Another question for the experts...
I am building a small theater with James inwalls.
The install guide show the speakers being screwed to the studs.
I am going to use floated quietrock on the walls, will screwing speakers into studs greatly lower the soundproofed result? Is there away to deal with this?
Any suggestion as to which sounds better, mounting to studs or only mounting to the drywall.
Thanks,
Ian

Putting holes in the wall, then placing an amplified speaker in the hole will always be a problem. If you have to put speakers in the wall, then you'll have to build significant backer boxes, and even then this is only a partial solution.

What i am thinking about doing is making small columns on my side walls and putting my speakers in the columns... .That way, you don't have to cut into the quietrock....

That makes sense

cut your speaker holes....then between the studs screw in a piece of 2x4 horizontally on top and bottom at appropriate heights, frming a box....then insulate, i like to use "egg crate foam"

cut your speaker holes....then between the studs screw in a piece of 2x4 horizontally on top and bottom at appropriate heights, frming a box....then insulate, i like to use "egg crate foam"

That's a great idea, but won't work well. You'll couple the speaker to the studs, providing an excellent conduction pathway. The insulation won't provide any soundproofing

I'm not questioning your knowledge, but what does this mean.... "You'll couple the speaker to the studs, providing an excellent conduction pathway"?

Oh, sorry. Don't mean to be vague. Sound vibration can travel through the open air or through physical contact through something like a pipe or wood framing.

When the vibration travels through air we refer to it as airborne sound, and when travelling through a physical object like wood framing we call it coduction.

This same thing happens with recessed lighting because there are two telescoping arms from the ceiling can that attach to the joists. By attaching a piece of 2x4 to the wall studs, you create a direct conduction point. So vibrations from the speaker travel directly to the wall studs.

Perhaps better to build a backer box that is not attached to the studs at all, to assist with the isolation.

thanks for explaining, it makes sense....... i'm not sure it pertains exactly to what i was describing though......what i meant with the 2x4's is make the backer box in between the studs and then put in the speaker using the dog legs secured to the sheetrock.....th backer box would now be behind the speaker but not attatched to it, so the speaker sits inside the backer box.......would this still cause a problem...?

That sounds like a good deal, King.

thanks again

thanks for explaining, it makes sense....... i'm not sure it pertains exactly to what i was describing though......what i meant with the 2x4's is make the backer box in between the studs and then put in the speaker using the dog legs secured to the sheetrock.....th backer box would now be behind the speaker but not attatched to it, so the speaker sits inside the backer box.......would this still cause a problem...?

What would you attach the back box to?

CJ

the back box is formed using the existing wall and studs and then installing 2 horizontal 2x4's on top and bottom between the studs , thus creating a back box.....fill with batting but remove the foil......i know this isn't ideal for a true home theater, but works for a retrofit to put in walls in with a flat panel

oh... I was envisioning the horizontal 2x4s were not contacting the existing verticals, but were attached to the drywall. Glue and screw.

thats another idea....i think it would e easier to screw to the vertical 2x4's then seal with silicone and stuff with the batting.....then the speakers would fit right in and tighten down the doglegs

Screwing them into the existing framing will couple the box with the rest of the wall, which is almost like not having a back box at all. For another option, take a look at my ongoing build thread (link is in my sig).

CJ

i check out your thread......dude , that is a whole different animal.....apples to walnuts.....mine is a retro fit...and one of the worst ones ever.....also, i'm not screwing the speakers into the studs

I thought we were responding to the OP's (Ian_Slater's) setup rather than yours. In any case, if you are decoupling your drywall, you would do well to try to decouple the speaker back boxes as well.

CJ

My approach was to make boxes and then Green glue them into the wall. The area around the boxes are double and triple 5/8 sheet rock with green glue between.
Of course the entire wall is isolated from other walls and ceiling
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn34/tgamble_2008/PICT0007.jpg

sorry, my bad..
:)

thanks for explaining, it makes sense....... i'm not sure it pertains exactly to what i was describing though......what i meant with the 2x4's is make the backer box in between the studs and then put in the speaker using the dog legs secured to the sheetrock.....th backer box would now be behind the speaker but not attatched to it, so the speaker sits inside the backer box.......would this still cause a problem...?

What are dog legs?

those are the tabs that rotate and tighten against the back of the drywall when you turn the front screws