Hi Everyone, I'm getting a new rug in my living room that is all tile and very open (open to breakfast nook/kitchen in back and half wall on left).

I want to buy a rug pad that will absorb the most sound, and here are my options:

1. Rubber Anchor II (http://www.rugpads.com/rubber.htm#RUBBER%20ANCHOR%20II%AE,http://www.rugpads.com/rubber.htm#RUBBER%20ANCHOR%20II%AE)

2. Ulti-Mat (http://www.rugpads.com/Opti-Mat/ulti-mat.htm#ULTI-MATTM,http://www.rugpads.com/Opti-Mat/ulti-mat.htm#ULTI-MATTM)

Option 1 is made for tile and hardwood floor, and option 2 is made for carpet. However, they (the reps at the rug store) said option 2 would work for tile as well.

Option one is more spongey and rubber-like, and option two is more dense and fiber/carpet like (but much tough and denser than carpet).

My first thought is that option 2 would be better because of the feel of the material, but when you read on the websites above, only the details for option 1 mention anything about absorbing sound.

I really am clueless when it comes to rug pads, so any advice is greatly appreciated. The rug is 100% wool and is pretty dense, so the pad may not make much of a difference.

Any input?

Thanks, again!

Chad

You actually want something fairly open and foam-like to absorb sound, if the goal is to reduce reverberation in the room. If the goal is to prevent transmission through the material, you want something heavier and more inert (but then it'll reflect the sound back, making the room less dampened).

It sound like you want dampening, which probably means option 1. However, don't expect any miracles. To get good bass control, which is where it's really important, you need significant depth (6" or more), which is why bass traps, or panels mounted off the wall or across corners, is the way to go.

Thanks for the response, jwatte! I'm really looking more for dampening, and it's actually more for the higher frequencies. My ears are quite sensitive to sound (b/c of hearing loss), so they can start to ring quite easily.

The first rug I took home to try out was a synthetic rug (currently have a thick wool rug), and even with a thick rug pad underneath (it was actually the option 2 rug), my ears immediately started ringing and bothered me for nearly two weeks. I attribute that to the fact that the rug was synthetic and thin. The rug I just bought is a fairly thick wool rug (and larger than the previous one), so I'm hoping that really helps.

So, from that perspective, I'm certainly looking for the most dampening. I know nothing about sound absorbtion, so I'm at the mercy of you who are more knowledgable.

Thanks, again, for your input!!

Chad

Chad,

For a carpet underpad, the basic material options are:
foam
sponge
fiber

Fiber is the best for sound absorption, followed by foam, and then sponge. Thicker is always better. Old fashioned natural fibers -- horsehair, jute, and felt -- are the best. Open-celled foam, if you can find it, is comparable to horsehair (if you can find that!).

Regards,
Terry

Thanks for the response, jwatte! I'm really looking more for dampening, and it's actually more for the higher frequencies. My ears are quite sensitive to sound (b/c of hearing loss), so they can start to ring quite easily.

Chad,

I don't think that carpet padding will make any difference for this problem. I suggest listening at a lower volume level. Otherwise, consult an otologist, not an acoustician!

Regards,
Terry

Chad,

For a carpet underpad, the basic material options are:
foam
sponge
fiber

Fiber is the best for sound absorption, followed by foam, and then sponge. Thicker is always better. Old fashioned natural fibers -- horsehair, jute, and felt -- are the best. Open-celled foam, if you can find it, is comparable to horsehair (if you can find that!).

Regards,
Terry

Hey Terry, thanks for the information. I was thinking the fiber looking material would be best for sound, too, because of the density, but I really don't know. Did you get a chance to look at the link above at the Ulti-Mat? Would that be considered fiber? It's very dense and very tough. The sponge would feel much better, but if this were to absorb sound better, I'd be fine with it.

Chad,

I don't think that carpet padding will make any difference for this problem. I suggest listening at a lower volume level. Otherwise, consult an otologist, not an acoustician!

