HVAC sound isolation techniques; Baffle Box's etc

I am hoping to find some input on how to provide good sound isolation when penetrating into a room within a room that has already been built (yes do to lack of design experience, and first DIY build!). question Can can you provide a silencer/baffle box outside of the live and control rooms and still achieve good isolation, and also how to seal up penetrations into the isolating wall?

some SAE publications I thought were important for seals which I was concerned with:

Flexible Join Between Ducts The important factor here is to make sure that it is totally sealed. The flexible joint can be made out of a product that is made from vinyl impregnated with lead. Ask your air-conditioning company about it, they will know. This gives a flexible soundproof seal. Fresh Air: I must say something here about adding fresh air to a system. I have found that the formula used by most companies for adding fresh air doesn't add enough. When you have a control room with a producer, engineer, musos and a few hangers on the amount of fresh air added is usually insufficient and by halfway through the session everyone is yawning. They usually add about 15% fresh air to the system but I would urge you to consider adding up to 25 - 30%. This is more important when you have a fully sealed system in a city building where there is usually no external windows and the outer office/hallways etc. are fed by the buildings own system. Creativity requires plenty of fresh air!!!

Here is the website URL for that last post on seals. http://www.sae.edu/reference_material/a ... ioning.htm SAE website © 2008 - SAE BV Amsterdam *This posy was edited to give proper credits to SAE and any of it's authors

This is the other side of control and live room in question?? ]

We are going with 4 - 10" and 1 - 8" pre-fab duct silencers installed up to the hole outside wall (in hallway, see picture in 3rd post) and connected using the connector mentioned in the 2nd post and flex insulated duct for the runs!!! I will provide a sketch up later today of the exact plans for vents and duct runs. Because the rooms are already built we have only one side of the rooms to work with, which is the side of the hallway. If the silencers need to be isolated or more mass to achieve a better isolation with the ducting in the hallway/lounge, we can add mass later by adding soffit, ceiling etc. We just want to get closer to recording :shot: , since even with no doors on our rooms, we have achieved the desired isolation from music coming from studio, and are more concerned with street car and sirens penetrating live room.

"The important factor here is to make sure that it is totally sealed. The flexible joint can be made out of a product that is made from vinyl impregnated with lead. Ask your air-conditioning company about it, they will know. This gives a flexible soundproof seal. Fresh Air: I must say something here about adding fresh air to a system. I have found that the formula used by most companies for adding fresh air doesn't add enough. When you have a control room with a producer, engineer, musos and a few hangers on the amount of fresh air added is usually insufficient and by halfway through the session everyone is yawning. " I have a question. Are you teaching, learning, helping, or lost in your own belief system:) Here is what I base my problematic question to you on. You have no credentials, you guys have already messed up your room, you are wanting to interpret John Sayers work as if you have a better understanding than he does on this subject, and then present it like it is not only fact of >YOURS<, but a fact that you support, with nothing around you to support who you are or what you are capable of, saving the botched up build you guys have already addressed. Was that about right or am I leaning one way or the other in an extreme manner:) ?

hmm confused on some comments, maybe some clarification on what is being communicated will help find a solution to any problem you may have.

You have no credentials, you guys have already messed up your room

Give thanks! That is very clear

you are wanting to interpret John Sayers work as if you have a better understanding than he does on this subject, and then present it like it is not only fact of >YOURS<, but a fact that you support, with nothing around you to support who you are or what you are capable of, saving the botched up build you guys have already addressed.

:o ?????? I don't know if I truly understand where you are coming from on this comment. If it is in regards to the last post about the seals. The first line of the post I give credit to SAE international publication and I thought that was clear and obviously giving credit were due on the remaining post, maybe I was wrong. it is not my intention to plagiarize anyone. It was my intention to post up information that I was excited to find on the subject I was researching, and make it available for public to read if they do not know about SAE site as it is very relevant to my post. I didn't know this was his work.??? How do I post someone another person's work and site it properly on this forum? Sorry if I fallow the rules close enough. Also, if you are concerned about what I am posting, then what work of john's am I trying to interpret??? In no way am I ever going to try and seem as if I know more than him, or take claim for knowing more than him, that is crazy to me!???? I hope this was a communication thing because I was really shocked to see this response. Here is the website URL for that last post on seals. http://www.sae.edu/reference_material/audio/pages/Air%20conditioning.htm SAE website © 2008 - SAE BV Amsterdam

I hope this was a communication thing because I was really shocked to see this response.

