material for studio walls?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ironklad Audio
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Ironklad Audio

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ok, here's my situation - i've been setting up a large outdoor shed with a concrete floor to record drums and guitar amps. the walls were bare studs with cheap exterior paneling screwed on to start, and i've since installed fiberglass insulation on the inside.

anyways, now i'm ready to put up the interior walls, and am wondering whether i'd be better off drywalling them or using some high-grade plywood. my natural inclination is towards using the drywall, but i can get the plywood for free...it just seems as it though the plywood would create resonant frequencies, look shitty when painted, and be a pain in the ass to attach foam to later - not to mention harder to cut and install. any info/comments would be greatly appreciated!
 
Drywall doesn't burn. Plywood does. There's a reason walls in homes are skinned with drywall. Just something to think about.

As for stopping sound, if you use 5/8" drywall, I'd have to say it'd stop sound better. Especially if you mount it on resilient channel.
 
drywall

try two layers of 1/2" with RCs and if you can afford it something like Auralex's sheet block will really solidify the room. Wood would be okay OVER sheetrock, mostly for looks, although it does have different reflective properties. Good Luck
 
Remember a couple of things though.

1. When you "soundproof", you must "airproof" the envelope. This translates into NO FRESH AIR. Which also translates into heat, and a need to breath. Hence, you need ventilation, which now creates a conundrum. When you penetrate the shell for ducting in a supply of fresh air and ducting out to equalize the pressure, you also create a flanking path for noise...IN as well as OUT.

2. When you "soundproof", you now have a room where sound does NOT escape. Therefore, now you must treat the room to ABSORB the reflections.

fitZ
 
yea, i already sealed all gaps/cracks inside and out with expanding foam and latex caulk, and am going to mount an AC outside and duct it in thru the wall, because it gets hotter than all hell here in the summer
 
AC outside and duct it in thru the wall, because it gets hotter than all hell here in the summer
So how are you going to prevent this from being a giant flanking path for noise? If its what I think it is, it may negate all your work to make the room...ahem..."soundproof".
 
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