How to sound proof home theater room ceiling - Page 3

I hope you realize that there are a great many of us who are very glad that you and the other professionals are here and are willing to share your experience with us. I know that I do periodic searches on your username just to see if there was anything that I had missed (who knew of your plumbing expertise?). Based on the advise that all of you have given over the years, I don't think that any reasonable person would think that there was any alterior motive that your wanting to help the industry as a whole.

CJ

PS- I don't think this is what you are saying, but I do have a list of quotes from you, Tedd, Terry and others in my theater build so that people can easily find what the real professionals say. If you'd like me to take them down, I'd be happy to.

Noah - Folks that are upfront, like Dennis and Ted, about being affiliated with a product or company are invaluable resources to these forums. Another example is Paul from Triad over in the Audio area. They all take their personal time and energy to help better the AVS community. For this, I thank every one of them.

When they post their affiliation in their signature, it is very apparent who you are dealing with. You should be more concerned if there are AVS 'members' who are really product or service manufacturers who are not disclosing this and providing a recommendation!

That's pretty much how I took it as well....whilst I am yet to benefit first hand from the assistance that Dennis, Terry etc provide, I've seen the others go through the process and its pretty obviously how much better the end product is a result. Not only do they provide it for free it would cost the above mentioned a significant amount of time which I am sure they could be spending on other things so I am greatly appreciative as I am sure everyone else on the forum is.

Dennis, please don't let the inappropriate comments of one dissuade you from future participation. I recall when I first started out and BIG steered me in your direction for anything acoustically related. Being the researcher that I am I first checked out your credentials to see exactly 'who' this purported expert was. I could not believe that a person with your background would hang here with the rest of us mere mortals and give out your advice for FREE. Not only did I shamelessly borrow your design from Kirk's Uptown Paradiso HT but you also answered my countless PMs. All this without my ever feeling I was being duped in some way to hire you. For your guidance and willingness to freely contribute I am eternally grateful. Heck, I even owe my starry night blue ceiling (which came out awesome) to your infamous blue milano creation. Again, please do reconsider and not let the words of one harm the many legions of others who greatly appreciate your input. Like BIG said, it's the likes of Dennis, Ted and Paul, etc. that make this forum the great forum that it is.

Moral to story. Don't get annoyed with someone named Noah. I came home today to a flooded basement (again).

Hey now...don't go blaming me!

Ha!

CJ

I'm so sorry but Dennis that's funny.

I discovered this forum maybe a month ago? I never really even heard of a HT either until I watched a movie at a friends place. All he did was put up a projector, screen and sound system in an existing room and it was awesome (to me).

My house is still under construction and I have done much of it myself. My basement is framed and drywalled (not mudded). I was simply going to have a tv room until I was exposed to this forum. I wish I would have known about this sooner then I could have planned things better, but now I must live with what I have. I have spent hours and hours researching, sending a pm here and there and I have gone nowhere. I am to the point where after reading this thread that maybe I should just pull out of the HT idea all together. I don't have DD, I am putting in drop ceiling because of my water piped in-floor heating. I also have stairs coming into the middle of my room which kills any hint of sound isolation.

I don't disagree at all with Dennis Erskine and Ted White. Top shelf advice from stand up guys no doubt there. I know you guys aren't on the forum to make money. It sounds like it to me that you guys are here to share your passion, your knowledge and experience. It is really unbelieveable that someone would take the time (lots of it) to share their knowledge. I would do all the things they recommend if I could. The problem is I can't. Since I can't do it I feel my build would be inferior and I won't be happy with the experience.

I know I can't achieve these sound standards because of how my basement is layed out etc. I am wondering if I should even bother going with a projector and screen. I don't care if the whole house can hear because it is just me, my wife and daughter. It would be all of us watching a movie anyway. I probably wouldn't know the difference of what sounds bad and what sounds good. I am not worried about the neighbours hearing anything, that is the least of my concerns.

So, this thread has me really wondering if I should stay the course or just forget about the whole thing. What should I do? Would just throwing up a screen, projector and a not too expensive sound system simply be a waste of money??

Dennis and Ted, keep up the fantastic advice and everything else you bring to this forum. Dennis, there would be hundreds of unhappy people on this forum if you left vs. one happy one (don't want to mention any names).

This is for you, Dennis. Enjoy.



Yours truly,

Mr. Manure-shoveling, backhand-slapping, self-righteous clown, Esq.

Dennis,

Please don't let the cheap shots, and unprofessional opinions of the less mature players in these forums drive you away. Your participation is highly valued, and definelty appreciated by MANY.

I can only say Thank You for your up front nature and your contributions - don't leave us!

Theaterpeter - stay the course!!! My first HT had absolutely no sound isolation/proofing techniques and we still thoroughly enjoyed it for 5+ years!

This HT stuff is all about compromises, so to do nothing would, IMHO, be the worse compromise.

Robert

Thanks Robert,

I needed to hear that. I would go for the real soundproofing if I had a totally dedicated, isolated room but I don't. I will do my best and stay the course!

I have a bunch of thick egg carton type foam from work, if i put that up in the unfinshed ceiling basment will this help, or put it where the speakers are? The basement is all finished but the ceiling.

I can't answer your question, but thanks for bumping the thread. I found the gem below that addresses my situation perfectly.

I've got insulation in the ceiling and will be doing a dropped ceiling out of necessity. Woot! That part is finished

There is a difference in "sound proofing" a room ? I guess what I am asking is there is two different concepts and goals right ? One goal would be to treat the room so that it may be the best possible sound quality- That means absorbing unwanted sound, making the room quiet, and such room treatments as sound absorbing panels, base traps, corner traps, room tuning etc... The second goal would be sound proofing in the sense you want to keep the noise in the theater from bothering anyone outside the theater. These are different right ??

I'm building a theater (new construction, bonus room over garage ) and I don't really care much about keeping sound inside the theater because it's not going to bother anyone. My neighbors are not close outside, and the bedrooms and living room are on the other side of the house. "Sound Proofing" to keep the noise the theater makes means nothing to me at all. It's simply not important.

Designing the room to perform well, sound great, and give an amazing theater experience is highly important to me. It's "Sound Proofing" in this area I'd like to concern myself with.

My question is- Is there a major difference between them? Any difference in products, techniques or design that would lend more to one goal or the other? Or is it one size shoe fits all- and what is good for goal #1 is also good for goal #2 ?

If I was building on the second floor (not basement) above a garage- what's the general best practice or advise how to attack it with moderate middle class working budget ?

Sound conditioning or acoustically treating a room is what you're looking for. Soundproofing refers to the passage of sound through a wall, etc.