Don't mind Brien too much, Lionzeye: his intentions are excellent, but sometimes he shoots from the hip, and he has an unusual way of saying things... that ... ummm .... how do I put this kindly? .... errr .... "some people find it hard to fathom" ... naah, that didn't convey it. Oh well. :) I think maybe he missed the first line of your post, or was expecting "quotes around the quote", or something. So don't sweat it! Did you find the solution you were looking for, for the HVAC ducting? - Stuart -

Don't mind Brien too much, Lionzeye: his intentions are excellent, but sometimes he shoots from the hip, and he has an unusual way of saying things... that ... ummm .... how do I put this kindly? .... errr .... "some people find it hard to fathom" ... naah, that didn't convey it. Oh well. :)

Got it. Hmmm, Interesting! Thank you for your sincerity and empathy, it's what I need more than finishing the project.

I think maybe he missed the first line of your post, or was expecting "quotes around the quote", or something. So don't sweat it!

OK, I fixed it if there is any more confusion on who posted what...

Did you find the solution you were looking for, for the HVAC ducting?

Yes soundman, thanks infinitely! Gulfo also chimed in on our main post. I just have to work with what we have been given (as far as limited space and build experience) and hope for the best results to what design we now have for HVAC. Our biggest concern is maintaining isolation, as we have more than enough HVAC in the rooms for code, just not isolation techniques thoroughly designed. I know this is not a scientific approach ( to hope for the best results with isolation in HVAC design) and may not be the best for educational purposes for those reading and serious about design, but our main goal with this studio is to record quality music for our family and provide good times, good atmosphere, and music for our family and children to listen to and appreciate when we are gone. So, I hope the HVAC lack of design doesn't threaten that goal and we are ok. This has been more of a community project than a private studio build definitely. And we have no issues with noise violations or complaints with current build as it is, so technically we are off to a rough, but o.k. start in making up for bad design... I think we will make up our mistakes rather well. Any future studio builds for me will be much different! The number one piece of advice from me so far. Don't rush the design phase of a studio build, if you don't understand a combination of basic sound physics, acoustics, music theory, and material science, hire such brilliant people such as Gulfo, John, soundman, Rod etc... You will benefit greatly from trying to save a few extra bucks and think you have knowledge that takes years for many to figure out. I am sure I was warned of this somewhere before I started, but we had to weigh out balance between lack of funds and taking advantage of the space we were given and books written by Rod Gervais. It seemed at this point in our families lives, DIY was the answer. I have definitely taken most advice on this site ( and Rod's advice/instruction in his book) given to me, as serious, thoughtful, and very helpful and have taken all advice into consideration and used most advice in the build process so far. Thanks again, and positivity is the way to success!

I LOVED your number one piece of advice above! Amen! :yahoo: That paragraph should be set in very large flashing neon lights at the front of the forum, with all new members being required to learn it so well they can recite in their sleep, before they start designing! :!: :) - Stuart -

If we were building a small box out of match sticks and using "he said-she said" as our guide, then not only would I not be here, but there would be no requirement for someone, anyone, with any kind of experience in any aspect of this arena, to spend time here. That said, yes I do black and white...I do not read minds :) If something looks incorrect, it most likely is. My goal is pure....my time is limited....my patience can be stretched...but my love is still with the idea. And the idea is to be frank, be accurate, be involved, and understand your own limitations. These are the things that I bring to the table :)

That's what I like about you, Brien! You call it just like you see it, no holds barred, no beating around the bush. It does take some getting used to, though! There's a saying in Spanish that fits you perfectly, but does not translate at all to English. But what the hell, I'll post it anyway: anyone who speaks Spanish will get it, even if Google Translate won't! No tienes pelos en la lengua! :) - Stuart -