The End of Jack & Diane!

Starting with the November issue, Home Theater Architect is going to change in big ways. This all started with letters from readers telling me they were sick of reading about Jack & Diane's $300k mega-theater.

While Home Theater Architect has been based on a dedicated $300k room, the suggestions and techniques used to solve problems and improve the room are applicable to almost any home theater—from $5k to $500k. Most of the ideas can be scaled down to provide cheap, bang-for-the-buck solutions. But somehow that message got lost.

To find out what readers wanted, I asked you for feedback. And boy, did I get it! Over 140 well-considered replies (with hundreds of suggestions) came pouring in to the SGHT Website. I am humbled by your overwhelming passion and interest in the Home Theater Architect column. And I'm committed to making the column one of the best parts of the magazine—something that nearly every reader can benefit from.

Many of you want me to finish the saga of Jack and Diane, but lots of you want the Home Theater Architect to move onto something else—soon. There's only one small problem: No one can agree on what I should do next! Some readers want me to design another theater from the ground up, with a budget of $30–50k. Others want the same thing, but with a higher (say, $60–90k) budget. And still others tell me that no one in their right mind will ever spend $20k on a theater—they want to build a $10k theater from scratch!

And that isn't the half of it. A few readers want me to write only about equipment, obviously feeling the room is not important. Others want cheap (less than $100) "band-aid" fixes that can be applied this weekend. And still others want articles on subjects ranging from an in-depth series on calibration to specific advice on how to build acoustical walls or how to convert a basement or family room into a home theater. Given these radically different requests, how can I keep everyone happy?

Here's the solution I came up with: Starting in November, I will feature a different reader's theater each month. These won't be fictitious rooms based on my past projects; these HTA columns will be dedicated to solving the problems in real home theater rooms—your home theaters. From dedicated $100k+ dream rooms to budget $5000 systems in the family room, and everything in between, each month I will look at a different reader's theater and make suggestions based on that reader's unique needs and budget.

I only have one problem: I need rooms to work on! Do you have a room that you want featured in the Home Theater Architect column? If so, drop me a line at hometheaterarchitect@yahoo.com and tell me about your unique situation. I need detailed info: scale drawing of your existing room's floorplan and elevations (with exact locations of all windows, doors and archways), and a complete equipment list, as well as your biggest priorities, biggest headaches, and target budget (try to give me a range). Also, I need to know if you own your abode or if you rent and therefore can't make changes. Sometimes the best solution is moving a wall, adding a door, or painting a wall. If you're living in an apartment (or in your parents' basement), these options may not be available.

So tell me what your theater needs. I'm here for you!

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