Need Some Help with Basement Studio

I've been reading these forums for a few weeks now. This is my first time posting. Before I begin I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who has contributed to these boards, they really are an amazing resource. Without further adue, here is my current situation: I am trying to build a studio in my basement (well my friends basement to be exact). Its going to consist of one live chamber but we may add an iso chamber later on. My main focus right now is constructing the live chamber. The approximate measurements for the chamber are 10.5 ft width 14.5 ft length and 7 ft high. There is a window hole in the basement on the side which would be used for ventilation. Were planning on building the walls like these: http://www.revolutionaudio.ca/floatings ... walls.html I was planning on constructing the whole thing with Roxul AFB insulation instead of safe n' sound. My questions are: 1. How many walls should I build? A complete 4-wall chamber or just two and add those onto the existing concrete walls? 2. Is this method the best way to construct soundproof walls? 3. What would the exact measurements be for the actual structure so i could build a ceiling. For instance, would the width have to be 8 ft in order to accommodate the drywall sheets? etc. 4. I would like to end up with some finished plans and a list of supplies so I can just go out and build this, if its possible If you have any other suggestions I would really appreciate it.

Hai Jeremy and welcome to this marvelous resource. What amazes me is that you didn't fill in your profile while you say you've read this forum. You must have mist some stickies I suppose. http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3231 So put on that atza rock'n'roll shoes and go fill in your profile at once :) Then read them stickies AGAIN and see if you learned something new. We're glad to help out

Build all 4 new walls rather than use the existing concrete ones, otherwise you will get flanking issues.

3. What would the exact measurements be for the actual structure so i could build a ceiling. For instance, would the width have to be 8 ft in order to accommodate the drywall sheets?

Ah....what? You can cut dry wall to fit whatever size you are trying to cover. And you already stated you have an existing 7 feet ceiling height right? I can't find(in this situation) a purpose for the XLR wall jack, but if I could, it would not be in a wall that will already be trying to stop the sound/noise/vibration of a washer/dryer. I would also loose the vent baffle, it serves no purpose that opening a door couldn't correct. Any penetration you put in a wall compromises the walls ability to perform.

Ro - My mistake, I overlooked the location field on the profile page. Doublehelix - Thanks, I was wondering whether there would be issues or not. xSpace - I was was trying to say "What would be the best size so I wouldn't have to waste time cutting drywall down to size" but in retrospect I would have to do that anyway. How would you get the cables out of the room if you didn't use a jack? A big hole in the wall or opening the door a crack to get the cables out isn't really practical. Is there a usual way this is done? Also, do you mean lose the entire vent or just lose the baffle? I was under the assumption that you needed to have a place for the air to be drawn in/out from once its pumped in/out from the fan. Thanks, Jeremy

Jeremy, I work with a remodeling company so I often ask questions of the clients about things they already know and I am trying to get a handle on. I suspect if I was gainfully employed by the local mortuary I would still ask questions of the clients...but I digest. As I see it, you want to take two perfectly good walls and put holes in them. I must guess that you plan on having recording gear on the >outside< of these two perfectly good walls? That would put you and said gear in direct proximity of a washer/ dryer and a water heater. This is my confusion.

xSpace, Yes, I understand completely what you are saying. Even If I were to have the "recording equipment" which is a not-so-silent computer and a mixer inside the room I would still need holes for ventilation. This is what I can't quite "grasp". Obviously, if someone was locked in an airtight room for long enough they would eventually die from lack of oxygen. Does the same principle apply to a recording studio? Laugh all you want but there is definitely something I am overlooking. Also, I assumed I would run the cables out of the room in order to be plugged into the mixer and computer. Is there a clearer way you can outline this for me? Thanks.

I am not laughing at you...I am walking on an unknown path.

xSpace - my apologies, I didn't mean to come across as rash in any way. I understand . I'm just a bit confused about the whole venting and wiring processes in general.

