How sound proof can you make a room?

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Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Just curious. I'm a home theatre enthusiast and I've got a good setup in the basement here. One day, hopefully soon, I'll be moving out into an apartment. Unfortunately I probably won't be able to turn the HT setup up very loud in an apartment. Just curious how sound proof can you make your average apartment room without going to the trouble of opening up the wall and adding extra insulation? And if you do open up the walls, like in a future house?
 
Leros

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
I was watching the video about Moby's studio. He has sand in his floor to act as a sound dampener.
 
PottedMeat

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
126
you'll get more help if you just admit that this information is for a combo sex dungeon - slaughterhouse.
 
OUCaptain

OUCaptain

Golden Member
Nov 21, 2007
1,522
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Originally posted by: NutBucket
Not easy to soundproof without any real construction.
Click to expand...

This. Your only option without tearing in to the walls would be to construct a room within the the room. A well insulated room at that.
 
D

darkswordsman17

Lifer
Mar 11, 2004
23,444
5,852
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You're not going to be able to do anything about a good HT sub in an apartment. Anything you'd try would just lessen the subs impact, which kinda defeats the purpose (in other words you're just going to have to turn it down).
 
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bctbct

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2005
4,868
1
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The walls are the simple part. Doors, windows, HVAC system is where your sound transmission is at.
 
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tasmanian

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2006
3,811
1
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Apartment walls vary a lot also, some are super thin and let a lot of sound through some are thick and dont. Just get a ground floor apartment and blast it as loud as you want.
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
44
91
Originally posted by: tasmanian
Apartment walls vary a lot also, some are super thin and let a lot of sound through some are thick and dont. Just get a ground floor apartment and blast it as loud as you want.
Click to expand...

I suspect I'll need to wait till I have my own house before I can crank it up. My current setup is in the basement of our town house complex and even here the neighbours complain if I turn it up too high. Which sucks cause boy do movies sound and look sweet on this setup!
 
S

Sahakiel

Golden Member
Oct 19, 2001
1,746
0
86
Your only option without tearing down the walls of your apartment would be to construct a room within the room. Build a large box to cover your room, within that, suspend another box as your actual room, connect the two with one thick door, then drain the rest of the space between the two until you have a vacuum. Just don't stay inside too long or the victim will suffocate.
Wait,...
 
I

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0

Traditional method of sound proofing.

Basic: 2X drywall thickness mount on resbar, behind is full cavity of rock wool.

Advance: fault ceiling with soundproofing boards, soundproofing mat & above that is rock wool at 8" or more, at least 1 1/2 of concrete above floor. Internal walls will be double wall (1"-2" separation) staggered studs filled with rock wool, and drywall over 3/4" plywood. All wiring, conduit, pipping, and duct works are fire or spray foam insulated between walls & ceilings, all drainage pipes are of cast iron with 1 1/2" insulation, return air duct work have internal 1 - 1 1/2" soundproofing insulation & sound separation flex connections, supply air duct work main trunk have sound separation flex connections and all supply branches are flex connection. Exterior walls, same as internal walls ++ 4"-8" insulation, 4" concrete finish walls, or brick, or 12" stone slabs, or 24" adobe/ram earth. Windows are of triple panels with foam/rubber isolation between glass & frame. All joints between exterior & interior, ceiling, and between rooms are spray foam sealed, solid (internal cavity filled with soundproofing foam) double separation doors with rubber/foam isolation.

The other option is built a tunnel or completely mound the house over with soil as soundproofing.


 
I

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0
Originally posted by: bctbct
The walls are the simple part. Doors, windows, HVAC system is where your sound transmission is at.
Click to expand...
That why they have internal insulation for return air duct, and flex connections.
 
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biggestmuff

Diamond Member
Mar 20, 2001
8,201
2
0
Soundproofing is done with construction. As others have already mentioned, a room within a room, leaving air gaps and decoupling walls and studs.

Applying foam or fabrics onto a room's surfaces (walls, ceiling and sometimes floor) is called treating a room. This is done to tame extraneous reverberation, delay, echo, a low frequency node or a room that's too bright. Although moving your listening position or moving the speakers also will impact and change the sounds with respect to the listener.

The best thing you can do in an apartment is to watch you loud, action movies during the day or early evening. Also ensure your receiver has a 'night mode'. That'll help tame the dynamic range.
 
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