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Looking for good soundproofing insulation

post #1 of 9
1/25/08 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 
We are having a HT room installed in the basement and the best area for it is directly under our bedroom. What is the best way to make it so the sound will not be too loud in the room up stairs?

My wife goes to sleep around 9:00 and I like to stay up and watch movies/sports.
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post #2 of 9
1/25/08 at 3:23pm

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

Watch the DIY Home Theater Workshop tomorrow. They discuss room in a room construction.

You can also use RISC clips, Quiet Channel and multiple layers of Quiet Rock with Green Glue between them.

Don't forget that you will have to seal off any light cans, outlets, etc. where sound can escape. Air vents will need to be modified as well as installing a solid core door with a sound proof threshold. Soundproofing.org has a lot of articles on different techniques including one on basements.

Do you have to do ALL of this? No. But something cheap like pink insulation does very little to stop the highs from leaking into other parts of the house and does NOTHING to stop the bass.

-Robert
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post #3 of 9
1/26/08 at 6:34pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

Am I wrong in assuming that the sound going out the walls will not greatly effect the room directly above?
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post #4 of 9
1/27/08 at 6:17am

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

You are wrong to assume that. I used single drywall, staggered stud construction and insulation in my theater. Mostly to keep out sounds. Action movies at 10db below reference levels rattle glasses in both the kitchen and dining room but those rooms are directly adjacent to the theater. And 'rattle' is my description. My wife is usually screaming at me to turn it down before things start breaking. At the far end of the house, you can't hear the highs but the bass can definitely be felt in the concrete foundation as well as light bulbs ringing and making a few noises.

But this is all relative to your listening levels and how low your sub plays. I use a pair of 15" subs powered by a 2,400w amp. It plays flat to 20hz and -3 db at 16hz. I'm hoping my next sub is flat to 10hz and -3db at 7hz. I'm really looking forward to how both the house and the wife react to the increased bass.

-Robert
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post #5 of 9
1/27/08 at 8:06am
Thread Starter 

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

Here is what I am currently thinking I will be doing.

Single sheet quietrock on the ceiling with stud tape on 2x4 sleepers.

double 5/8 green drywall on the walls with stud tape. Interior walls will have r13 batt insulation as well as outside walls on the foundation. The ceiling currently has r19.

has anyone used quiet zone from owens/corning before? I might add a layer of that to the ceiling.

the whole rood will be plastered wil two coats of imperial plaster.
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post #6 of 9
1/27/08 at 8:18am

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

You need to add up the STC rating of each method and compare that to the average volume that you listen to movies. That will give you a good idea of how much sound you will contain. But the STC rating lowers as the frequency gets lower. You may have to compromise and use a night mode on the receiver or lower the bass when your wife is trying to sleep.

-Robert
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post #7 of 9
1/27/08 at 8:13pm

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

There's just no two ways about it sound proofing is an expensive and arduous process. Changes in material density decelerate sound waves more effectively than material thickness. Richard is right about sealing cans, outlets and vents. Bass will travel though your foundation unless you decouple the room from foundation of the house. Soundwaves are reflected and travel in all directions you will definatly have bass traveling out the roof.

That said, plaster and double sheetrock isn't going to do a lot ot keep the sound from leaving the room. Where a room inside a room isn't an option we've had good luck isolating basements with several layers in the ceiling we usually use styrofoam inuslation, carpet rolled up and stuffed with memory foam we seal all the cracks and holes with liquid nails and expanding foam, use dynamat on the vents and make sure that there are at least 2 90 degree bends in the vent supply lines, use a solid core door (sometimes 2 doors) ect. use rubber between the quiet rock and the trusses . . . I will be redoing the theater in my basement and will use some DIY technics and will document it in detail. Right now I'm like Richard, my subs shake the whole house.
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post #8 of 9
1/27/08 at 8:54pm

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

Jasen - I'm sure that those diy techniques would work, but it sure sounds like a fire waiting to happen. Wouldn't this fail some type of fire code?
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post #9 of 9
1/28/08 at 10:25am
Thread Starter 

Re: Looking for good soundproofing insulation

We might not be speaking the same language as far as noise levels that I am trying to conceal.

I'm not blaring the system I just want to be able to watch a movie at a medium level without it sounding like I am in the same room.

I would like the room to sound nice as well.

My current setup is a Fluance speaker set with an 8" sony sub nothing too crazy.
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