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noise reduction / soundproofing your record room?

On_the_Red_ClayOn_the_Red_Clay 1,728 Posts
edited September 2007 in Strut Central
Moved into a new house 2 months ago, and planning to stay there for a few years. Since its a relatively old (1930s) and noisy apartment building, i took the following precautions soundwise:* searched out the best soundproof underfloor (10-20db) i could find* put thick carpet on top* hooked up 2 instead of my previous 4 speakers (the smallest pair)* put those off the floor; both are on top of cabinets / shelvesLast week my downstairs neighbours asked me to come downstairs and have a listen while i was playing a soul lp at a very civilized volume (i was able to hear the phone)Lo and behold: DUF**DUFF DUFF*DUF**DUF DUF - the bass comes trough even at low volumes So before i go out and buy $$ speakermounts for the wall, how and what are your experiences?signed,a few thousand records and no volume.

  Comments

  • residentgiantresidentgiant 619 Posts
    How much work you really looking to put into it? Best bet is to build the ol' "room within a room."


  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Not sure if it will work, but try some bass traps up where your ceiling and walls meet, should help reduce the bass reverberation off the walls and ceiling, and that should help keep the waves from hitting the floor.

    You might also want some accoustic treatmant along the walls also.

  • bass_feverbass_fever 974 Posts
    Not sure if it will work, but try some bass traps up where your ceiling and walls meet, should help reduce the bass reverberation off the walls and ceiling, and that should help keep the waves from hitting the floor.

    You might also want some accoustic treatmant along the walls also.


    Bass Trapping will do little to eliminate the transmission of low frequency sound waves. They will help even out the acoustics of your room, and eliminate room modes (low frequency peak and nulls) that are associated with smaller rooms.

    The best way to achieve proper sound isolation and eliminate the transference of sound and vibration, would be to add dense material to the existing walls ceiligs and floors.

    You may try to decouple the speakers from the surface that they are resting on, eliminating the direct transfer of these sound vibration. This is a cheap and easy way to make a major improvement.


  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Hmm, so if Bass Trapping doesn't help to trap any bass, why do they call it that? It seems like they would absorb some of those frequencies as the sound wave bounces between the foam triangles, but I guess not. The foam pieces used to set your speakers on could help, as would mounting them on the wall, I would think. But it sounds like he already dampened the floor and it didn't help.
  • bass_feverbass_fever 974 Posts
    The Bass Traps help the inner acoustics of the room by absorbing low frequency standing waves caused by the relationship of low frequency wave lengths and room dimensions. They will TRAP these BASS frequencies, however they won't stop them from transmitting throught the surface material of the walls, floors and ceilings. Sound tranmission is a problem with the transferance of the vibrations and sound energy through the structures of the room. This is remedied by adding dense material to the pre-existing surfaces or if possible building a room within a room. Simply adding dense material to the floor won't necessarily fix the problem. Sound can "flank" around the treated floor area and transmit through the untreated walls and ceiling.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    Bass_fever is correct on all points. Truly soundproofing a room is tricky unless you're really willing to do some construction. I know there is soundproofing material that is sold in sheets and can be tacked onto walls, but your issue is the floor it seems.

    This isn't probably possible for your situation, but the only real DIY floor isolation I've seen work has been getting old tires, stuffing them with some soft and heavy material (old clothes work) and then building a floor on top of that.

    Isolating your speakers should definately help though. Get some speaker stands with spikes. Shouldn't cost over $90.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    The Bass Traps help the inner acoustics of the room by absorbing low frequency standing waves caused by the relationship of low frequency wave lengths and room dimensions. They will TRAP these BASS frequencies, however they won't stop them from transmitting throught the surface material of the walls, floors and ceilings. Sound tranmission is a problem with the transferance of the vibrations and sound energy through the structures of the room. This is remedied by adding dense material to the pre-existing surfaces or if possible building a room within a room. Simply adding dense material to the floor won't necessarily fix the problem. Sound can "flank" around the treated floor area and transmit through the untreated walls and ceiling.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    The Bass Traps help the inner acoustics of the room by absorbing low frequency standing waves caused by the relationship of low frequency wave lengths and room dimensions. They will TRAP these BASS frequencies, however they won't stop them from transmitting throught the surface material of the walls, floors and ceilings. Sound tranmission is a problem with the transferance of the vibrations and sound energy through the structures of the room. This is remedied by adding dense material to the pre-existing surfaces or if possible building a room within a room. Simply adding dense material to the floor won't necessarily fix the problem. Sound can "flank" around the treated floor area and transmit through the untreated walls and ceiling.

    Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't trying to sound likeI knew what I was talking about, always good to learn more. Yeah it makes sense that if the floor is treated, the issue could still be with the walls.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts


    Isolating your speakers should definately help though. Get some speaker stands with spikes. Shouldn't cost over $90.

    I've been contemplating speaker stands myself as I'm about to move. The room I will be using my reference moonitors in has pretty thick carpet. Are speaker stands safe to have sitting on carpet? WHat I mean is, are they sturdy enough to not tip over? I have 8 inch monitors so they are pretty big. Just wonderign if there are any good suggestions for speaker stands. My monitors have no mounting brackets or holes in the bottom as far as I know.
  • bass_feverbass_fever 974 Posts
    These work great for about $30!



    Vibrations can transmit back into your monitors as well, cancelling out certain frequencies and interfering with the true tone. These should eliminate this problem as well.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts


    Isolating your speakers should definately help though. Get some speaker stands with spikes. Shouldn't cost over $90.

    I've been contemplating speaker stands myself as I'm about to move. The room I will be using my reference moonitors in has pretty thick carpet. Are speaker stands safe to have sitting on carpet? WHat I mean is, are they sturdy enough to not tip over? I have 8 inch monitors so they are pretty big. Just wonderign if there are any good suggestions for speaker stands. My monitors have no mounting brackets or holes in the bottom as far as I know.

    If you have carpet, you really want some with some good 1-2 inch spikes. Carpeting will dampen the lower frequencies and cause the bass to sound muddy and innacurate, and the spikes negate this effect by only making contact with the flooring underneath.

    There are all kinds of fancy stands, but really you just want them to be sturdy, heavy, and have a platform that is large enough for your speakers. If you really want great isolation, different materials have different absorbtion properties, so if you put a sheet of sorbothane or even those stock Technics rubber mats in between the stands and the speakers, it will help even more.
  • djsoulfeverdjsoulfever 39 Posts
    These work great for about $30!



    Vibrations can transmit back into your monitors as well, cancelling out certain frequencies and interfering with the true tone. These should eliminate this problem as well.

    Where can I get this product? Do they make them for different sized monitors? I've read that vibrations can also get in your needle, messing with the sound from the source, is that also true?
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Nice, I wasn't too sure what you meant by "spikes" before but now I know. So they actually go through the carpet and support the weight of the stand/speaker by directly contacting the flooring. Makes perfect sense. And bass_fever, as for those monitor pads, I was considering those too. I don't really know if I have bass reverb issues in my new pad yet, since I haven't moved in yet, but I am downsizing my workstation so there won't be anywhere to set my monitors, hence the request for info on the stands.

    I'm going to look for some stands with spikes. Thanks for the advice, guys.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    Where can I get this product?

    Google is your friend.
  • bass_feverbass_fever 974 Posts

    Where can I get this product? Do they make them for different sized monitors? I've read that vibrations can also get in your needle, messing with the sound from the source, is that also true?

    You get those at any Guitar Center or Sam Ash and most other music industry retailers.

    I use these on my Turntable and they work great!



    GRAMMA
    The GRAMMA (Gig and Recording, Amp and Monitor, Modulation Attenuator) is an incredibly effective patented device that's used to float an amp or loudspeaker.
    GRAMMA yields nearly total acoustic isolation, resulting in a purity of tone that has to be heard to be believed!

    GRAMMA
    Dimensions:
    23" long x 15" wide x 2.75" high
    Weight Limit: 300lbs.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    These work great for about $30!



    Vibrations can transmit back into your monitors as well, cancelling out certain frequencies and interfering with the true tone. These should eliminate this problem as well.

    Where can I get this product? Do they make them for different sized monitors? I've read that vibrations can also get in your needle, messing with the sound from the source, is that also true?

    Auralex makes them, all the big pro audio spots stock them. They work fine for most nearfields.

    I've also heard from a lot of people that one of the better ways to isolate your monitors from external vibrations is to put a phone book or two on top of them.

    Feedback into phono carts is really only an issue in club settings with loud soundsystems. It's why high output carts are preferred. I've heard from a few folks whose opinions I trust that the isonoe turntable feet work great. They're pricey though, $200 for 4 feet.
  • erewhonerewhon 1,123 Posts
    I'm curious how effective a floor-to-ceiling wall of records is at aborbing sound and preventing it from traveling through the walls. This is essentially the set-up I have in my record room, and I'm always wondering how much of my music is heard by my rowhouse neighbors through the wall.
  • bobbydeebobbydee 849 Posts
    If anyone is semi serious about isolation - have a read thought the forums here:

    Recording Studio Design Forum

    It's a really fantastic resource, and is useful for learning of other guys mistakes, and getting advice from experts.
  • BFDBFD 7 Posts
    I saw this site a while back http://www.soundproofing101.com It seems pretty informative
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