Help / Comments - New Construction - Sort of...


Thanks for taking the time to read this if you are... It is a bit bittersweet for me, but the wife and I have put an offer in on a new home and it has been accepted. It is a bit sad after years of hard work into our current home, however situations with her business really dictate we move and build custom.

Now with the sweet of the bittersweet... The "better half" has also allowed me to use the "bonus room" as my dedicated listening room. It measures roughly 15'8" x 21'9" with a ceiling height of 9'. I have made some "minor" requests to the builder at this time. There is to be a "coffered ceiling" which consists of 6" wide by 8" deep beams... square pattern to consist of nine roughly 5'x7' rectangles. I am hoping this will help with diffusion. I have also requested the entire room be hung with double layers of sheetrock. The room is located on the second floor. Also to have 5 dedicated 20 amp lines ran to the room. On the short wall (behind my listening position) is the "chute" for the chimney from the greatroom below. This is approx 18" deep by 3 feet wide. I have made arrangements for cabinets (waist high) and bookshelves to the ceiling (for vinyl) to flank either side of the chimney chute. Only other option at this point was a solid door as well. I am planning on providing the cryo'd romex and duplex' and plan to have the breakers all on the same leg at the top of the box...

All else is yet to be determined. I have a wife that does not want *any* type of "tacky" sonic correction stuff anywhere... the best I have gotten so far is my Eighth Nerve room pack up...

So any suggestions, must do's... let me know. I am not certain I want double drywall, but was told that the stiffer the wall, the better the bass, and livlier the room, as well as help to isolate the sound.

At this point, we just signed the contract this evening, thus all *could be* changed... however budget is about zip, zero, zilch, nada, you get the idea... thus I worked the above into the room with the builder at this point. However, they estimate it will be 6 to 7 months until closing so if there ARE any "MUST DO" suggestions (afraid there will be many...) I do have time to react.

All help is greatly appreciated. My system link has all my gear, minus my TT that is on the way... Nottingham Spacedeck with Ace Space Arm, ZYX Airy3-S-SB with the Whest phono stage...
audiofankj
What is the idea behind the extra sheetrock? Are you going to have a gap between the layers with insulation? It would seem to me that making the wall more stiff (cement like) would reduce flex and redirect bass freq's back into the room?

Are you thinking two 1/2 inch layers? You may want to ask Rives or someone at his acoustics forum over at the Asylum weather two half inch layers would have any benefit over one 5/8's layer...I think not but I could be wrong.

As much insulation as you can possibly stuff behind...and then some extra may be a better idea. I did a double wall build when I did my room but had to do most of the work myself because the contractor would not have put up with all the extra crap I wanted for any kind of price I could ever pay...seems those guys are in a hurry to get to the next job...something about time being money I think he said.

Dave
Spoke with the builder and the I joists will be 16" on centers, subfloor is 3/4" screwed and glued. It sounds like the wall that is "shared" behind the speakers in the listening room, and behing the headboard in the master bedroom will be address with a stagger stud wall... most likely with some type of isolation tape on the studs behind the sheetrock.
Hi Kirk - good deal - sounds like you're on your way! Best of luck with the new home, and of course, the listening room. Now, if I could just get this hum to go away (heheh) ... Tom
Audiofankj, Just curious, will you be using any type of damping material between the two sheets of sheetrock?

Jim
Hey Jim-

At this point, no. Just staggering the second layer of drywall, and it should be a different thickness as well. I will be utilizing a damping material tape on the studs, and will be "stagger studding" the wall that the listening room and the master bedroom share. If you have any recommendations let me know - especially if they are reasonable in cost!

Kirk