[Gauvain]

I have an ooollllld apartment, with a full basement. the basement is divided in half by a load-bearing wall. Now, since the apartment is a largish 2 bedroom, the half that doesn't have the furnace and laundry is rather large. Call it 12-15x30. This space screams home theater to me. My major question is how to make the place resonably soundproof and still: A: make any installation temporary and B: not kill the sound.


The main idea that I have now is eggcrate foam lining the walls, covered by plywood or even drywall. Only lose about 8 inches from the width of the room, 4 inches of the lengh, and still have decent accoustics. I've also considered some accoustic mat of some sort, but that's a LOT of square footage of material to buy. Then again, it ain't cheap to buy that much eggcrate.


Any suggestions for temporary soundproofing on a budget?


Cheers!

 

[Gary McCoy]

I suggest you build DIY sound absorbant panels using 4X8 sheet goods. These can be temporarily attached to the basement walls and moved to your next abode allong with your HT equipment. I presume that the apartment above is yours and other family members or roomates will not mind the sound coming through the floor - because that will be the toughest place to soundproof, in a building with old springy floors.


Here's a few links to get you started:

http://pat.home.mchsi.com/SAP.html

http://white.hometheatertalk.com/tips/acoustics.htm

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/a.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/sports/RCca...tic_panels.htm

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kidder...NEL/Panels.htm


Gary

 

[ChrisWiggles]

You want sound isolation, am i correct? That is you are attempting to be able to listen loudly and not disturb other parts of the house, and at the same time not hear noises and such from other part of the house. This is sound isolation.


This does not involve eggcrate foam or absorbant panels, which are excellent for treating the acoustics WITHIN a space, but much much less effective for doing anything for sound isolation.


Isolation requires mass, and decoupled and sealed wall and ceiling structures.


The fiberboard panels are *superb* for acoustic treatments INSIDE a space, but will do little to nothing for sound isolation. Two different animals.


See the builder forum for better guidance in these regards.

 

[Gauvain]

Has anyone experimented with the "sound absorbent boards" available in 4x8ft sheets from home improvment stores?


The ones with the approximate texture of cardboard.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

you mean sound board? That's usually used in wall structures for aiding in sound proofing. Not really the most absorbent stuff.


Again, I suggest you explore the builder forum, because you really need to know what it is you're trying to achieve, and how to do it, because otherwise you'll waste a lot of money on things that won't help you.


Also, read F. Alton Everest's: Master Handbook of acoustics, order it from amazon or your local bookseller. Read that first.

 

[Gauvain]

OK, been reading the Drywall Sound Proofing thread under builders http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...f&pagenumber=1


My current, although incomplete thought is to use drywall or concrete backerboard to create a floating room isolated from the walls and ceiling. I should be able to put this together without any modification to the rental...except for the ends. These will have to be secured somehow. I was going to use a shower-rod like arrangment to hold the two walls apart, and dangle the ceiling from that, but that doesn't allow re-enforcment of the center of the walls..no proof against someone falling through the false-wall at a party. I should be able to use 1x4 T arrangments to supply the re-enforcment , and isolate those from the wall and false-wall with rubber. the ceiling should be isolated, as I will not secure the false and real ceiling to each other.


I have not seen anything about the backerboard. This strikes me as a rather good material for soundproofing/isolation due to the weight. Is there something I'm not seeing in that arrangment?