[kenreau]

I've got wood floors in my listening room and have a loose circular 12' diameter semi-thick shag area carpet for appearances and to help with the room acoustics.  I was considering adding ~1/2" carpet pad to help with sound issues as it is located right in the sweet spot of first reflections in the listening area and I don't current have any ceiling treatments (gyp board ceiling at 10'h)

Pad/underlayment choices I see include Foam, Rebound, Urethane, Rubber waffle and Fiber.  The Fiber pads are noted primarily for use with Berber carpet.

My notion is the Fiber pad appears like a logical choice.  Is this little bit of padding even worth hassling with?

Thanks
Kenreau

[mfsoa]

I've heard that some carpet pads can mar wood floors underneath, so be careful.

Acoustically, I don't know, although I'm getting new wall to wall installed today in my room and I picked the heaviest, rubber-slab-type pad, thinking that this would give the best damping of floor vibrations.

So maybe consider not only the effect on the sound from the speakers interacting w/ the pad, but also the vibrations that travel through the floor. So in that case, I'd think that a heavy pad would be most effective.

Sorry not much help, but interesting since I'm sort of going through similar thinking myself...

-Mike

[TomS]

I used an larger version of this under my natural area rug and am very happy with it.  Just cut to size http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Superior-Hard-Surface-and-Carpet-Rug-Pad-8-Round/2498424/product.html

[kenreau]

I used an larger version of this under my natural area rug and am very happy with it.  Just cut to size http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Superior-Hard-Surface-and-Carpet-Rug-Pad-8-Round/2498424/product.html

Excellent. That looks perfect.

Thanks
Kenreau

[Nyal Mellor]

Excellent. That looks perfect.

Thanks
Kenreau

Stay away from any hard or non-porous material for treating first reflection from the floor, you want something that will absorb the sound!

Specifications of the rug pad you should be looking for: woven of synthetic (nylon, polyester, polypropylene) or natural fibers; thickness 3/8” to 7/16” ; weight of 40oz per yard.

[kenreau]

Nyal,

Any idea if an acoustical foam product would be beneficial as well? (to supplement the woven pad)

I have a couple of 2x4 sheets of 1/4" thick acoustical foam (maybe melamine) left over from treating my vehicle (these foam sheets were applied over a Dynamat type product).  I was thinking they may be thin enough under the shag rug that I just place them in the first reflection point as a possible enhancement to the underlayment pad.

Thx
Kenreau

[BobRex]

I've got wood floors in my listening room and have a loose circular 12' diameter semi-thick shag area carpet for appearances and to help with the room acoustics.  I was considering adding ~1/2" carpet pad to help with sound issues as it is located right in the sweet spot of first reflections in the listening area and I don't current have any ceiling treatments (gyp board ceiling at 10'h)

Pad/underlayment choices I see include Foam, Rebound, Urethane, Rubber waffle and Fiber.  The Fiber pads are noted primarily for use with Berber carpet.

My notion is the Fiber pad appears like a logical choice.  Is this little bit of padding even worth hassling with?

Thanks
Kenreau

I think that pile of the carpet is going to determine your absorption; I'm not sure the padding will be porous enough to contribute.  At best it would probably absorb the same frequency range (or higher) as the carpet, at worst it makes the carpet softer to walk on.  Who knows, it probably also damps vibration in the floor.