Basements for home theaters?

[Hetfield]

We have been searching for houses for a long time now. We had a deal for a house fall through because the lady had a bunch of liens she couldn't pay.
Anyway we saw a really, really nice townhouse with a big finished basement. Would you think it would be ok for a home theater in not disturbing the neighbors much or hopefully at all? What are your thoughts?

 

[TLS Guy]

We have been searching for houses for a long time now. We had a deal for a house fall through because the lady had a bunch of liens she couldn't pay.
Anyway we saw a really, really nice townhouse with a big finished basement. Would you think it would be ok for a home theater in not disturbing the neighbors much or hopefully at all? What are your thoughts?

Details, Details. Without knowing the situation exactly we can have no specific opinion.

However, if there are shared walls between the proposed HT room and a neighbor in that home, then that will be grief, and that would break a deal.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

Is it a concrete foundation in the basement? Is the unit an end unit, or sandwiched between two other units? Is there a way to add extra dampening/insulation/acoustic treatments to the walls?

All kind of pertinent information to know in order to make a decision.

 

[Hetfield]

Thanks, yes concrete foundation. Not an end unit. I believe there is separation between each basement. There is always a firewall behind the wall. I'm not a crazy bass head like some with 4 JTR or PSA subs but of course I do like bass for movies. I'm thinking it will be ok but no way of being 100% sure right now. Thanks for the help.

 

[Eppie]

The devil is in the details in such situations. It's possible to provide sound separation for a theatre room but requires careful implementation. You want mechanical isolation on neighbouring walls and the ceiling but things like electrical and speaker outlets (wall plates) must be properly sealed. A hole the size of a dime will allow a surprising amount of sound to bleed through. If this is something you plan to do yourself, there is a Canadian Youtube channel called Home RenoVision DIY where he covers topics like sound isolation. Lots of info out there. You just need to do your homework so that one small mistake doesn't lead to any issues.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

Thanks, yes concrete foundation. Not an end unit. I believe there is separation between each basement. There is always a firewall behind the wall. I'm not a crazy bass head like some with 4 JTR or PSA subs but of course I do like bass for movies. I'm thinking it will be ok but no way of being 100% sure right now. Thanks for the help.

What you might want to do, is knock on the neighbors door and simply ask them how soundproof the basement is.

We've also been looking for another house ourselves, and I've come across a few very nice townhouses with basements that look good for a HT room. It scares my wife though, as my current HT is pretty damn loud lol. An end unit really would be best though.

 

[Bobby Bass]

What you might want to do, is knock on the neighbors door and simply ask them how soundproof the basement is.

We've also been looking for another house ourselves, and I've come across a few very nice townhouses with basements that look good for a HT room. It scares my wife though, as my current HT is pretty damn loud lol. An end unit really would be best though.

Checking with the neighbors is a good idea especially before you buy. If you’re sharing walls with people on each side it’s good to know who they are regardless of a HT setup. Of course neighbors can change over time. Also I assume there is a homeowners association that will have rules that may include things like sound and even what you can and can’t do with the property. I have seen a lot of different associations and different rules over the years. Suggest you know as many details as possible before you buy. Good luck!

 

[lovinthehd]

Maybe. Don't like townhouses myself as all sorts of things come thru shared walls.

 

[davidscott]

Thats why I haven't bought a subwoofer as I live in a condo. Still better than my last apt.