30 May 2010

Sound Insulation

Sound travels more readily through solids than it does through air, as demonstrated in old Western movies by the fellow with his ear to the railway track giving advance notice of oncoming trains. This has practical implications when soundproofing a room.

Air is actually the best insulator of sound, so if we're concerned about external sound getting into the studio or our own sounds leaking out, we need to trap air between solid layers in the walls, floor and ceiling, to provide good sound insulation. Regardless of the materials used for the inner surfaces, any struts or batons joining them to the external walls, floor and ceiling, will themselves transmit sound.

Optimal sound insulation can be achieved by floating a room within the room on tennis balls. This way there is very little solid connection between the inner and outer rooms, but a lot of insulating air. In fact anything which traps air will dampen sound transmission, so foam acoustic tiles, or even cardboard egg boxes, glued or tacked to the walls and ceiling, and thick carpets on the floor, will help.

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