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impromptu listening room

post #1 of 12
1/19/10 at 11:51pm
Thread Starter 
well, i've got this room in my basement that i'd really like to convert into a stereo room, I have a turntable rig/stereo in my room already and I want a separate room for my new rig i'm getting. The only thing about this room is it's completely unfinished, and an acoustic NIGHTMARE. Concrete floor (which would probly be beneficial for my Rega table once i get it), block walls, and open floorboard ceiling. My plan is to cover the ceilings with MDF, and then carpet the entire room, floor, ceiling, walls everything. However, I got an estimate today on the carpet and it'd be over 2000 bucks for just the carpet. So, plan b... I have a total of 620 sq. feet that needs covering with some sort of sound damping material. I'm going to see about just getting carpet padding or a friend of mine suggested i cover the room with rugs. I really don't care how it ends up looking I just want to get better sound out of that room than i know it would give me as it sits. Any Ideas?
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post #2 of 12
1/19/10 at 11:56pm
I say carpet the floor and maybe use rugs for now. If you come along some spare cash later do the carpet to the walls if you want. But I suggest carpeting the floor first and for most not only because of acoustic but comfort as well. And pics might help others and their suggestions.
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post #3 of 12
1/20/10 at 12:10am
Thread Starter 
i'll get pics up as soon as i can my camera is dead at the moment.
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post #4 of 12
1/20/10 at 2:04am
While you can dampen some of the reflections with carpeting and other treatments, you may be beating a dead horse here if you have bad room resonances and other acoustic horrors. Or to use another agrarian analogy, you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

Put your money into a better headphones rig.
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post #5 of 12
1/20/10 at 3:34am
Thread Starter 
that's really the only acoustic problems I see with the room is the cement, I'll get pics up in the morning, and I've actually think I may have found some free carpet! lol. but also, wasn't really planning on spending a whole lot with this room, and it's really just to house my soon to be Rega Planar 3 (also will have speakers etc. etc.) primarily for my headphones.
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post #6 of 12
1/25/10 at 9:01pm
If you have access to a TON of egg cartons, use those. That's what my music teacher covered her music room in years ago, worked pretty good and pretty cheap.
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post #7 of 12
1/26/10 at 6:47am
Carpet everything? Ugggg...

I would just frame out a room, put in a drop ceiling and carpet the floor.
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post #8 of 12
1/26/10 at 7:08am
First thing if you're going to spend any quality time in your basement, before rennovations:

Radon Detector

Then if there are any mitigation measures that need to be taken it will be much easier to do first, before the rest of the upgrade.

I don't mean to be a wet blanket , it actually sounds like a great project
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post #9 of 12
1/26/10 at 4:25pm
consider an acoustic ceiling treatment rather than solid wood (MDF). (you can put fiberglass insulation batts on top of the tiles to really provide the dampening you are looking for)

Throw rug at least between you and the speakers to absorb the primary reflection site.

soft wall hangings at primary reflection sites on the side walls.

This would eliminate the majority of the issues.

Wall to wall carpeting would be fine if it fit in the budget also.

Corner bass traps would be the next step.

All that being said, if you are just going to be listening to headphones, I would put what ever comfort surfaces/furniture you can afford. All the acoustical mumbo jumbo is for a speaker listening room.
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post #10 of 12
1/27/10 at 8:22am
2nd the rugs on the walls and bass traps!
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post #11 of 12
1/27/10 at 10:34am
In place of the MDF ceiling let me suggest fabric. This is my basement studio. I bought the fabric at a flea market for $1/yd. and hung it using a staple gun. It looks kinda' cool and leaves easy access to the upstairs floor for running wires, and stuff.

Oops, photobucket is down. I'll attach pics as soon as I can.
01/27 10pm still down
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post #12 of 12
1/27/10 at 3:59pm
Thread Starter 
thanks for all the ideas! i have furniture already (a couple recliner chairs, a couple fixed chairs and a few couches to choose from) and I'm thinking the rugs on the walls would work out really well, should be finding out today on some carpet from people who had it just chillin' around.
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