Quiet Solution panels and materials?

[Rip Van Woofer]

I saw an ad link here on Audiohlics recently for Quiet Solution who make soundproofing drywall and plywood panels, plus adhesives and sealers, for constructing HT rooms and recording studio. Looks like a good professional, non-tweako outfit. Any pros out there have opinions on the product, the company's customer service, etc.? Looks like a good source for materials for my planned DIY room - might make construction easier than the resilient channel and double thickness drywall technique I was considering. Assuming they don't have onerous minimum orders and shipping charges, of course.

Also wondering if metal stud construction is a DIY alternative or if it's best left to pros.

 

[plhart]

Happy New Year Rip-

Here's some exerpts for the fourth in our series on The CEDIA seminars. This particular seminar "Room Acoustics; Isolation and Noise Control" was taught by expert Steve Haas of Sh! Acoustics. Here's some of what Steve had to say>>


"Single-spaced studs vs. staggered studs There will be almost no difference in sound transmission. Perhaps just a little less bass.

Standard drywall vs. engineered drywall. Or mass barrier vs. constrained layer damping. Only a very slight difference in low bass (below 125Hz) attenuation will be noticed. And putting mass loaded vinyl between 2 layers of drywall is only as good as adding a third layer of drywall.

Resilient channels (“Z” channels). Can allow too much movement of sheet rock setting up a severe resonance at a specific frequency. Resilient channels can work but they need to be installed in a very specific non-random pattern in order to avoid increasing the problems associated with room modes."

Hope this helps.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I saw an ad link here on Audiohlics recently for Quiet Solution who make soundproofing drywall and plywood panels, plus adhesives and sealers, for constructing HT rooms and recording studio. Looks like a good professional, non-tweako outfit. Any pros out there have opinions on the product, the company's customer service, etc.? Looks like a good source for materials for my planned DIY room - might make construction easier than the resilient channel and double thickness drywall technique I was considering. Assuming they don't have onerous minimum orders and shipping charges, of course.

Also wondering if metal stud construction is a DIY alternative or if it's best left to pros.

The link you posted is the real deal but it forgot to show frequency related STC values. In audio that is important. Less so for most other uses as what you want to control is frequencies above the 125 Hz mentioned and for those, the link should work great.
Low frequencies is very difficult to attenuate so it is not passed on to other parts of a building.
George Lucas built a building inside his studio at Skywalker ranch, separate foundation, no tie to the rest.

 

[howie85]

Has anyone tried the acoustic tile for drop ceilings? I was thinking on trying some of that in my room. It is cheap lightweight and would be easy to put up and take down. Velcro straps to the back of the door ? light enough to temporarialy place on walls with small nails and standoff to air gap behind them? Also they match most homes interior white-ish type walls. Any thoughts?

 

[sab30]

Z channels and sound reduction -need help!

PLHART- you stated the following. I need some help with acoustics as well as sound proofing. Does anyone know what this is referring to:

Resilient channels (“Z” channels). Can allow too much movement of sheet rock setting up a severe resonance at a specific frequency. Resilient channels can work but they need to be installed in a very specific non-random pattern in order to avoid increasing the problems associated with room modes."

I was told one product for sound reduction outide the room is a material called Donnaconna board. Any opinion on this.

Also I have an almost completed room at 14X10 build specifically for HT. I used Sepmeyers ratio's to home theater construction (July 2002 Home Theatre Builder) to reduce the amount of acounstical material I will need. Do you think it still a must to have, if so can you recommend some products.

 

[Leprkon]

you might try this link as a start. they have a couple of different companies.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=breadCrumb&A=FetchChildren&Q=&ci=2612

 

[sab30]

I checked out the Auralex site and it seems kinda pricey for what I need to do a 10 X 14 room. Most other say they have incorporated some acounstical mgt for under $200-300. Auralex was quoting $499. Maybe there are some other options or can I scale it down a bit as it is only for home theater. I have done a lot of reading but I'm still not sure exactly what I need where I need it for a 10 X 14 room.

Thanks again...

SAB

 

[sab30]

I have found some packages from B and H as well as parts express for about $300. That would include:

Auralex Alpha-DST (Charcoal Grey/Burgundy) - Roominators Kit Containing 36 DST-112, 36 DST-114, 4 LENRD-DST Bass Traps and 3 TubeTak Pro Adhesive.

A couple things concern me is that it is only 2" and for home theatre most seem to suggest 4" to get down to those bass levels.

Also seems like alot. The coverage by my calculations is for 288 sq ft and my entire room (floor area) is 10 X 14 so that would just be for the walls and ceiling.

Once I identify my reflection points what design and how much sq ft does it need to cover (ie diamond, square etc) Should it be right up to the ceiling and floor or is there a general rule.

Finally, the things wont exactly look stylish in my new HT room so what options are there to dress them up.

I know its alot but the project is amost done and Im at a crossroads.

Thanks so much

SAB

 

[plhart]

When it comes to room acoustics there is no magic material that requires only 1/2 the thickness to be effective at bass frequencies (or any frequency for that matter). You are reading marketing hype.

Please re-read CEDIA seminars parts 3 & 4 under our Room Acoustics heading on the left of the home page. You might also want to read, in the same section my first interview regarding the Audyssey room correction system. Even the great Tom Holman, developer of THX and a man who I consider one of the foremost small room acousticians in the world confesses how difficult it is to achieve accurate bass trapping (smoothing actually) using passive systems. The lowest priced bass trap to my knowlege that is known to work IF PLACED CORRECTLY AND IF ENOUGH UNITS ARE USED PER CALCULATED AREA is distributed through RPG and a single unit costs $1000.

If you are looking to achieve flat bass response in a small home theater environment IMHO the ONLY economical way currently available is with the use of a (minimum) 1/12th octave single band parametric equalizer which can attenuate the most common bass bump in a room. These (almost always single) bumps are always below 150Hz because they are function of the room's dimensions in concert with the subwoofer(s) position in the room.

If you are trying for low bass ISOLATATION that is an entirely different story. Again, read CEDIA Seminar 4. You need a cinderblock wall between your HT and the rest of the house to get decent low frequency attenuation below 125Hz.

Regarding Z channel intensifying a specific low bass frequency. This is correct. If you do not know how to effectively and irregularly space Z channels behind sheet rock; that is if you place all channels exactly symmetrically then the sheetrock distances between Z channels will be identical and they will move and reinforce a specific frequency when your subs are generating enough pressure (SPL) into the room.

This will drive you nuts because the system may sound just fine at all regular levels, then a single frequency will for instance jump out overly strongly, such as when a bomb blast or some such effect has its primary frequency in sync with the distance between Z channels. This is how CEDIA pros make their living. Knowing ahead of time. Every room is far too complex to be able to give accurate placement advice in a forum.

Finally regarding 1", 2" etc. absorptive material: Understand that these materials are like frequency filters. 1" foam will START to have an effect at 1000Hz. It will have a much greater effect at 5KHz. 25% is the figure given for covering all six surfaces in a rectangular box room. Areas of first reflection (side walls, ceiling and floor) are the most important along with watching out for slap echoes. Again, re-read Seminars 3 & 4. Good luck.

 

[sab30]

Thanks so much PLHart..your helping out a lot and it is very appreciated. This much get frusterating people like me with so many questions !!

I will re read CEDIA part 3 and 4...maybe the 4th time will start to make more sense.