2. misc-audio
  3. 169606-150377

Advice on dedicated room

Hi everyone ,

I am going to start building my dedicated listening room in the basement soon and need some input. My ceiling is just under 8’ so would 2x4s be adequate for strength or would 2x6 be better? Second , I read an article where Robert Harley was building a new room and used the ISO wall system from acoustic sciences and was wondering if anyone here has used it and liked it. I will at the least use 2 layers of drywall and green glue. Lastly my space available is 15’x16 1/2’. I know that is too square and I can shorten the 15’ direction if needed but if we’re to put a 45 degree angle on two corners ( one corner is needed for access to another area) would that negate the “too square” aspect? Thanks for your input 
ronboco
mike_in_nc
1,150 posts
 
Regarding bass: I agree with the suggestion to use a DBA. My main system has two JL Audio F112 subs, and I was delighted by the improvement when I added a third (a small B&W ASW 610) as proof of concept. That improvement went up another notch or two when the B&W went back to my desktop system & was replaced in the main system by an SVS SB-3000.

Just FYI, my room dimensions = 20.1 ft L × 12.5 ft W × 7.0 ft H. Calculated modes don’t agree terribly well with measurements. The effective dimension is not always at the interior wall surface, it seems.
baylinor's avatar
baylinor
1,416 posts
 
You can take a look at my system in my house of stereo. It includes construction pics and details in the comments section that may be helpful to you. Have fun with the process. Be patient.
mickeyb
573 posts
 
Home builder for 35 yrs.. 2x4 studs with closed cell foam on exterior walls. Open cell in ceiling. This is what I do in basements here in the Midwest to control temp and sound through the ceiling to first floor. Good luck. 
ronboco OP
840 posts
 
@baylinor and @mickeyb 

Thank you for the advice. I’ve received a lot of great input from everyone.  
@mickeyb 

Does the closed cell foam go between drywall and stud or in the space between the studs? 
henry53's avatar
henry53
280 posts
 
Sound insulation behind a drywall will essentially do nothing for the room acoustics. It will make elsewhere in the house quieter. If that is your aim then good. Double thickness drywall will help a little inside the room, ensure the two surfaces are very well glued together and very well attached to studs. I have smaller room than this with 45 degree corners, that seems to help a little. Remember sound doesn't know what size the room is it is purely a mechanical acoustic response to the whole environment i.e. furniture, carpets, surfaces (hard / soft), angles etc. There are three aspects reflection, absorption and diffusion. You usually have a mix but rarely the right mix. Carpet the floor maybe plus rugs, the ceiling is a big flat space, and reflective but quite a way away. Some diffusion is good, two ceiling fans perhaps? I have a very large recliner in soft material and its effect is dramatic. Other softer material seats help and I have built some prototype bass traps that diffuse, absorb and use membranes, they do work but are difficult to get right. 
More to discover