Regards,
Terry

Yeah, I've seen a few ENTs. The only explanation I've gotton is that it's common for those with hearing loss to experience this sensitivity, and that there is really nothing I can do about it. They say that my ears try to make up the difference in the loudness for the frequencies they aren't hearing well (or something like that)--one doctor called it something specific, but I can't remember the term, now.

I do listen at lower levels, but my current setup works pretty well. Like I said, when I put a synthetic rug in here, though, even with the Ulti-Mat underneath that I mention above, it still made my ears ring badly. And that was at low sound. The rug I have now, though, is not what my wife wants, and it's somewhat small. That's why we're getting a new one.

One more quick question--if the Ulti-Mat is not really what I should be looking for, could you tell me where I could get the type of fiber material you are suggesting? And anything near Austin, TX? I'll need a large size (for a 9'9" x 13'9" rug), so I'm assuming shipping will be quite a bit.

Thanks again for all of your help. It is GREATLY appreciated!!!

Chad

Hey Terry, thanks for the information. I was thinking the fiber looking material would be best for sound, too, because of the density, but I really don't know. Did you get a chance to look at the link above at the Ulti-Mat? Would that be considered fiber? It's very dense and very tough. The sponge would feel much better, but if this were to absorb sound better, I'd be fine with it.
I don't know this specific material, but:
"rubber backed, needle-punched felt pads" -- felt pads in general perform well for carpet underlay sound absorption.

- Terry

You probably want to be treating your room with more than just carpet under padding, though, as the padding is seldom thicker than 1/2 inch.

Acoustic ceiling tiles may help, if you can install them. Bass traps or absorption panels mounted across the corners of the room will help. 2'x4' Panels mounted on the walls, behind curtains, or visible (you can get them with nifty art cloth) will also help.

Some sites to look at for inspiration:
GIK Acoustics (http://www.gikacoustics.com/)
Real Traps (http://www.realtraps.com/)
ATS Acoustics (http://www.atsacoustics.com/)
Auralex (http://www.auralex.com/) (doesn't sell direct; see your local music store)

You probably want to be treating your room with more than just carpet under padding, though, as the padding is seldom thicker than 1/2 inch.

Acoustic ceiling tiles may help, if you can install them. Bass traps or absorption panels mounted across the corners of the room will help. 2'x4' Panels mounted on the walls, behind curtains, or visible (you can get them with nifty art cloth) will also help.

Some sites to look at for inspiration:
GIK Acoustics (http://www.gikacoustics.com/)
Real Traps (http://www.realtraps.com/)
ATS Acoustics (http://www.atsacoustics.com/)
Auralex (http://www.auralex.com/) (doesn't sell direct; see your local music store)

Thanks for the links...I've been looking for some good sites like these. Unfortunately, my wife will not go for anything like this, and I can't blame her, because I don't have a dedicated room to media. This is in our living area, and the area itself isn't that good for a great home theater/audio experience.

Here is a look at what I'm talking about:

Pics of my setup (http://www.chadmorris.net/avsetup/myHTsetup.html)

The red A,B,C areas are where I'm looking at putting my surrounds when I get them. Anyway, so there isn't that much that I can do with the room. But, from looking at it, do you have any other ideas??

Thanks!

Chad

Ouch! Tile! The worst for reflection. Good durability and easy to clean, though :-)

I notice you have just empty wall behind your TV and speakers. Have you considered covering that entire wall with a few panels? You can get them in unobtrusive colors (linen, or black, say) or in really nice accent colors (tomato, etc). Another option are acoustic ceiling tiles, although I don't personally like them (they remove ceiling diffusion, which lends air to sound).

What I got my wife to agree to was clothing an entire wall in cloth covered fiber board, because then it looks more like a design accent. You can check out renders in my construction thread -- I'll start installing the real thing next week! We'll see how that goes :-)