This past weekend one of my son's friends knocked over one of my Sttafs. Unfortunately due to space, my listening room (the rec room) doubles as the kid's playroom. A very dangerous combination, and I have been very lucky so far.
But after this weekend I'd decided, that's enough... time to finish the basement and set up a dedicated room for me! My basement is more or less a wide U-shape, so at the far end of the U, I'm going to wall off a room approximately 10x13.
Anyone have any suggestions as far as soundproofing or acoustics?
Also, last night I was installing some outlets and wiring. For the outlet where my gear is going to be plugged into, is there any benefit in using so called "hospital grade" receptacles?
Oh yeah - thanks Nuck for the online wiring coaching. No shocks.
Dave - sounds like an absolutely wonderful project...something I have eventually in my plans. I'd start with the wiring...if you can go dedicated circuit with at least a 20 amp breaker...even better...fully dedicated with separate ground - might be simpler to install an addition panel, if you don't have room. I'd get a friend who's an electrician to help you out or someone who knows what their doing...can you say Nuck. Then you'll be set to get the best out of those hospital grade plugs. I'm not sure if going with a heavier gage wire i.e. 14 or 12 instead of 16 in the walls would help any. For wall sound insulation, one of the lowest cost ways is to install Roxul - it's like pink insulation, only it's greenish and made of spun rock rather than glass. Use 2X6 studs to get wider outside wall and you can get thicker insulation in. If it's an inner wall - once you get the insulation in, use the foam typically used for under laminate flooring in the wall to seal up / hold up the insulation - better sound deadening than the plastic tyvek on its own. You could always add the plastic on top. Don't forget to use the Roxul in the ceiling and around all the duct work. If you can, use that foam underpad on the ceiling as well, before putting up the drywall. If you go drop ceiling, you may be able to get some additional insulation in that ceiling.
Hey George. Thanks for the tips. Most of the drywall is already done, the insulation and drywall was done down to the frost line when I bought the house. I still have to do the inside dividing wall, I'll be sure to insulate that well. I'm going to be putting in a drywall ceiling, so I can make sure that's well insulated.
I was thinking of blowing in some of that low expanding foam into the walls where there is no insulation, rather than peeling all the drywall off and re-insulating, but Nuck suggested this may be a bad idea since there's no vapour barrier installed. Not really sure what to do there.