Air gap treatment advice

[Bill Furnett]

Hey gang,

I’m doing a 1st time home-studio (attic) build that will eventually feature 3 simple booths and a control room.

Naturally I have thousands of questions on as many facets of design and construction, but today my focus is on the drum booth.

It seems my best defense in the war on noise will be double wall construction
(double 5/8 drywall – stud – 703 in the gap – then another double 5/8 – air space – then another wall of the same.) , but each wall will have a double pane window in it.

I know the windows are less than ideal from a leakage / reflective surface stand point, but this concession must be made in order to have visual contact with the drummer.

Today’s questions:

How would I treat the surface of the two walls on either side of the air gap?
(Will I absorb, diffuse, both, or neither in that space?)

I know it’s vague and a great many variables would affect an appropriate answer, but in general what does sound tend to do between two close walls of this construction type and how might I best tame the ill effects?


Been a few years -Great to be back on HR.com
-Billy-

[tsl92802]

I had the same type of issue actually. I found a place that sound a close circuit camera for about $40 (Harbor Freight Tools I believe is the name of the place). Hooked that up to a cheap little tv, and it actually has a little mic on it for talk back, night vision if your drummer decided that having only one candle lit in the room will make him play better, etc. It was cool, easy to install, the cables ran like 200ft or something stupid like that...great deal, worked well, very happy, WAY cheaper than two pane windows, and MUCH less leakage. Good luck!

[gummblefish]

Im only gonna chime in on the window issue. This might not work for everybody, but one way i got around that issue in my last place was to use a television monitor on the wall hooked up to a cctv camera or even a video camera. Then do the same for your control room. I think it adds a bit of charm as well.

[gummblefish]

Originally Posted by tsl92802

I had the same type of issue actually. I found a place that sound a close circuit camera for about $40 (Harbor Freight Tools I believe is the name of the place). Hooked that up to a cheap little tv, and it actually has a little mic on it for talk back, night vision if your drummer decided that having only one candle lit in the room will make him play better, etc. It was cool, easy to install, the cables ran like 200ft or something stupid like that...great deal, worked well, very happy, WAY cheaper than two pane windows, and MUCH less leakage. Good luck!

Damn you got there before me

[Ethan Winer]

Bill,

> Will I absorb, diffuse, both, or neither in that space? <

Small rooms benefit most from absorption.

--Ethan

[Bill Furnett]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I think I will try the density and absorption route (windows be damned) 1st and see just how bad it is. I can always pull the windows out and “solidify” the walls if it seems it’ll make that much of a difference.

The windows (Double paned 24 x 50) I was lucky enough to find just as they were being pitched in a remodel, so by some divine home studio building right, no added expense there.

On cams– I plan to do web type cams (one in each booth– two in the control room) that feed into a computer in a cove in the adjacent "chill room".
This is an experimental attempt to render the tagalong wives,husbands, boyfriends and girlfriends completely useful and creatively part of the team as they can monitor, capture and eventually edit together a simple ‘Making of..’ or in studio video.


Just frivolous icing, but I love icing!
-Thanks again-

[gummblefish]

Originally Posted by Bill Furnett

On cams– I plan to do web type cams (one in each booth– two in the control room) that feed into a computer in a cove in the adjacent "chill room".
This is an experimental attempt to render the tagalong wives,husbands, boyfriends and girlfriends completely useful and creatively part of the team as they can monitor, capture and eventually edit together a simple ‘Making of..’ or in studio video.

Yeah, yeah thats what everyone does at first. Then the depravity begins, soon your on the road to pornsville next stop prison.

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by Bill Furnett

It seems my best defense in the war on noise will be double wall construction
(double 5/8 drywall – stud – 703 in the gap – then another double 5/8 – air space – then another wall of the same.) , but each wall will have a double pane window in it.

Uh oh, that's four leaves . . . Rick won't like that! Omit the inner pairs of drywall.

Also, you don't need to use 703 inside the wall, regular ol' roll insulation works fine with less work and waste.

[Bill Furnett]

Omit the inner pairs you say?
Too much density begins to reflect huh?


Thanks guys

-Porn is simply nature's way of saying, "Whoa, look at the *&%@ on her!"-

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by Bill Furnett

Omit the inner pairs you say?
Too much density begins to reflect huh?

No, I believe it's a matter of creating a resonant structure. Rick has a clever picture that he posted that shows the STC of various wall constructions, lemme see if I can find it.

Edit: here it is:

[Bill Furnett]

Beautiful. That's the info i was looking for.

Thanks MS

[TexRoadkill]

I don't think you need to worry about 703 in the airspace either. Save it for the interior wall absorbers. You can use regular insulation inside the airspace.

[studiomaster]

Make sure you add bass traps.

[big country]

before I put dry wall up ,and before I put the intstalation in I hung a bunch of
roofing papper to the walls . I did this to 2 walls in my studio and wish I would
have done all four walls . its cheap its only like fourty dollars a role. and the walls with the tar papper have really low noise on the out side. I put like four
layers of that crap on the walls .cheap but very efective way to sound proof a room.

[Innovations]

Originally Posted by big country

before I put dry wall up ,and before I put the intstalation in I hung a bunch of
roofing papper to the walls . I did this to 2 walls in my studio and wish I would
have done all four walls . its cheap its only like fourty dollars a role. and the walls with the tar papper have really low noise on the out side. I put like four
layers of that crap on the walls .cheap but very efective way to sound proof a room.

That is particularly a good solution if you also need a vapor barrier, but otherwise it is just mass and gypsum board is still cheaper per pound.