carpet pad?

Hi I'm new to this board and i hope I'm not being redundant in asking this question. I did search but i am on a serious time constraint. We are about to install the top layer on our floating floor of our control room. the floor is made of 2x6 joists framed over auralex "U-boats" sitting on a concrete slab floor. we have put down a layer of 5/8" inch particle board and now we are going to put down a layer of 1 1/8" plywood which will will be our actual floor. My question is - should i put anything between the layers to absorb "impact noise"? I thought of using a thin layer of carped pad. Would this keep any of the vibration down? Or will it sacrifice the stiffness of the floor therefor making it more susceptible to vibrations? anyone? thanks! mario/Blackbox

I'd use carpet padding like you normally would, under carpet. But not between layers or anything.

What, if anything, are you using for damping - IOW, what's between the concrete and the first layer of flooring? I'm concerned that you may be building a giant drum head here... Steve

Mario, I realize you didn't ask for an opinion on the U-boats... But if you don't mind, I'll share mine. I have no faith in them. See my post in the "Mason Industries' FSN Floating Floor Concrete Slab Test Data" thread... Especially the semi-hidden document that clarifies the lack of testing on U-boats. :? For the record, I'm not knocking all Auralex products... But I am knocking the U-boat product due to its lack of test data. --Keith :mrgreen:

I have come to terms with the mistake of not using insulation in the floor of the control room. In a sense that is why i considered the pad, to dampen some of the vibrations.

Also you should know that all our floors (live room, control room, sound lock) are all framed separate from each other. 4" between control and live room, 2" everywhere else.

Here is another, VASTLY more effective alternative - http://www.audioalloy.com/c06-00_comparision.html note the huge differences in damping between anything else and GG - this is what Constrained Layer Damping can do. Of course, it would be better if you ALSO had insulation lightly packed into the joist cavities, but this stuff could salvage your rooms probably better than anything short of pulling stuff up and starting over - Check out studiotips.com http://forum.studiotips.com/index.php search on GG, green glue, or just start reading nearly anything posted by brian dayton (not his real name) - Good luck... Steve

Thank you for your quick help!!! that led me to a bunch of possible solutions. i don't know how you make time to answer all these posts but You are making a lot of people happy. thanks again! mario/ black box