Great space! One suggestion, don’t use a soundbar. You’ve got plenty of room for a great surround sound system. Would be terrific.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Here's a divergent opinion:

If I were to have a nice man cave that I claimed, then paint the walls or cover with sheetrock, install new tile or laminate flooring, set up the mantle with a nice pickled whitewash, and redo lighting? Yeah, that would be a magnet for my wife to take that area over.

Me, I'd set everything up so that it's to my functional tastes, then leave it tacky enough that the ladies all kinda look at it with that "ewwwww" look, and the guys can spill a cold beverage of choice without any adverse effect.

I like the way you think.

At Thanksgiving everyone was crowding in here and all talking over each other. I quickly reminded my wife that she could move the female guest to the living room. She did, oh so much better then...

I want a Chinese buffet in my man cave, is that too much to ask?

The wife ain't having it.

quote:

Originally posted by maxdog:
Great space! One suggestion, don’t use a soundbar. You’ve got plenty of room for a great surround sound system. Would be terrific.

That did cross my mind but I've never had a "good" system. I do have a cheapish system in a box on the old TV though. I'm no audiofile and have a bit of hearing loss so I think this will be a good compromise and nice and neat to boot.
Despite potentially losing a sale on the bar the seller actually recommended I try just the bare TV first, he had the bar in stock and he did think adding the bar was a noticeable upgrade. I told him to just go ahead and bring the soundbar and subwoofer when he came. I'm certain he will gladly help with an upgrade later without complaint if I'm not happy. They are stand up people.

A soundbar is almost a must anymore with these thin framed large tv's the manufacturers have put the speakers in the downward facing position.

Thus the sound sucks compared to the older larger frame flat screens, when we replaced a failing Vizio on the patio the wife kept asking me to turn it up, we now have to get it above 50% volume just to hear it. Same with the one I put up in the garage and my 65 inch Samsung.

All have soundbars that project the sound into the room not down into the cabinet/floor.

Be sure you get the soundbar with the sub so you can rock the room.

ALso leave the linoleum and put down a big ol bear skin rug.... That should keep the echo down some.

Reminds me of the family room of my yoot...

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
2 things to think about:

40 yo linoleum may contain asbestos. If it has friable asbestos then I highly recommend hiring the pros to remove.

think about acoustics when you select your new floor.

Good advice...
I have a Lead and Asbestos rated respirator and will be pulling up the underlayment and floorcovering together so as to disturb it as little as possible. I have not decided on a new material for the floor.

Note to self... Look for an area rug.
As for the walls, I thought I might have a large print on canvas made of a nice photo of mine. You know the ones you see with the same photo across 2 or 3 separate pieces. That might help. The back wall is almost all glass door but is covered with drapes so it should be good.

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
2 things to think about:

40 yo linoleum may contain asbestos. If it has friable asbestos then I highly recommend hiring the pros to remove.

think about acoustics when you select your new floor.

Good advice...
I have a Lead and Asbestos rated respirator and will be pulling up the underlayment and floorcovering together so as to disturb it as little as possible. I have not decided on a new material for the floor.

Note to self... Look for an area rug.
As for the walls, I thought I might have a large print on canvas made of a nice photo of mine. You know the ones you see with the same photo across 2 or 3 separate pieces. That might help. The back wall is almost all glass door but is covered with drapes so it should be good.

Spend the money and get the friability test. If it’s nonfriable you’re GTG, but if it’s friable the you should hire the pros as the respirator is inadequate due to spreading all over the house and breathing later.

all that you need to complete said cave is a small fridge next to your chair for the beer, a disco ball, some fuzzy speed balls and a lava lamp

seriously though, nice set up and that Heathkit is pretty sharp

take some close ups of that little gem

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
all that you need to complete said cave is a small fridge next to your chair for the beer, a disco ball, some fuzzy speed balls and a lava lamp

and a biometric lock on the door. That way it doesn’t get taken over.

Needs more shag carpet.

IF you do pull up the linoleum consider replacing it with the wood look tile, that way you get the man cave floor look without the cost or work required for a wood floor, a rug of course will be needed to soften the sounds.

