Ceiling Caps over top of my ceiling 2x4 tiles ?
They are sold as sound isolators. rated @11 @ 125hz ?
http://www.controlnoise.com/ceilingcaps.html
Would that do much for LFE going up through to the main part of the house shaking my 2yr daughter out of bed ?
or
Tuff core ceiling tiles flat black.
EXPENSIVE as hell.
http://www.soundprooffoam.com/tufcore-ceiling-tiles.html

Just wondered if any members have any experience with this product ?:confused:
Thanks.

Drywall, green glue, and decoupling techniques are the only methods that I have seen with a track record of success. That first one's performance really drops as you get into the LFE area according to its own reports.

Perhaps headphones and transducers?

Point to consider ... your sub starts at 80Hz and goes down from there. 11@125Hz isn't that helpful ... any really only helpful to prevent your daughter from hearing you and your wife talking about her.

I've got the transducers... headphones, umm.. NOT ...I just dumped a small fortune in sound equipment, My wife and I want to hear it/feel it.

I already can't hear dialog upstairs,(thank god) she is 2yrs old.. just the seal and 6" of insul stuffed in ceiling and walls did that trick..
It is just the house vibrating from the 3 subs.. I wanted to reduce, even by 25-40%
would make me very happy.
Gee.. I really want a short cut over, tearing down my new 1500 dollar ceiling.
Only to spend another 1500 for a new ceiling ? Or More ??
I'm at $17,000 in the last 7 weeks, and started with a $8,000 budget for the reno's.
Oh boy..
when does it end ..?

I used mineral wool insulation between the joists before I put up the drop ceiling. It cancels most noise between the theater and room above.

I used mineral wool insulation between the joists before I put up the drop ceiling. It cancels most noise between the theater and room above.


I'm glad you're pleased with your results.

From an isolation perspective, fiberglass is in the same performance class as mineral wool, polyester, and cellulose.

I have found the articles at Ted White's website to be very helpful as I struggle to understand the basics of soundproofing. Here's a good one to start with: http://www.soundproofingcompany.com/index.php?/library/articles/elements_of_room_construction. The article on "flanking" is also a must-read.

I'm not sure how realistic it is to think you can achieve a "soundproof ceiling" if you don't treat the walls, too. Hopefully, someone who's more knowledgeable will chime in on that point. I guess you could always start with the ceiling, assess the benefit, and then decide whether you need/want to tackle the walls.

I should have mentioned three walls are half concrete to the exterior of my home.
One remaining wall leads to a laundry room or guest room, by the time sound gets through that 4'th wall it then has to also get through another drop ceiling and up into the next floor of my home.
I have a hollow door with near a full inch of space underneath... I'm repalcing that this weekend with a Solid(heavy) door and a door seal bottom.

I'm just looking to reduce the Bass traveling up stairs, even by another 25-30%
Without major construction.
I was thinking of ceiling tile caps 1lb per sq ft composite ?
I'll read all I can at the link I see in the previous post.. thanks.

Single biggest thing you can do to increase isolation is to install drywall. Really, enhancements to a dropped ceiling are not going to bear significant fruit.

Dang it... I didn't want to hear that...
I'd try to ignore your advice but your signature tells me you probably know a thing or two about the subject.

Those heavy tiles would cost me more than 2k to get them delivered here.
room just under 12 x 20.
So, I'd want to hear feedback that says they work well.
oh..well..
Thanks Ted.

Drywall is under $8 for a 4x8 sheet (US). $120 will get you a double layer of 5/8" drywall. 1 1/4" of rock, sealed tight like a drum... brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it

He is in Ontario so maybe double the cost of drywall :eek: ;)

Yea.. $17.68 sheet + 2 taxes.. still, no biggie, the taping, sanding, mud, painting, putting in my pot lights again, painting... removing the entire electronic set-up, furniture.. my new carpet ? ....dust throughout the house ?
I just don't see that happening.
Maybe mass loaded vinly. ? ..then put my tiles back up ?
Wife wouldn't even know I did it, til after it's done....hehe
Or..until I break down and ask for her help.

Perhaps this is best addressed to Ted White, but...

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and could use some advice. I'm turning what until now has been my 2 channel audio listening room into a projection-based AV/HT room with surround sound. Our bedroom is directly above this room. My wife will sometimes go to bed before me and it's been fine as far as the noise goes when I stay up late listening either to music or, since I installed some L/C/R speakers, to movies.
She sleeps like a rock and I don't play movies very loud anyway.

