So, I have a semi-odd setup in my home, and am trying to figure out how to contain the sound without doing some serious rework. I've attached an illustration that will help me explain the layout. Every wall is an exterior wall except the wall behind the couch (red).

http://www.triangletuners.com/tmp/TheaterLayout.jpg

My front and center speakers are in-wall (blue), but it is a fake wall separated from the actual exterior wall. My surrounds (also blue) probably create more outdoor noise than the fronts, as they are in-wall on a 45 degree angled wall, so the back of the speaker enclosure has about 2 inches before the plywood then the shingles. So not a lot of buffer there.

The largest concern is the subwoofer (green). This is the thing that can be heard the most outside, and I have a feeling it is because the house is using the two car garage that is underneath the bonus room as a giant speaker box. I guess I have two questions around placement/additions:

1) Would positioning the subwoofer closer to the couch, which is more towards the middle of the house, vs the outside wall, help?

2) Could I get the same type of impact by turning the subwoofer down and using bass shakers? Maybe isolate the couch from the floor with felt pads or rubber?

Any help would be appreciated.

:)Stay inside the theater.....problem solved

I'd start by doing some experiments. Have somebody stand outside and play a loud movie at your normal level. Try it without the sub. Try it without the side surrounds. See how it sounds. That will narrow down your problem. If it's mostly the sub, you can focus on that.

If it is the sub, I can think of two options. If the sub is sitting on the ground right now, get it off. Just for the heck of it, try setting the sub on a bunch of pillows or towels. See if that helps. If it does, the problem may not be bass in the room getting out, but the sub directly coupling to the floor. You can try various sub isolation solutions and see if anything helps.

If the sub isolation doesn't help, then going to isolated chairs/couch with individual buttkickers could help you get the bass feel without so much air movement. Then you could turn the sub down a bit, or equalize the really low bass levels down a bit.

If it's the side surrounds, you are in a tougher spot. Can't help you there. Maybe replace them with in-room speakers?

Paul

:)Stay inside the theater.....problem solved

That's my kind of solution! :D

[QUOTE=pmeyer;136979

If it is the sub, I can think of two options. If the sub is sitting on the ground right now, get it off. Just for the heck of it, try setting the sub on a bunch of pillows or towels. See if that helps. If it does, the problem may not be bass in the room getting out, but the sub directly coupling to the floor. You can try various sub isolation solutions and see if anything helps.


Paul[/QUOTE]

if the towels/pillows make it better, to dress things up a bit, check out (google) the auralex subdude.

Sigh, you too huh?

Neighbor has new baby, guess who's room is closest to my house and the theater room? You dont want to know what I did <Tears dropping onto keyboard> to be a good neighbor.

Good luck to you.


NJ

I think your going to have to do some work here...

I take it this is just a normal room without any extra sound proofing as it exists now?

A 2nd layer of drywall is certainly the most bang for the buck here...

I went with on-wall speakers for my surrounds, and free standers for my front L/C/R. to help as well. I have tried to minimize the holes in my drywall as much as possible. I have a really oddball sound proof / sound treated room though.

That is a lot of great advice everyone, thanks. I will try the disconnecting of speaker method and the towels under the sub.

As for things like adding more drywall/etc, I really don't want to go an extreme route like that since I already have all the carpeting up on the walls/etc.

You did get some good advice, and I have a question did you ever calibrate your sound system? Maybe you can adjust the controls on your Sub if you have any, and calibrate again to a normal play level and see how it sounds outside and inside. This might help Good Luck. Silver-Fox

I'm sorry I forget Headphones they work well.

Here's something that also works there is potential for any in-wall/in-ceiling speaker to leak through to the other side of the wall that they are mounted in. If they are in-walls and the sound is being transmitted to the outside of the house get a Dynamat Enwall speaker backbox/sound barrier.

I know you said Bass was the problem, but two car garage might be working as amplifier by cutting out
all sound could help if any sound from the in-wall are leaking to Garage.

http://www.dynamat.com/products_architectural_en_wall.html