Cedar Creek Cinema (OLD—SEE Updated Showcase)

[Sonnie Parker]

Sonnie submitted a new Showcase Item:

Cedar Creek Cinema

Cedar Creek Cinema was built in 2010 after removing our original theater that was built in half of our garage. CCC now occupies the entire garage... well... all but the 4' hallway in between the house and the room. CCC is not however, just a home theater, it is also a music listening room for two-channel audio, and has served several equipment evaluation events over the years.

The current AV equipment is as follows:

Denon AVR-X4300H (powers the surrounds and Atmos speakers)
Parasound HALO A31 (powers the front mains and center)
OPPO UDP-205 (4K UHD HDR and music USB music source)
miniDSP DDRC88A-BM (Dirac Live processing)
MartinLogan ESL Expression 13A (front main speakers)
MartinLogan Stage X (center speaker)
MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL (surrounds)
MartinLogan EM-IC (4 overhead Atmos speakers)
SVSound PB16-Ultra (dual subwoofers)

Here are a few photos and you can see a complete slide show at http://www.cedarcreekcinema.me

View attachment 1419 View attachment 1420 View attachment 1421 View attachment 1422

Read more about this showcase item here...

 

[AudiocRaver]

If anyone is wondering whether those measurements are precise or not, let me assure you.....

 

[tesseract]

Cedar Creek Cinema is a cutting edge music/cinema. Always a work-in-progess, evolving with the latest industry changes, the end result is an experience that bests most any effort on either side of Cedar Creek! I have lost hours of sleep staying up, just listening to music piped through this reference quality system.

 

[leecreek]

well all I get are errors..not authorized

 

[Tonto]

Same here:

"AV NIRVANA - Error" is all I get.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

It was closed to anyone except staff initially until we got it all setup. I think it is close enough that we have now opened it to all members. We may still tweak it a bit from time to time.

 

[Tony V.]

Sonnie, I do hope some day I will be able to enjoy a movie in that theater. I've only ever heard the MLs in a showroom and bet they are amazing in your space.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I hope you do too Tony... they really do sound awesome (thanks to Wayne and his fabulous ears).

Now that I have the Atmos overhead speakers and running Dirac Live... it's even better than I expected it would ever be.

 

[AudiocRaver]

A lot of thought and TLC have gone into that theater. A movie from the front row is like something..... out of a movie! Pretty much legendary. And a favorite album will never be heard as good as it sounds there. The main factors::

• MartinLogan electrostatics - amazing clarity
• The right custom target curves
• Extreme care in LCR speaker placement and symmetry
• Fearless treatment choices - Sonnie is willing to try anything - once - and stick with it if it works.
• Get the SS&I REALLY close, then use Dirac Live to polish it up - soundstage and imaging (SS&I) magic!
• Plenty of amplifier power.
• Good tunes and flicks to enjoy.
• Good eats in the tummy.
• .....need I say more?

 

[Jack]

A lot of thought and TLC have gone into that theater. A movie from the front row is like something..... out of a movie! Pretty much legendary. And a favorite album will never be heard as good as it sounds there. The main factors::

• MartinLogan electrostatics - amazing clarity
• The right custom target curves
• Extreme care in LCR speaker placement and symmetry
• Fearless treatment choices - Sonnie is willing to try anything - once - and stick with it if it works.
• Get the SS&I REALLY close, then use Dirac Live to polish it up - soundstage and imaging (SS&I) magic!
• Plenty of amplifier power.
• Good tunes and flicks to enjoy.
• Good eats in the tummy.
• .....need I say more?

I would completely agree, this system looks beautiful and reads like an assemblage of great components. One step further, I am sure Sonnie loves equipment as do we all, however, this seems to be a very well balanced system that more importantly serves the signal it is asked to process. Sound comes first in the way it is set up as well as the open mindedness that seems ever present in Sonnie's presentation here. Good Tunes and Flicks AND Good Eats for the Tummy as well as what I would believe is fully encompassed by Good Fellowship is what makes this setup one to set standards by.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Sounds like AV NIRVANA to me.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I just updated my equipment list... finally got all of it setup. Still tuning a bit, but something I was not necessarily thinking would be possible... it really does sound better. I am not sure if not having Audyssey in the chain is improving it that much, or if I am just setting things a bit differently because of using the BM in the DDRC... but likely a combination of different equipment and settings. And I haven't even added my GAIA's to my Expression's yet.

 

[Jack]

Sounds like AV NIRVANA to me.

Touche !!

 

[Talley]

I'm in that dual subwoofer mode kick with a $5k budget and was thinking about the PB-16's to match the Ultra system you sold me 2 years ago.

But something tells me the Rytmik Audio FV25HP might be a better fit for my needs but then I also look at the PSA V3601 for a bit better of a price.

 

[Tonto]

Hey Talley, welcome to the site! Great to hear form you. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

 

[AudiocRaver]

Welcome, Talley.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Wow... these pics are really old... need to get everything updated.