[Mike Dzurko]

Bryan really knows his stuff. He and Glenn have helped a lot w/ my room design. GIK will be the treatments IN my room. Get a quote from him on the Green Glue, he was priced right on it for me and got it here when I needed it.

[Big Red Machine]

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I have to use hat channel on the walls?  I thought I could get away without using it on the walls, just the ceiling.
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Well it's the old flanking noise issue.  If you only treat the ceiling then the noise comes through the walls and makes its way upstairs eventually.  It's the next best thing to room within a room.  You really need to get over to see my rooms and hear the noise levels possible with and without hat channel, etc.  Don't wait for May to roll around!!

[bpape]

The other way you can 'cheat' a little is to use the DC-04 clips to isolate the whole wall from the structure above.  Then you can just do double drywall and green glue with no RSIC's/hat channel as the wall is already structurally isolated.  This is a less expensive solution that will perform just as well. 

It also saves you a few inches in thickness.  It does, however, reduce the gap between the drywall and the concrete which raises the resonant frequency of the cavity.  This is somewhat negated by the more flexible entire wall coupled with the higher mass which both drop resonant frequency and transmission.

Bryan

[MaxCast]

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions thus far.  This and mgalusha's thread are very informative.
I'm both excited and nervous to start.  We redid our bathroom this year.  When it was 90% done I read in Consumer Reports that 80% of home projects are over budget and the home owner wished they would have spent more time researching.  That fit us to a tee.  I'm gonna try to find all the i's and t's so I don't half ass it.

[JLM]

Just having an audio man-cave in itself is wonderful.  Set-up the room the way you want, listen to what you want when you want, and keep others (mostly kids and pets) away from your stuff.  The rest is gravy. 

For me the biggest "bang for the buck" elements in my room were:

1. Having enough space to create the Cardias recommended rectangle (8ft x 13ft x 21ft);
2. Isolated structure (all walls were already exterior or adjoining storage spaces);
3. Insulated fiberglass door and flexible ductwork (no cost options when building).

Biggest regret: not being able to "float" the ceiling due to builder not cooperating.

[chadh]

As this is a basement project in Michigan, and the walls really should be able to "breathe" to avoid all sorts of nasty mold problems, is there any sonic advantage to using drywall rather than some sort of fiberglass insulation basement system, like that offered by Dow-Corning and their competitors?

I have one of these kind of systems in my basement (not my listening environment).  They send a contractor in who erects a metal (not wood) frame next to the cinderblock, then snaps the super-compressed fiberglass into tracks along the ceiling and floor.  The fiberglass gets covered with a resilient fabric.  I would imagine that the contractor would work with you to adapt the design to accommodate extra isolation features.

Chad

[MaxCast]

Chad, the moisture thing does have me concerned.  I am going to consult a building inspector and local codes.  I am hoping to stand off the walls a couple extra inches and use a moisture barrier.??

[bpape]

Drywall is the mass you need to provide isolation and a low noise floor for listening.  When you construct the room, the gap behind the wall provides the breathing effect provided you allow each 'end' of the wall (or walls) to be open to another area.  If moisture is a large issue in your area, something as simple as a small computer fan rigged to pull air through the gap from the other end will provide enough airflor to mitigate the problem. 

Bryan

[MaxCast]

Update 5-16-08   Will begin demolition in a couple weeks.

My next question revolves around wiring.
Right now I plan on increasing service from 100 to 200amps.  I will be bringing the new service into a new panel and the old panel will be a sub panel.

How many lines for audio/video?  I was thinking two quad's for stereo and one quad for digital/video on the business end.  I may run a separate 20 amp line to the other end of the room in case I flip it around some day.
Lighting will be by wall sconces and maybe something on an already low ceiling - on it's own line.
Ac plugs around the room on their own line.

I should run some video cable to both ends of the room.  RG-?  need advise here.

Should I run a data/computer hook up?  I need advise here too.  Even if I don't use it now I figure I should at least mount a plate and run the other end to another room for access.  Probably where the cable line comes in??

Again, thanks for all and any suggestions

[Big Red Machine]

Consider large, multiple, subs someday at 1000 watts each for those wall circuits.  Also plan multiple runs of wires to send sub signals around the room as you never know where the best locations will be until you fire them up (response vs. space vs. aesthetics).

My Ht has a 20A circuit for the elctronics at the rack, one 15A for lights, one 15A for the walls inside the room.  You might consider putting the projector power on the electronics circuit so it can be treated together for noise, etc.  But if you can swing it, set the projector up for a battery backup unit even if it is not on the same circuit.

[TomS]

Mine was new construction, but for all the low voltage stuff, I put in heavy grey pvc conduits 2-3" (if it fits) wherever a run was going behind walls, just in case I wasn't sure what I wanted.  One has signal, speaker level wires, another with at least 2 x Cat6, 2 x RG6, 2 x phone everywhere.  Both have extra pull strings in them just for good measure.  Keep them away from power or cross at right angles.  Take pictures of walls while open, along with reference markings.  I was trying to future proof as much as possible at it's worked for 8 years of changes.