How quiet does a room need to be?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dreib
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dreib

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Is there like some standard I should be shooting for. I am covering up some old windows and a door from the inside of my space using insulation and drywall and I have the option of covering those up from the outside also if needed. Im guessing that if I cant hear stuff leaking in once im done with the inside (cars-birds-dogs barking -whatever) than I should be good, generally speaking yes?

Thanks!
 
I don't know what the answer is or should be but I can hear birds, dogs, traffic, etc, in my room. I get by and those noises don't make their way into my recordings at all.

I guess if you find those noises really off putting then you should do something about them.
 
If you can't hear them on your recordings, then yes, you should be fine.
 
It depends on: How much noise is outside the room, how much noise you are going to make and if there is anyone close that will be disturbed, how quiet is the recording going to be, soft flute, voiceover work, or loud vocals and guitar.

In the ideal world no noise would get in our out, but the world is not always ideal and the dB reduction will = $. So The best you can do. However a good start it s to ensure that there are no gaps in the closing doors or windows (good seals) there are no gaps or holes in the building/walls/ceiling. An acoustics consultant once said to me that, "If water can get in and out, sound can get in or out. Think that you are making the room water tight"

Alan.
 
Mr Clean said:
I don't know what the answer is or should be but I can hear birds, dogs, traffic, etc, in my room. I get by and those noises don't make their way into my recordings at all.
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Man, you'd LOL if you could hear the background noise I have at my place.
There's a lad behind us practicing flute outside most days. :facepalm:
 
At least you don't have lorikeets and cockatoos...

The red button stays off whilst the the lorikeets are having dusk races around the big trees outside.

Every now and then I hear one of the little buggers on a track somewhere.
 
There's absolutely a standard to "shoot for". Do some Googling and look up what NR-25 means.

There's not a hope in hell of getting NR 25 in most domestic situations and even very few pro studios achieve it though.

True sound proofing involves double skin concrete block walls with air gaps, floating floors, double doors with magnetic seals and a vestibule, etc. etc.

You're generally better off worrying more about the acoustics than the sound proofing--basically, if it's not bothering you then it's not a real problem. As Witzend so wisely says, context is important--you need a much quieter room for voice over work than for most music recording.

(And I share Armistice's problem with cockatoos...and also some Galahs and Kookaburras. I hate Kookaburras 'cause they laugh at you. This bugger hangs around our patio looking for the snacks the kids drop:

Kookaburrastarecrops.webp

Every evening around sunset he sounds like THIS. Sunset is a good time to take a beer break while recording. Recorded with an AKG C451EB that I'd been using on an acoustic guitar just shoved out the sliding patio door so no fancy shotguns or anything. He really IS that loud!)
 
Bobbsy said:
Recorded with an AKG C451EB that I'd been using on an acoustic guitar just shoved out the sliding patio door so no fancy shotguns or anything. He really IS that loud!)
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I was going to say 1st you hear the cockatoo, then you hear a fancy shotgun:D

Alan
 
A fancy shotgun would do wonders for my sound isolation...and I'm not talking microphones! :D

Our neighbours (not to mention Queensland Police) might object though).
 
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