BUT...when it has come to re-designing the lighting for the room I've been afraid to put pot lights directly into the existing ceiling, just in case it allows more sound to travel into the above bedroom, through the space made for the pot lights.

We are dropping the ceiling 5" and we'll fill it with some absorptive material, but the issue we've found out is that we need more height than that to fit in the pot light casing. (Shallower casings don't allow bulbs with enough light for my situation).

So...now we are looking at having to open the existing ceiling and inset those pot lights
to some degree - what I originally was trying to avoid.

My architect says he can have the contractor build a finished surround box for the lights (drywall, I think?) so that introducing more sound into the bedroom above shouldn't be an issue.

Will this work? Any advice on this issue?

Thanks! (Need answers fast - we are just about to do the ceiling!)

Hi Rich,

Ceiling cans are obviously something to plan around, so it's good that you are doing this now.

Building a backer box for lights is very common. Easier is you use "remodel" cans rather than "new construction" cans. Don't use drywall, as even Type X isn't uncombustible. The paper can delaminate and burn. Instead, consider a box from 7/16" OSB. Then line it with 1/4" cement board.

Having said all this, the overall isolation would be significantly improved if the ceiling drywall were decoupled from the joists.

Ted..
Do you think If I cut 2' x 4' sheets of your mass loaded vinyl 1lb/sq ft, and layed them on top of my drop ceiling tiles I could get that 25-30% reduction in LFE transmission ?

No. I don't think that would do anything appreciable at all. I wouldn't even want to sell it to you for that application.

You can waste a bunch of money trying to achieve your transmission loss goal and maintain the dropped ceiling. In the end, the only thing that will be achieved is some minor economic stimulus to suppliers and vendors.

OK.. Thanks.. I'll give up on the tiles.
Looks like I'll have to...kiss up to the wife.

Hi Rich,

Ceiling cans are obviously something to plan around, so it's good that you are doing this now.

Building a backer box for lights is very common. Easier is you use "remodel" cans rather than "new construction" cans. Don't use drywall, as even Type X isn't uncombustible. The paper can delaminate and burn. Instead, consider a box from 7/16" OSB. Then line it with 1/4" cement board.

Having said all this, the overall isolation would be significantly improved if the ceiling drywall were decoupled from the joists.

I appreciate the advice. Thanks!

Oh the leaky lights, ugh I had to redo mine. Yeah you want to build backer boxes.

So basically if one will use can lighting, he must build a box to elncose them, correct? Similar to buidling a box for a inwall speaker?

Yes, but you'll have MUCH better success boxing a light compared to an in-wall speaker. There's really no way to peoperly isolate an in-wall speaker.

There is going to be a hole in the box for the electrical wire that will be in bx or conduit pipe. What should one use to make the hole air tight?

Some acoustic sealant is all that is needed.

Single biggest thing you can do to increase isolation is to install drywall. Really, enhancements to a dropped ceiling are not going to bear significant fruit.

Ted, you need to get Electronic House up to speed. In their current issue, they featured a DIY 'castle-like' basement build where the owners used "Armstrong tiles to prevent sound from seeping into or out of the theater." I was so angry when I read that because EH should know better.

How close was the Armstrong ad?

Here's one solution to "leaky" lights.
Rather than poking a hole through the drywall and building backboxes, you can coffer your ceiling and place the cans in the coffers.

Ha,ha, yeah that's great if you have that ceiling height.:) I wish I could do a ceiling like that!

It can be done with an 8' ceiling. That space used to be a movie set/recording room. Now a playback space.

In case you are interested ....
Exterior of the house, and pics of two of the five racks to make all of this work.

Dennis, have you been driving by my house again...

Yes, but of course you couldn't hear me and since I know where all 20+ security cameras are located, you couldn't see me either. :)

In case you are interested ....
Exterior of the house, and pics of two of the five racks to make all of this work.

Holy anal rack wiring Batman!! That's just disgusting in it's meticulousness, in a good way.

In case you are interested ....
Exterior of the house, and pics of two of the five racks to make all of this work.

You're hired!!!!!! :D:D:D

When can I get you up here to Annapolis, MD?

When can I get you up here to Annapolis, MD?
When Nellie Belle gets out of winter storage (in Annapolis) and has South River water under her keel. ;)