Hi Bill here's what I did with my ceiling. Had an insulation contractor spray cellulose insulation about 1" thick: did the entire room ceiling + about 6" down the sidewalls from the top. This is the same process used to insulate industrial buildings, warehouses etc. The applicator nozel mixes a liquid latex adhesive with the fiber coming from the hopper via a high-RPM blower. The cellulose is highly pourous and randomly surfaced which is a highly effective solution for slap echo. The room remains slightly on the 'live' side which is exactly what I wanted. It didn't cost a lot either.
I had them use bleached white cellulose vs. the typical gray color found in warehouses. Dye can be mixed with the adhesive for other colors if desired. You have to cover or remove furnishings, and mask the walls and floor with plastic sheet and tape because the stuff sticks wherever it lands. Although if you want to have some corners or backwall areas covered, to whatever thicness desired, it is easily done while the crew is onsite.
I actually had my whole house done, not just the living-listening room area. It adds some R-value as a side benefit, and quiets the whole house too. Of couse your attic insulation can be agumented as well; this does not require the adhesive, they just blow it down to whetever specified thickness. And gray works there or even in the basement / crawl space too.
I had them use bleached white cellulose vs. the typical gray color found in warehouses. Dye can be mixed with the adhesive for other colors if desired. You have to cover or remove furnishings, and mask the walls and floor with plastic sheet and tape because the stuff sticks wherever it lands. Although if you want to have some corners or backwall areas covered, to whatever thicness desired, it is easily done while the crew is onsite.
I actually had my whole house done, not just the living-listening room area. It adds some R-value as a side benefit, and quiets the whole house too. Of couse your attic insulation can be agumented as well; this does not require the adhesive, they just blow it down to whetever specified thickness. And gray works there or even in the basement / crawl space too.