The next accoustic step forward............or is it?

[Mad Mr H]

Well for some time I have been wanting to get round to improve the isolation in my Home Cinema room from the outside world.........

I live with a slip road to the M25 behind me and then of course the ever increasing M25.

I am 1 minute from being on the Motorway for work everyday this suits me great, and to move 5+ miles more into the country well that adds £100K+ to house values so I knew when I moved here the issues and reasons.

Anyway I have been looking for a new acoustic system to achieve 2 main things.

1. Reduction of reflections
2. Reduction of outside noise

the outside noise reduction will now include blocking in 2 sets of double doors that did lead out to my patio area - although that is still under consideration.

the reduction of reflections I have decided to go for a track system with stretch fabric covering, Originally I was looking at 50mm deep panels, that has now been reduced to 25mm as 50mm was though to be TOO large a reduction - heading to wards the cold feel of an anechoic chamber .

Currently I have eight 50mm deep panels , these give about a 25% coverage of the wall space (ish!)

The new system will give 99% coverage of wall AND ceiling.


This system gives 2 main features, the acoustic properties and a visual look which I think will add to the cinema feel.

Many people have commented on the audio system here and how clear it is, But many have noticed that despite their own systems of similar quality that this room has that "edge", I do put that down to the addition of the current panels in use.

Now, the way this new system is designed I can reduce from 100% coverage , And the same as when I started with the current panels I will be testing the room change as I go along, 50% coverage is where I will start.

Any ideas anyone ???

Any suggestions ???

Im due to start this work in about 7 days time.............

 

[Phil Hinton]

Andy,
Can't help with the outside noise part, except maybe turning the system up a bit

Anyway, your idea of fabric could work out, I have seen heavy curtains on rails down the walls work well, as you can then open and close to get the effect, don't know how scientific that approach would be. Or you could go with EQ from the likes of Audyssey, yes its pricey but with your level of kit the results and expenditure would be well worth it!

 

[mattym]

Hi Andy

i hope you got the message i left on your mobile, i didnt hear back from you..

sound isolation...

is the sound only coming in through the doors or is it bleeding in through the walls?

in-room acoustics
the way we would approach it is to use absorption at the front of the room and some diffusion/absorption at the rear, if your going to use a fabric system then you can use 25mm materials at the front end and fiberboard where you dont require absorption, this will just give you a universal look as well as the ability to lean on the wall without wrecking the fabric...

be wary of how much surface you cover with 25mm material, the reduction of high frequencies could highlight the mid/low end and leave you with a muddy sound, you're treating the mids now with thicker panels, you wont be going quite as low with the thinner panels.

Whats the room dimensions, i can run them and see if there are any potential problems

a link of interest
http://www.rpginc.com/cgi-bin/byteserver.pl/news/library/HT_AcD.pdf