Let me just start by saying that this board is excellent and exactly what I've been looking for. Great job guys!
I run a small studio in the suburbs of london. At current we will be moving our operation in July to a bigger premise so nearer to that point I'll be running a lot more design questions by you all. At present our set up is not ideal (rooms are too small) but my first question is specifically to do with improving the STC of the current set up.
OK I've just realised I can't simply upload my pics and I need to put them on a host first. I'll get back to you shortly! No I don't. Now I've got ya!
The first revision was to split the two rooms in half as so. This helped immensely in reducing transmission between the two. Bear in mind that it is not just transmission between these two rooms I am trying to improve but all round each. This set up is inside my brick garage there is an air gap of 2" round most of the walls, and 1' of one wall. The garage ceiling is at a slant so there is a large air pocket above the construction which tapers from 2" to 5'.
After lurking for a week and reading through a lot of posts it seems that transmission isolation is improved by skinning only one side of the stud constructions. Is this right? If so would the following be a marked improvement?
Additionally I've looken at Custom Audio Designs website. Specifially the R10 and the Sheetblock products. Would the sole addition of these help to reduce impact transmission in the drum room?
Last edited by brookster on Fri Jan 30, 2004 11:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
Now would this have been a better design. All sufaces are not mechanically linked but seperated by neoprene. The ceiling is mounted from RC rather than resting on the walls. The walls are not secured to the floating floor but are resting on neoprene. Last question when the components of a structure are all seperated by neoprene how is it all held together (construction wise it just doesn't seem possible) do you glue each wall/ceiling to it's neoprene edges or is it simply compressed into place - I just don't comprehend?
So in essence, the studio which is currently as pic 2 should have all the external plasterboard skin removed as in pic 3. This or new plasterboard should be used (with or without a sandwhich layer?) to increase the mass of the internal surfaces?
Essentially, should I tear the external skins down and use them on the inside???
The other thing is that despite the current floor construction there is still some impact noise from the kick drum. I want to completely eliminate this. Any suggestions?
I've managed to get another couple of sketches together (I'm using word so it's not particularly accurate) The two rooms are inside a brick garage. The brick garage has 3 exits - a double door to the left which is used for loading, a single door on the top/left which leads to another room inside the house (this room inside the house also contains a room within a room construction), and a single door to the right which leads to the garden. All these doors are mirrored by the 'soundproof' rooms.
The door to the top right is for boiler access.
The only point where the garage is in contact with the house is the top wall. The other 3 walls lead straight outside.
The ceiling of the garage is tiles on joists. I have filled this with rockwool and then put a layer of plasterboard over that.
As far as the platform for the drums is concerned, I can't see it being possible. The room is 6'x8', and it would mean having to re hang all 4 doors which is not an option. I realise the room is small but I need to make it work for the next few months. I hope this has given you a bit more relevant information. Thanks in advance
Is there another room underneath there, or are you floating the floor off of concrete?
Having 2x6 floor joists on a floating system is going to eat up a bunch of headroom, and I'm not sure it'll gain much as opposed to 2x4s or even 2x4s laid flat. Since they'll be sitting directly on neoprene pads, they're not spanning anything, right? And if the only thing underneath the floating floor is the concrete slab, having a bigger air space under there probably won't be enough of a gain in isolation to make it worth the lost headroom.
Just thinking out loud... let me know if I'm off the mark here...
There is only concrete underneath, and no it's not spanning anything either. But I can't take it all down to change the joist size. Your point is very valid and appreciated and if I'd have known the trade off at the time I would definitely have gone for the 2x4s, but it's been like up for a year and a half. Hindsight - such a bitterly sweet gift heh?
The control room is H 7.75' x W 8'x L 6.75' (I know, I know- it's too small) but what I plan to do is to line all the walls and the ceiling with homemade ethan's traps, save the speaker wall (the speakers are mounted on the wall with the window facing the drum room).
Also I'd like to remove the carpet so there is simply a wood floor.
The room has a very low boomy sound when one sits at the edges, in fact the bass increases when you sit anywhere apart from the mix position, but at the edges it is v bad. After speaking to a consultant he guessed that this would be due to reflections from the masonry just outside.
Given that the resonant freqs of the room are H 146 W 141 and L 167 respectively I kinda feel he's right. The question is whether covering the room with deep, mid and high traps will help this problem or am I better off going for a layer of 4" condensed mineral wool all around the room?
No I don't. Now I've got ya!
