Wooden and concrete floor

[estevanovich]

Hi everybody!! This is my first post in English on this site. I discovered it some days ago and I am fascinated!

I open this thread to ask a question I have. I have read a lot of acoustic forums (in fact I discovered this site on Gearslutz) but still find myself in a grey area, because I am not totally sure about what to do.

I have bought a new flat and I am going to soundproof a room to make it my home studio. The room is 2.68 x 4.22 x 2.87 (height). It is empty and has a wooden floor and 9 cm brick walls. Under the wooden floor there is concrete floor.

The flat is on a ground floor. There is a garage below, and another two floors above. The studio is directly adjacent to one neighbor, which is located over my flat (neighbor on the first floor). I also have two neighbors on the same ground floor, adjacent to the house, but not (directly) to the studio (as it is an “island” within my house). One of the neighbor flats is in another building, although both buildings are contiguous, and the second neighbor flat is in my block, but has all my house (corridor, built-in closet and an interior patio) between.

You can see what I described above in the picture “Studio2”. One of the neighbors would be on the right side and the other on the top of the picture. BTW there is a window in the studio, but it is a soundproofing window. The flat is in front of a two lane road and I hear almost nothing from inside, so I think there wont be any problem with the window. The door… this is another story, it is like having a paper door, so I will have to do something with it. There is also a column on the right side of the room.

I have not started any kind of soundproofing, but my idea is to start soon. I usually work between 70 dB (except some cases I record voices/guitars/bass or I just play music loud in order to check some stuff). I am not interested in recording drums, and I usually create electronic music. The objective? Be able to mix and listen to music in 70-80 dB without problems (even during nighttime) and be able to record during daytime without making too much noise. So during nighttime I would need to work in 70-80 DBs and my neighbors hear around 10-20, and during daytime be able to work even at 100 dB and my neighbors hear at most 40 (legal threshold). In other words, I need to be quiet enough not to annoy my neighbors.

I am going to soundproof walls and ceiling, but I am not totally sure about the floor… I have read I must soundproof the floor whenever possible, except some cases. I also read this threat: http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8173 and found that in case of concrete slab it is not necessary to soundproof the floor. I have a garage below my flat, but the floor below the wooden one is made by concrete. However, I understand this is not concrete slab.

I know that soundproofing is as good as the "weakest link", but I do not have a direct problem on the sides, so maybe the house itself acts as a structure that helps me to soundproof?, or so I understand it. I have read that in that situation I could avoid treating the floor and concentrate all my efforts on the walls and ceiling, but I have also read otherwise. In addition most of the cases that I have read are in critical circumstances, with rooms that contact neighbors' houses (which in my case only happens on the roof).

I also know that sound can go through the structure of concrete but, could it be so dramatic to upset the neighbors? In addition, regarding the side neighbors there are changes in the type of floor in several areas within the house, so I understand this fact could help to dissipate better the sound that comes out of the house (which in the end is what interests me).

I have brought people who have either set up quite good studios for them, or set up soundproofing in nightclubs, workers, engineers, etc. (None of them are sound engineers in any case). Everyone tells me that the best of circumstances is a box in a box (something we all know), but they also believe that in my circumstances isolate ceiling and wall would be enough.

Thank you very much for your attention.

E

[DanDan]

Hola. I recommend you buy a UMIK and download REW. They will be your friends for life.
Borrow a decent full range PA, Mono is fine. Play Pink Noise Loudly at say 100dB and measure/listen in all of the neighbours rooms.
Try music also. Most Spanish buildings I have experienced are build of those light red bricks with holes in them. Your room is small.
I think soundproofing may be very difficult and or expensive. If you did accept making the room small, soundproofing is going to make it even smaller.
And very hot.

DD

[estevanovich]

Hi Dan and thanks for the answer!!!

In the forum it is recommended to buy a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter... I understand the UMIK can work as it as well.

Regarding the walls: exactly, I think you mean the bricks I think it has (I haven't seen them, but the noise they make is the one of those bricks, and an engineer told he he thought the walls are made of them).

As I understand, you believe soundproofing is undesirable...

[Soundman2020]

In the forum it is recommended to buy a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter...

You might be looking at a very old thread, if you found that recommendation. Here's the current recommendations for how to calibrate and use REW to test and tune your room acoustics.

- Stuart -

[DanDan]

A long time ago Radio Shack were everywhere, and that SLM was the only cheap one on the market.
Unfortunately it is a truly awful piece of equipment. The UMIK on the other hand is well made and the Calibration file which comes with it is quite accurate.
In a small room in a hot country, with very light building standards, I think soundproofing (plus the Air Con) is almost impossible.
Sennheiser HD 650's are really comfortable and better than most Control Rooms.
Use this with it or any other headphones when mixing.
https://goodhertz.co/canopener-studio

Btw, estoy aprendiendo, pero Stuart habla español con fluidez. También (hint) necesito unas vacaciones soleadas........

DD