Small Room Home Theater System – Is It Worth It?
When people think of “home theaters,” they usually think large rooms. Something more akin to an actual theater or movie cinema. They aren’t thinking about a converted bedroom. A standard bedroom is barely big enough for a three-seater couch and a 65″ TV. Can it be used as a home theater? How will it function? Is a small room for a home theater system really worth it? Let’s discuss!
It Can Definitely Work…With Some Careful Planning!
We’ve talked about using small rooms for home theaters. It can work but it definitely takes some careful planning. If you are going to use the room for a theater, it really needs to be ONLY a theater. It can’t be multi-use. Here are some links to help you out.
- Should I Use a Small Bedroom as a Home Theater?
- Do You Need Two Subwoofers in a Small Room?
- Big AV Receiver in a Small Room – Should You Buy One?
- Stop Trying To Shoehorn Speakers Into Small Spaces!
- Mic Position with Loveseat – How To Run Your Room Correction
- What Size TV for A Bedroom?
- Do Small Home Theaters Need More or Fewer Acoustic Panels?
Rabbit Holes to Avoid
If you are going to create a home theater system in a small room, you are going to want to avoid some common advice. Resist the urge to overbuy your subwoofers. People will make claims about “headroom” and how bigger subs will “crush that room.” The reality is that once you reach full pressurization at reference level with extension down to 20Hz, you’ve maxed out what you need your subwoofer to do. Any additional performance will be wasted (i.e. unused) in your room. You will be paying more for subs that take up extra space in your small room simply because the Internet thinks its cool.
Since space is at a premium, you’ll also want to avoid unnecessary speaker “upgrades.” While a small room doesn’t necessarily mean small speakers, it sure heavily suggests it. You’ll want to avoid floorstanding speakers entirely. Not only do they take up too much space for your room, but they’ll have a hard time resolving when placed so close to your seats.
Lastly, don’t shy away from large TVs. Your TV size should be determined by your seating distance and preferred FOV, not by the size of your room. A home theater system (even one in a small room) should still give you that cinematic feel. Buy the TV that gives you that feeling. If you don’t, why even bother setting up a theater system?