Jeremy: You are right in assuming that you need to have some fresh air in your room. 1) you need to breathe, and 2) it gets really hot in there with a bunch of gear and sweaty bodies! I think xSpace is just trying to make sure that your requirements and goals match your plans. Anytime you put a hole in your wall, you are leaving a place for sound to come out. If then, you are looking for a sound proof room, you will need to consider that in your plans. At the bottom of your drawing you show a "vent with baffles", and at the top you show the "window sealed with a duct for a vent fan". Sound is going to leak (pour?) out of those holes like nobody's business. If that is OK, then cool, but then I would alter the rest of your plans and not worry much about sound proofing since it will be lost anyway. You might as well save the money you are planning to spend on sound proofing materials since it will be wasted with your current design. (That is assuming I understand your plans correctly.) The XLR wall jack is not bad thing if you need it. I think xSpace was confused since it was located on the opposite side of a noisy area, and he (as well as I) could not understand what you might be recording on that side of the wall. I see now that you are planning on putting a sort of machine room outside of the live room. That makes better sense. xSpace was trying to say that the least number of holes in your wall, the better. (I am not sure I understand having the mixer in the noisy environment, but this is your place, not mine.) Most studio builds that I have seen that are trying to design a semi-soundproof area, use some form of HVAC (heating/cooling) system and vent into the room with vents and cold air returns. You are still going to get sound leakage through these vents, but there are ways to control it and reduce it. If you use your "vent with baffles" design, you might as well just cut a huge hole in the wall to let sound out, and forget about any other soundproofing techniques. Your room is only going to be as quiet as its weakest link.

doublehelix - Say I wanted to nix the air conditioning. What would be the best way to make a soundproof room (thats not semi-soundproof) without having people suffocate? Would there be a limit to how long someone could stay in there and some type of air pressure system? Basically what I am imagining is a chamber that has an acoustic door and some type of method to get those XLR cables fed out to the control room. Maybe by using an audio snake or something? (http://www.pulsartech.net/product/P1650-XXS_F9) I'm sure there have been plenty of other people who have done similar things. Thanks, Jeremy

jeremy wrote:

doublehelix - Say I wanted to nix the air conditioning. What would be the best way to make a soundproof room (thats not semi-soundproof) without having people suffocate? Would there be a limit to how long someone could stay in there and some type of air pressure system?

Well, probably not very long to be honest! Plus, it is going to get very hot and uncomfortable in there which makes it difficult to work effectively. Folks are going to get cranky and frustrated if they get too hot, and then without a fresh air supply, I can only imagine that it is going to get ugly. I do not know enough about HVAC and ventilation systems to give you any real answers for alternatives, but I have heard of folks putting in window type air conditioning/heating units, as long as you have no neighbors to bug, it should be fine! You will have to turn it off when tracking since it is noisy, but that might be a solution??? Sorry, I personally don't know of any alternatives to a true HVAC system. Hopefully, one of the experts will chime in here soon.

Basically what I am imagining is a chamber that has an acoustic door and some type of method to get those XLR cables fed out to the control room. Maybe by using an audio snake or something? (http://www.pulsartech.net/product/P1650-XXS_F9) I'm sure there have been plenty of other people who have done similar things.

I think you are ok putting in an XLR panel, and as you mention, most people do that. I think xSpace was wondering where it was leading. There are several ways to do this, but the objective is to make as small of holes in your walls as you can, and then plug them as tightly as you can! Wherever air goes, sound goes. Some things to consider when you are running wire through walls: 1) Do not place the ends directly across from each other on both sides of the wall. 2) Try not to put more than one hole in the drywall between any two wall studs. Stagger the holes as best you can... one hole on the inside of the room between 2 studs, and the hole on the outside of the room between two different studs. You will need to run the wire or snake between the walls or drill holes in the studs to pass them through to another "chamber". 3) Conduit helps! And as many bends in the conduit that you can make, the better. By buying a ready-made snake, it is going to be difficult to route the wire through the walls, and certainly you will not be able to run it through any of the studs unless you cut off the ends on the fan out, and solder them back on later, which sort of defeats the purpose! These same things apply to your electrical wiring. A lot of folks use surface-mount wall boxes and switch boxes to avoid making big holes in the drywall. Others (myself included) opted for flush-mounted boxes, but tried to make sure that they were sealed from behind as best as I could. Best of luck! You will come up with a working plan, just keep at it! Keep reading, and keep asking questions. It is better to do that now rather than later. Take care.

Yes sir, what he said:) I was seeing one more window as well. So you could visually communicate with the client. Just one more hole if not treated properly.