I maybe completely wrong, but if the linoleum is solid can't you put new flooring on top of it? I though it made good underlayment for tile for example.

I'll second the don't make it too nice. You're cave will wind up being the garage if you do.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
2 things to think about:

40 yo linoleum may contain asbestos. If it has friable asbestos then I highly recommend hiring the pros to remove.

think about acoustics when you select your new floor.

Good advice...
I have a Lead and Asbestos rated respirator and will be pulling up the underlayment and floorcovering together so as to disturb it as little as possible. I have not decided on a new material for the floor.

Note to self... Look for an area rug.
As for the walls, I thought I might have a large print on canvas made of a nice photo of mine. You know the ones you see with the same photo across 2 or 3 separate pieces. That might help. The back wall is almost all glass door but is covered with drapes so it should be good.

Spend the money and get the friability test. If it’s nonfriable you’re GTG, but if it’s friable the you should hire the pros as the respirator is inadequate due to spreading all over the house and breathing later.

Seriously, I'm going to have to stop reading threads here. I've learned too much for my brain.

If you want any info on vintage tube amps or turntables, email me. I have been involved in that area for 30+ years. I have a highly evolved media room designed for music appreciation. The video experts can chime in for that additional angle.

When you want to use the tube amps going forward, let me know. I will help you with NOS tubes. It will make a HUGE difference. The old capacitors will likely need to be replaced, and I will help you with a local contact to do that work.

Also, dumb question--can you install a fresh floor over the old asbestos tiles? Why remove them?

quote:

Originally posted by maxdog:
Great space! One suggestion, don’t use a soundbar. You’ve got plenty of room for a great surround sound system. Would be terrific.

Sonos Soundbar, Sonos sub, and a couple of Sonos play 3s in the rear.
No need for a bunch of wires. Just plug them into the wall.
Great sound!!

These are some good points! You don't want it too nice. Maybe spice it up with some cheap throw rugs.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Here's a divergent opinion:

If I were to have a nice man cave that I claimed, then paint the walls or cover with sheetrock, install new tile or laminate flooring, set up the mantle with a nice pickled whitewash, and redo lighting? Yeah, that would be a magnet for my wife to take that area over.

Me, I'd set everything up so that it's to my functional tastes, then leave it tacky enough that the ladies all kinda look at it with that "ewwwww" look, and the guys can spill a cold beverage of choice without any adverse effect.

quote:

Originally posted by OneWheelDrive:
My Wife needed a home office and I lost my man cave.

BOOOOO!

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
A soundbar is almost a must anymore with these thin framed large tv's the manufacturers have put the speakers in the downward facing position.

Thus the sound sucks compared to the older larger frame flat screens, when we replaced a failing Vizio on the patio the wife kept asking me to turn it up, we now have to get it above 50% volume just to hear it. Same with the one I put up in the garage and my 65 inch Samsung.

All have soundbars that project the sound into the room not down into the cabinet/floor.

Be sure you get the soundbar with the sub so you can rock the room.

ALso leave the linoleum and put down a big ol bear skin rug.... That should keep the echo down some.

Reminds me of the family room of my yoot...

I noticed on my 40" Sony Bravio purchased about 2009 what you just explained about the reduced volume levels. At 50, its just beginning to get audible. I figured it was my hearing loss.

We also have an older Sony Trintron Wega, with forward facing speakers, excellent sound and volume.

Slabsides45 is right.

I left for a weekend and came back to a painted "family room" I lost my mancave. Had the same wood paneling, and lack of lighting. Ohh I miss it.

As far as lighting goes, you should easily be able to mirror recessed lights on other side of room, then change the eyeballs to new LED trims to match your new recess. Top it off with a dimmer for when you fire up new TV set.

An electrician should be able to very easily fish in the new lights. It appears you have a header running across the room opposite the fire place. Which should mean joists run from fireplace side to header side. If true this means no drywall damage to upgrade the lighting from two directional lights to four down lights. Or you could add six lights centered on the room and patch the original locations and any holes needed to run wiring. The second option would obviously be much more expensive but would light the room up way better.