Advice on sound room

[DoctorD]

I am wiring a room for sound and home theater. The room is 300 sq ft and the walls are 2 x 6 construction. I plan on installing resilient channel and two layers of sheet rock.

Does anyone have any advice on shielding the electrical and speaker wires or types of wire? Tips on type of insulation or advice in general?

Thanks

[boputnam]

Share some info on where the speakers will be, where the amp(s) are, distances, and...

There is a bunch on this subject here, but searching for it will be tortuous.

In-general, if you can, keep the amp(s) close to the speakers and use balanced low-impedence sends to the amps.

If that is not practical in your situation, use no smaller than maybe 14 gauge twisted pair for the speaker runs. 11 gauge is better, but not required.

Also, try and get all the AC to one circuit - ameliorates GL issues. Plan ahead and stuff a 30amp fuse in there. You'll be happy (although I run stacks of stuff on 1 Edison plug (15 amp), so it depends on what load is in your racks).

[Mr. Widget]

Does anyone have any advice on shielding the electrical and speaker wires or types of wire? Tips on type of insulation or advice in general?

I like twisted pair wire and as large a gauge as practical for your speakers. As for insulation type etc... eh, don't get sucked into the BS. I would recommend that you never run your AC and speaker or audio runs near each other if they are parallel and when they need to cross always make it a 90° intersection.

I agree with Bo on the single circuit if possible... a single 20 amp circuit should handle most systems.


Widget

[DoctorD]

The room is 15 x 20 and the speakers will be at one end and on each side of the 15 ft run. The audio gear will be placed in between them. I am using 75 w tube amps and have a supply of monster cable ultra 600.

Anyone have any experience with the benefits of resilient channel, two layers of sheet rock and if it is worth the added expense.

Any suggestions on my project would be appreciated.

Thanks

[jim campbell]

i have used the j bar or sound bar tio help isolate ceilings but this must be done in conjunction with other things.is the room in a basement or an upper floor?is there a possibility of building a box within a box type room?windows,doors,ductwork and wire entry must be considered.is there an opportunity to insulate between floors.....can the stud wall be isolated from the floor and ceiling with a vibration absorbing material.....does the entry door come right into the room or is there a passageway to another openning........perhaps some pix or diagrams are in order and some of the guys can make suggestions as they see them.

[Mr. Widget]

...monster cable ultra 600.

...if you got it you might as well use it.

...two layers of sheet rock and if it is worth the added expense.

Doubling your rock is a great idea... there are also specialty rocks that have layers of ceramic, steel, and rubber in them for reducing the transfered sound. Simply using double rock will certainly be worth losing a inch or so from the room. Denser and less lossy walls always sound better.


Widget

[Earl K]

Here are a couple of jpgs that I grabbed off the web last year ( from some place selling acoustic damping products ) .

- Any decent book on building acoustics will go into depth why the construction methods shown are a really good idea .

[DoctorD]

Here is a picture of the wall I am placing my speakers on. I have one in place for reference. It is part of an existing shop that I am making into my hobby room. This is a DIY project with a budget of approx one thousand + or - overtime. I would like to do as much as possible to make it quiet for the neighbors and to make the best possible sound room for the equipment I have. It is bare so I can isolate the celing walls and floor.

Thanks for the input

[Storm]

Is it me, or does that room seem a tad bit too small for those speakers?



-Storm.

[Tom Brennan]

It's you.

Small how? Why? How well a speaker works in a room is determined by the speaker's dispersion not it's size.

[jim campbell]

looks to me like the bottom plate is embedded in the concrete........if you are hanging anything really heavy from the ceiling it looks to me like 24 in centers and im not sure you want to get too heavy......i know what id do but it would add considerably to the budget..........ill defer to the more knowledgeable folk round here

[Earl K]

Click the picture and then prepare to spend some time absorbing the info found at this site ( selling "retail/wholesale" soundproofing products ) .

[clmrt]

Might wanna stick a 4*4 leg under that table, would hate to see that stuff all over the floor.

[speakerdave]

looks to me like the bottom plate is embedded in the concrete........

You're not seeing it. There's a wall plate on top of the concrete foundation.

David

[speakerdave]

Nice mono amp. What's in the enclosure?