(Gorts - I couldn't quite figure out where to put this thread as it's not related to hardware and is related to audio, move if you feel it's appropriate). I'm in the market for a new house and if it's big enough I may even get my own stereo room! My question is - would it be better for the system to have carpets or hardwood floors? High or low ceilings? Any advice is appreciated!
Hi, I just recently built a dedicated home theater/audio room in my basement. I'm an architect, so I would be glad to share with you what I did regarding room size, materials and wall construction. Following are some examples of what I did: The ratio of the room's width, length and height are very important. Never build a room that is a cube. Also, never make one wall a multiple of another. For example, if the room is 20 feet long, do not make the width 10 feet or 15 feet. The drywall that is used for the walls and ceiling is attached to USG resilient channels. The channels act as an "acoustic break" between the drywall and the wood studs. When you are playing music loud, the vibrations in the drywall is not transmitted into the studs. The space between the studs is filled with USG acoustic insulation. The door to the audio room is an insulated exterior door with weather-stripping all around plus it has a threshold with a foam strip. When the door is closed, the sound in the audio room does not leak into the rest of the house. I use acoustic wall panels to absorb the first and second reflections from my speakers. This really improves imaging. You may also want to consider "bass traps". If you want detailed information and specs for the wall system, send me a private message and I'll give you my phone number.
