Acoustic soundproofing

[Nostromo]

Having lived for 22 years in a large detached house sitting in 2.5 acres of land, we have retired, downsized and moving into our first apartment by the seaside in about 6 weeks. This is a penthouse flat in a relatively quiet residential neighbourhood in East Sussex. I therefore want to take some precautions with my plan to set-up Home Cinema systems in the lounge and master bedroom. I am getting this done professionally.

One issue is that while we want a very good audio performance, we don't want to upset the neighbours while Bon Jovi is going full tilt. We are getting bluetooth wireless headphones as part of the system but want to be able to have 'open audio' at least some of the time. I was therefore thinking of some form of room(s) soundproofing but my wife will NOT allow me to install anything on the walls (you know what women are like ). I was therefore asking if there is any soundproofing kit that can be fitted around the speakers themselves without affecting the audio quality in the slightest? Or am I asking the impossible?

 

[shadyJ]

Having lived for 22 years in a large detached house sitting in 2.5 acres of land, we have retired, downsized and moving into our first apartment by the seaside in about 6 weeks. This is a penthouse flat in a relatively quiet residential neighbourhood in East Sussex. I therefore want to take some precautions with my plan to set-up Home Cinema systems in the lounge and master bedroom. I am getting this done professionally.

One issue is that while we want a very good audio performance, we don't want to upset the neighbours while Bon Jovi is going full tilt. We are getting bluetooth wireless headphones as part of the system but want to be able to have 'open audio' at least some of the time. I was therefore thinking of some form of room(s) soundproofing but my wife will NOT allow me to install anything on the walls (you know what women are like ). I was therefore asking if there is any soundproofing kit that can be fitted around the speakers themselves without affecting the audio quality in the slightest? Or am I asking the impossible?

Not much that can be done here, sorry. The only thing that might help just a tad is, if you are using a subwoofer, place the sub close to the listening position. That way it doesn't have to be turned up as loud to achieve the same SPL at your listening position vs placing it farther away from you. The closer you are to the speakers, the less SPL they need to generate to achieve the same loudness at your listening position.

 

[Nostromo]

I is there some sort of sound absorbing mat or something that I can use to reduce the sound getting through the floor? I could then place the subwoofer on it and tell the wife that it was part of the system . It is a penthouse and I have a feeling (subject to confirmation next week when we start to move in) that the lift shaft and stairwell interpose between the opposing lounge walls of the two penthouses on the top floor.

 

[shadyJ]

I is there some sort of sound absorbing mat or something that I can use to reduce the sound getting through the floor? I could then place the subwoofer on it and tell the wife that it was part of the system . It is a penthouse and I have a feeling (subject to confirmation next week when we start to move in) that the lift shaft and stairwell interpose between the opposing lounge walls of the two penthouses on the top floor.

The problem is low frequencies. There is not much you can place on the floor that will block those. The wavelengths are so long that they go through and around almost anything. That is why you can hear those cars with jacked up subs from a block away but you don't hear the treble. Sorry to say, there isn't much that can block sound for what you want.

 

[Nostromo]

How about something like the Dodo sound stopper mat? Even if not perfect, might it help?

 

[Nostromo]

I found 2 devices which might help a bit

• Studiospares Speaker Isolation Riser (subwoofers)
• Auralex Platsheet isolation sheet for the speakers (cut to size)

What do you think?

 

[lovinthehd]

Food for thought http://ethanwiner.com/speaker_isolation.htm

 

[Nostromo]

OK. We visited the flat again yesterday and there might be bit of a bonus that might help me to solve the problem. Based on the far wall design (the wall backs onto the stairwell) the subwoofer goes into a corner where there is a granite shelf to take it. Immediately beneath this shelf is a large and empty cavity that the previous owner used as space for storing bits and pieces. It has a grilled lid and so not visible from outside. If I place a couple of think sorbothane or other acoustic material there and fill rest of the space with bubblewrap or something, will it help to reduce subwoofer bass vibrations getting through?

 

[Nostromo]

I have ordered these from Amazon to place under my subwoofer. I'll place a Auralex Subdude HT acoustic pad on the floor, place these feet on top of it and then the sub on the feet. Will that help?
PS: This is for the master bedroom where there is no granite shelf or cavity like in the lounge that I mentioned in the previous post)

Nobsound 4PCS Silver Aluminum Spring Speakers Spikes Isolation Stand for HiFi Amplifiers

 

[NINaudio]

I have ordered these from Amazon to place under my subwoofer. I'll place a Auralex Subdude HT acoustic pad on the floor, place these feet on top of it and then the sub on the feet. Will that help?
PS: This is for the master bedroom where there is no granite shelf or cavity like in the lounge that I mentioned in the previous post)

Nobsound 4PCS Silver Aluminum Spring Speakers Spikes Isolation Stand for HiFi Amplifiers

View attachment 31915

The problem is low frequencies. There is not much you can place on the floor that will block those. The wavelengths are so long that they go through and around almost anything. That is why you can hear those cars with jacked up subs from a block away but you don't hear the treble. Sorry to say, there isn't much that can block sound for what you want.

Not much that can be done here, sorry. The only thing that might help just a tad is, if you are using a subwoofer, place the sub close to the listening position. That way it doesn't have to be turned up as loud to achieve the same SPL at your listening position vs placing it farther away from you. The closer you are to the speakers, the less SPL they need to generate to achieve the same loudness at your listening position.

You've already got the answers as quoted above.

Whatever you put under the sub might help with alleviating some of the vibrations going through the sub and into the floor, but the sound waves are still going to travel from your sub, through the air, and then through the walls and floors. Sub bass is notoriously hard to contain. You would really have to rip down and rebuild the room with proper sound mitigation technologies built into the walls and floors to prevent AS MUCH bass from travelling through. All these things you want to try are putting band aids on cannon wounds

 

[Grandzoltar]

Turn the sub down problem solved.