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Most important fundamentals in your built/modded listening room?

Situation: We will be doing a basement renovation soon. At the moment, I don't have a full go-ahead to turn this room into a listening room. The room will be multipurpose for another 4 years (when the last kid goes to college). I am not working with $100k and an architect. This is about laying the groundwork for later adjustments.

Room:
  • The room is a rectangle: 27 ft. x 17 ft. x 8 or 9 ft.
  • (I say 8 or 9 foot ceilings because right now the rafters come down to 8 feet but the floor above is at 9 feet.)
  • Walls are unfinished, the ceiling is unfinished.
  • Two outside walls are concrete.
  • The floor is concrete.

There's a lot of literature out there, including a great article by Harley about building a listening room. https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/building-a-listening-room

But for now, as I said, I'm looking for ways I can PRE-PLAN fundamental elements of the room so that later it can be tweaked even further.

QUESTION: What would you suggest should be done that is fundamental to the build out of the space?
  • Wall construction?
  • Dimension modification (cannot make ceilings higher)
  • Electrical?
  • Other things?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
128x128hilde45

Showing 3 responses by mesch

mesch
3,529 posts
 


Sounds like a great project and opportunity! You have been given much sage advice.

My approach would be to devote the space to audio, If wanting to add video, I would use my 2-channel system for it. Therefore devoting $$ to music as, I find that 2-channel can do wonders for video.  

Initially, I would pay attention to consideration of ideal ratios for a dedicated room. The Harley article discusses this. Consider the 8' ceiling to be 'fixed' and the reference. Insulate between joists with two layers of 6" insulation covered by 5/8' drywall. The 17' dimension can be played with by furring out the concrete walls as desired. Insulate between wall material and concrete. Use 5/8" drywall for wall.  Consider this the width. Frame in a cross wall to the desired length. Consider using the damping material between 2 sheets of drywall for this wall. Possibly only on the side of this wall interior to the audio room.

Given you are running Mono amps and a pre with digital source I would route 3 dedicated lines to the room for equipment, one to amps, one to pre, and one for digital front end. 

I would consider placing a equipment rack for sources and pre at one side of listening chair. Mono amps on stands where best suits. 
Have nothing between speakers. 

Enjoy!

mesch
3,529 posts
 
@hide45  Regarding the ceiling, I agree one could leave it open. Might consider incorporating bass traps where ceiling meets walls. Maybe insulate some sections and cover with fabric as per MCs suggestion. Also spray a thin layer of closed cell foam insulation to round out edges where joists meet subfloor above. Basically having diffusion and some absorption installed into ceiling. Allowing for the 9' ratio reference.

I would mount TV flush to wall behind speakers. Maybe elevate it above speaker height. Cover with absorption products when not in use. Might frame it in for this purpose. 

If video electronics are not in use when music system is used then one dedicated line could be used for both. In your case the position of the dedicated outlets will need to be well thought out regarding topology of A/V systems. 

Just some thoughts, I am enjoying thinking on your project. 
mesch
3,529 posts
 
Great tool. Has more information than I have been able to absorb in this short time. In the past I have plotted modes for my room, though not accessed this program. My room that I will be moving into is 8.3 x 11.5 x 16.5 having the ratio of 1, to 1.3, to 2.0. Lower bass nodes are well distributed.

I agree that to keep the room size as large as possible while keeping the most ideal ratios, it would be best to leave the joist exposed and box in whatever plumbing is exposed using acoustic adsorption materials.  Thereby considering the 9' ceiling as the reference. 

Would is possible to divide the basement into 2 more equally sized room and accommodate your dedicated A.V objectives?

  


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