Moving speakers from downstairs to upstairs, degrading ?

I’m in a concrete basement for a reason. It sounds better. Agree on 24" paving slabs. I don’t agree about mounting the speakers on Sorbothane though. It will allow the speakers to move slightly causing smearing. You could try adding mass with 2 slabs stacked (and if necessary, decouple the slabs from floor with appropriate springs.)

Nasaman, I agree with simonmoon. I would suggest using something of as much mass under a isolation system as you can. The reason I say this is because the inertia in the mass under the loaded isolation system you may choose to employ, will help mitigate the joists or bearers if you will from absorbing energy.

The vibration will take the easiest path to dissipate, you might try Townshend for example, or Isoacoustics, or like myself springs on a very solid steel stand (mine are standmounts). Sprung steel is still one of the very best vibration isolators, used in all sorts of vehicles for that very capacity, Worldwide.

Whatever you choose, try putting some mass under your suspension system above your now mass loaded flooring to use it’s inertia to your advantage.

nasaman OP297 posts10-29-2019 8:07amThank you everyone for inserting in your inputs. Greatly appreciated.
@simonmoon What are all options for Decoupling the speakers from the floor?

As I said way back,


Make sure upstairs the speakers are de-coupled from the floor (no spikes), or it will become a soundboard for the bass, and ruin it.
If you can use a heavy plinth (eg: cement path slabs) under each speaker and then use 4 of these Sorbothane pad between the speaker and the plinth, 4 are good for 800lbs

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-LARGE-SORBOTHANE-DISC-CIRCLE-FEET-PAD-2-5x0-5in-64x12mm-SILENT-PC-AMP-FIRM-70D/372429364953?epid=1031478471&hash=item56b6851ed9:g:O04AAOxycmBS70F6

Cheers George

it really depends.
i once had a room that was hard wood floor over concrete. that room sounded the best ive ever measured

Thank you everyone for inserting in your inputs. Greatly appreciated.
@simonmoon What are all options for Decoupling the speakers from the floor? 

+1 @georgehifi — I made the opposite move and went from having my system on the second floor to the basement with concrete floor.  Bass was unruly and tough to control on the second floor.  I ended up putting marble slabs under my speakers, which helped more than anything else, but you may need to put additional footers on the slab if that alone isn’t enough.  My speakers sound SO much better in the basement — totally balanced with better imaging/soundstage.  I’d keep them down there if you possibly can. 

I have to agree with the majority, suspended floors sound worse than concrete slabs. 

I can speak from experience. 

Bass will sound flabby compared to slabs. 

Decoupling the speakers from the floor is your best bet.

Carpet over concrete is much better than hardwood floors although the greatest benefit will come from acoustic treatments on the walls and ceiling. 

+1 to itsjustme. The other acoustic factors will totally overwhelm the effect of the floor and the carpet. There will likely be a large difference in sound unless the rooms are sized and furnished identically. Both flutter echo and bass nodes will be whole new problems in your upstairs room and you will need to start from scratch in controlling for them.

Almost a dumb question as youve probably found from the answers .  Try it and see . 

It will be a downgrade I guarantee! You will lose bass as other things will absorb it. Objects flooring etc. 

its way more than the slab vs suspended floor. Its the structure (walls, ceiling, etc.) and how live that is. You shall see. As I can since i just built anew music room on the upper floor, and empty its a freaking echo chamber. I have much treatment to do!

nasaman

Make sure upstairs the speakers are de-coupled from the floor (no spikes), or it will become a soundboard for the bass, and ruin it.
If you can use a heavy plinth (eg: cement path slabs) under each speaker and then use 4 of these Sorbothane pad between the speaker and the plinth, 4 are good for 800lbs

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-LARGE-SORBOTHANE-DISC-CIRCLE-FEET-PAD-2-5x0-5in-64x12mm-SILENT-PC-AMP-FIRM-70D/372429364953?epid=1031478471&hash=item56b6851ed9:g:O04AAOxycmBS70F6

Cheers George

carpet on concrete is the worst...do what Erik says and your speakers should sound better...I use Mapleshade stuff on all my equipment

You want 2 things:

1 - Minimal surface contact to the floor.

2 - Minimal ability of the speaker itself to move back and forth due to energy from the drivers.

For #1 above, you don’t have to go crazy. Puck-like feet are fine if they are on a solid surface. The idea is to keep any resonant surfaces of the speaker cabinet from directly making contact.

For #2, sometimes added mass to the speaker can help, but you want to avoid a puck on thick carpet, as that will encourage rocking. Spikes which directly couple to the underlying floor board are preferred.


Also, no 2 rooms are alike, so you should always get professional help like GIK Acoustics. :)

Best,

Erik

As long as the carpet is the same that's all that matters. 

I wouldn’t worry too much about the flooring since you have carpet underneath. Is this a dedicated listening room, are you able to treat the room with acoustic panels? 

Put them on isolating pads up there if the bass sounds too fat 

There is more vibration as you move up floors in any building. As the little mice sing in Babe, that’s the way things are 🐭 🐭 🐭🎶 

All the same. Just the foundation diff which is my main concern.

Need more details on the carpet: wool? Polyester? Color?