Wayne Parham Messages: 18791 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Rooms with concrete walls suffer from very strong room modes because the walls are rigid and there is almost no damping. They can also be very reflective at middle and high frequencies. For that reason, when people install sound systems in basements where all sides are concrete, it is best to install acoustic wedges or other absorbent treatments and panel dampers on the walls to damp room modes. Multiple subs are always a good idea too.
My opinion is that concrete walls are no good to set up a system within. Concrete and music just don't mix. At least not the kind of music I listen to.
. . .when people install sound systems in basements where all sides are concrete, it is best to install acoustic wedges or other absorbent treatments and panel dampers on the walls to damp room modes. Multiple subs are always a good idea too.
Is that meant to contain echoes, to keep the sound from getting distorted, or to keep the sound from leaking upstairs? Do you think it's worse when the flooring is concrete too? I have a system in the basement and it's hard to hear it. But then again, it isn't an expensive setup. Just old gear.
Wayne Parham Messages: 18791 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Concrete surfaces on all six sides (4 walls, floor and ceiling) are problematic because there is so little damping. Reflections are strong and room modes are terrible. Even if you tame the high-frequency reflections with absorbent materials, room modes are still strong. Panel absorbers on all walls are generally the only way to cure them.
Would panel absorbers fully cure the dampening or would there still be at least some dampening issues? How much would it help if the ceiling wasn't concrete as well?
My apartment building is built with concrete breeze blocks and I noticed a deterioration in the sound my system produced after moving from my previous house (wood framed, brick built)
The concrete wasn't on all 6 surfaces, of course, there are windows! But there was still a difference in the quality of sound.
I bought some foam acoustic panels with which I lined the larger areas of concrete (floors, ceiling, and inner walls) and that helped.
I've been having similar problems, rarerat. I tried to fix it the way you did, but I think I must have gotten some low-quality panels. My dad gave them to me, so I didn't really research them as well as I should have. What kind of foam panels did you use?
I bought some foam acoustic tiles for soundproofing from Amazon. They come in packs of 12 and measure 2 X 12 X 12 inches. They got a lot of good reviews which is what decided me as I have no idea what "Overall Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC): 0.67" means - but that is what they offer.
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