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Dedicated listening room design

I've been searching this site for how to create a decent listening room, but there's so much it's difficult to whittle down what's really useful and/or correct from what's not. I say decent because I don't believe I have the time or $$$ to create a balls-out perfect room, so I'm trying to at the very least avoid making any major mistakes that would be hard to correct.

As per recommedations I ordered Get Better Sound and Everest's Master Handbook of Acoustics to get some ideas and learn some of the fundamentals, but any further resources you guys could recommend would be much appreciated. Also, any specific materials/products you used for walls, ceilings, floors, lighting, etc. that work particularly well would be very helpful, as well as any installation techniques/materials to optimize their performance (sound absorption, soundproofing, noise/rattle avoidance, etc.). My room is in a medium-sized, open basement that will also be serving as a laundry room and exercise room, and I'm basically starting from scratch as I'm installing french drains (damned hurricane) and re-doing heat pipes so all the walls will be coming down in the process. I already have two dedicated lines (with the help of some folks on this site) and will likely add a third, so that part is pretty much covered.

Anyway, I hope that's enough to go on, and any thoughts or hard-won experience you could share would be most appreciated.
soix
rugyboogie
199 posts
 
May I suggest the following.
Drywall. Use different thickness on all surfaces. Eg front wall 2 layers of 5/8, left wall 1/2 and 5/8, right wall two of 1/2 and back wall 5/8.
This way none of the wall will "vibrate or resonate" at the same frequency.
Apply first layer of drywall to studs with green glue , great product. For the next layer of drywall use a large V notch trowel applying drywall mud over the whole surface of the first layer of drywall. This will make the two sheets bond over the whole surface and will not have any air voids. Be generous with the drywall mud.
If you would like further info you can send me a message and I can go further into this subject.
Good luck and take care,
audioblazer's avatar
audioblazer
325 posts
 
I did a rives level 1. Didn't quite like it. May not be design fault. Could be construction fault. Anyway I read up gearslutz dot com. Plenty of info about room acoustic. Re do my room with prime root diffuser with plenty of bass trap at rear wall using ecophon ( much better than normal rock wool but expensive). Like my room acoustic better now
summitav
163 posts
 
There is a difference between Acoustic Treatment, and Acoustic Isolation/Sound Proofing.

There are also differnces in Acoustic Treatments to 1) Listening/Reproduction Rooms for Audio 2) HT rooms 3)Live performance Rooms/Venues.

And lastly, there are different treatments for 1) Sonic Accuracy and 2) Sonic Preferences.

The solutions you use need to take these paths into consideration. Quite often the goals get homogenized and you don't get the desired results.
transaudio
96 posts
 
Summit, well said. Sound proofing only keeps the sound inside a room, nothing about making the sound inside the room any good!

The basics are to avoid parallel walls, hard (reflective) surfaces where the speakers project sound (usually the side walls). Using commercial grade absorption from any of the major companies on the sides and behind the speakers can really help. Many companies offer room kits, which is perhaps the ideal starting point for most of us, really simple and a huge improvement.

Being from the pro side, I cannot help but chuckle a bit when I see folks with these extremely expensive systems, hi end power cables, CD vibration isolation etc, speakers near side walls, all in an untreated room. That's like $10,000 in tires on a 1971 ford pinto!
soix OP
9,456 posts
 
Thanks for all your input -- most helpful as usual. I've decided to use Dietrich RC Deluxe resilient channels on the walls and ceilings, double 5/8" drywall w/ Green Glue between the sheets on the walls and double 1/2" drywall & Green Glue on the ceiling, wall-to-wall carpeting, and LED lights (contractor says they're the quietest w/ dimmer) if budget permits. R30 insulation or maybe special insulation, again if budget permits. Not sure about absorbers/diffusors yet, but I'll fight that battle another day after the room's done.

Thanks again, and I'll follow up with results after it's done in case anybody's interested.
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