A visit to Big Red Machine

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carusoracer

A visit to Big Red Machine
« on: 16 Aug 2007, 04:36 pm »
I would first off like to thank Pete and his family for the visit this past Saturday. They are very gracious and have a very beautiful home.
The first impression they say are always the most lasting. I enjoyed talking to Pete and his wife about home decor and personal styles and motiffs almost as much as listening to music. "Big Red Machine" is a very technical and detail oriented person with the know how and savvy to complete the overall presentation of their ideas.
I have seen the pictures on-line of his room but the amount of thought and work that has gone into actual installation and finish is impressive. :drool: Just ask him about his multi-layered walls and the little model that shows the construction components and layers.
I have HT3's but I'm always interested in hearing them in different environments and equipment. It is very hard to compare different systems but the difference between a dedicated,treated room vs a Treated compromised living room is surprising.
I think I'm closer to hearing what I thought I might be missing coming from the 401HR. The Mid Range detail,imaging and overall life like sound was quite impressive. I really like the sound the Moscode produces. I would luv to hear it in my own system with my hard to tame room nodes and listening environment.
I had a great time and would luv to have sat down for more but it was a very nice. Now about the Home Theatre setup :o That would take a whole page to talk about...very nice.

Thanks again :beer:

Big Red Machine

Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #1 on: 16 Aug 2007, 05:47 pm »
Mark, you are most welcome.  You are a very cool guy and I'm sure we will continue to share audio insights well into the future.

Now if I only had more spaces to finish in the house, a third system might be in order..... hmmm

MaxCast

Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #2 on: 16 Aug 2007, 05:55 pm »
Hey Pete, how about those layered walls?  What that all about?
I'll be doing a basement 16x31 and am gathering construction info.
If you got it written down or links I'd be most grateful.

Big Red Machine

Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #3 on: 16 Aug 2007, 06:20 pm »
http://www.greengluecompany.com/

http://www.kineticsnoise.com/arch/isomax/index.html

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=255432

Double drywall, green glue, acoustical caulk, hat channel, yippee!

Come by in Sept. and I'll show you up close and personal.

Papajin

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Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #4 on: 16 Aug 2007, 06:25 pm »
Heh.  I'm heading down that road for my basement install soonly myself.  Keep in mind that all of these things are aimed at room isolation -- keeping sound in and out of your room, and not absorption or defraction.  Afterall a totally silent room is a great foundation to build a listening room of whatever sort on!  You also get the fringe benefit of not disturbing the rest of the house and/or your neighbors if you do a good isolation job too.

jsalk

Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #5 on: 16 Aug 2007, 10:20 pm »
A couple quick tips.

I built three recording studios in the past and there are two critical areas to consider.  The first is preventing outside sounds from entering the studio.  The same techniques, of course, would prevent sound from inside a home theater from exiting to the rest of the house.

The two most important things are preventing coupling of interior and exterior surfaces and the use of mass to absorb low frequencies.

The idea of the first item is to prevent sound from being transmitted from one surface to another via something common to both surfaces.  If you build two walls with offset studs, make sure nothing on the inside wall touches anything on the outside wall.

Also, using different thicknesses of drywall on the opposing sides reduces the chances of getting sympathetic vibrations since the resonant frequencies will be different.

As for the second item, many types of insulation are available and do a good job with mid to high frequencies.  But when it comes to deep bass, mass is the only thing that can absorb the energy involved.

Early recording studios used lead sheeting for this purpose.  The studio I built used dual cinderblock walls separated by an air space.  The blocks were filled with sand as each course went up.

Of course, if there is one floor slab for both rooms, sound can be transmitted through the common floor.

A friend of mine built a sudio in his home.  When building the home, he basically poured the floor of the studio separate from the rest of the foundation.  He then built a free-standing studio and finally built a house surrounding it.  Nothing in the studio was common to the house.  It even had its own heating and air conditioning.

Naturally, this is not a practical approach for most home theaters.  But if you just keep these two ideas in mind, you will be miles ahead.

None of this, of course, addresses sound treatment within the room itself.  That is another topic all together.

- Jim

« Last Edit: 17 Aug 2007, 02:12 am by jsalk »

MaxCast

Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #6 on: 16 Aug 2007, 11:12 pm »
Thanks for the info guys.  My main concern will be the ceiling (bedrooms above).  Enough hijacking the thread.  I'm gonna see about sept. Pete.

Big Red Machine

Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #7 on: 17 Aug 2007, 01:39 am »
You just can't wear any Packer stuff!  Go Vikes!

bpape

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Re: A visit to Big Red Machine
« Reply #8 on: 17 Aug 2007, 01:42 am »
keeping sound in and out of your room, and not absorption or defraction.  Afterall a totally silent room is a great foundation to build a listening room of whatever sort on! 

That's what it's all about.  A quiet room gives you a tremendous advantage in dynamic range for a given system.

Bryan