Home » Audio » Room Acoustics » Concrete Vs other types of wall
Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #85272] Mon, 29 May 2017 12:45 Go to next message
Jadex is currently offline  Jadex
Messages: 5
Registered: May 2017
Esquire
Hey guys. I just want to know if concrete walls make your system sound different than other types of walls or not. Does anyone know?
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #85277 is a reply to message #85272] Tue, 30 May 2017 09:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
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.

Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87444 is a reply to message #85272] Tue, 13 March 2018 12:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kingfish is currently offline  Kingfish
Messages: 548
Registered: November 2012
Illuminati (1st Degree)
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.
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87472 is a reply to message #85277] Sat, 17 March 2018 22:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Leot55 is currently offline  Leot55
Messages: 224
Registered: June 2017
Master
Wayne Parham wrote on Tue, 30 May 2017 09:14

. . .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.
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87480 is a reply to message #87472] Mon, 19 March 2018 09:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
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.

Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87537 is a reply to message #85272] Sun, 25 March 2018 14:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
shadowplay is currently offline  shadowplay
Messages: 14
Registered: March 2018
Chancellor
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?
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87688 is a reply to message #85272] Thu, 05 April 2018 03:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rarerat is currently offline  rarerat
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2018
Baron
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.
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87728 is a reply to message #85272] Fri, 06 April 2018 12:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wren is currently offline  Wren
Messages: 16
Registered: March 2018
Chancellor
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?
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87731 is a reply to message #85272] Fri, 06 April 2018 16:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
johnnycamp5 is currently offline  johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
Grand Master
A lot of "foam" absorbers are useless.
I have had much better luck with rigid fiberglass.

Just a couple of 2' x 4' absorbers made of 4" Owens 703-
http://metrosupplycollc.com/image/115872015_scaled_299x223.png
can be effective.

Just cover them with thin, cheap fabric.
Re: Concrete Vs other types of wall [message #87812 is a reply to message #87728] Sat, 14 April 2018 03:48 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
rarerat is currently offline  rarerat
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2018
Baron
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.

I'm pleased with the results so far.
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