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Sound room flooring advice needed

I'm planning a remodel of my family room, which is on a concrete slab, currently covered with 50-year-old linoleum. I'll be installing engineered hardwood flooring.

What installation method is better for sonics, glue-down or floating? My main audio system resides in this space, doing double-duty as a 2.0 home theater. I listen to vinyl 90% of the time, so I'm also a bit concerned that floating could introduce footfall issues.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Bill
wrm57
sounds_real_audio
984 posts
 
Floating might do as you say however glueing down to concrete could be disaster. Not sound wise but construction wise. Is your house on slab or is this a basement install?
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
Floating will have a higher resonance then a glue down installation. How much difference is hard to tell given their are other surfaces in the room that will affect the end result. Please consider going with carpet, for in the end that surface will produce the best sound.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
If it were me, I would consider a floating maple floor in the front of the room where the speakers are. This would be on very short and tightly spaced supports to there is very little give. Then I would have wool carpet on padding for the middle and back of the room where the listening takes place. I like a more lively front of the room and a damped back of the room. Then treat the first reflection points and other wall ceiling areas as appropriate.
dhcod
706 posts
 
I worked at a movie sound stage a few years ago and they used the most beautiful leather flooring. The room sounded incredible. For example:

http://www.meridameridian.com/leather-flooring/
xactaudio's avatar
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xactaudio
156 posts
 
Tried several of the above in the past. The floating floor is a poor option for
a music room. Best so far is cork tiles glued directly to the concrete. If the concrete is too rough to glue direct, there are several concrete based underlayments that can be used to smooth the base for the cork. Leather could work too.
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