[samplesj]

I've been working at home on and off for a few years, but I lost my office a few months ago because of a new addition. I've been happy with floating around from room to room during the day, but since my wife decided to stay home this time my 4 year old is home all the time now too. It doesn't bother me too much, but it keeping him quiet is stressing my wife so she has asked to finish part of the basement for an office. I figure if I'm adding another room it would be great to set it up for 2 channel since I've got a merged system and no other spare space.

In order to minimize sound transmission into the room I was looking at the room in a room style. Outer walls tied to concrete floor and ceiling joists. Inner wall resting on a floating floor with an attached ceiling not connected to joists. I'm going to put 2 sheets of drywall on 1 side of each wall (nothing in the middle of the walls). Since I'm double walling RSIC clips won't really add much. I'm worried about a single wall with RSIC clips because of short circuiting. It looks like the clips are more than 2x4s for another wall anyway. In my case I need to take the full width unless I leave enough for a walkway so the extra space isn't important.

The soundproofing is only to prevent normal household sounds (walking/running, talking/shouting, basement heatpump, basement central vac) from coming in, not to prevent music from leaking out. Does that mean that I can cut any corners since the info I've been seeing has been more about keeping studio noise in. Money wise the extra 2x4s aren't isn't really much more, but it will take longer (DIY). On the other hand don't want to save a little cash and time but regret not double walling from here out.

Because of the basement layout and existing equipment down there I can't go too big. The maximum external size is a touch over 11'x14'x8' (WxLxH). Looking at the magic room size forumlas and accounting for the raised floor and lowered ceiling the best size I can end up with is 9'2"x11'x7'2" internal (the true ceiling height will probably be closer to 7' after flooring and ceiling).

I figure that gives me one end of the room for a desk and the other for equipment. I plan on lining part of the side walls with bookshelves (I've got a LOT of books for work) to eat 1st reflections. I understand the the soundproofing will require more acoustic treatment (sound doesn't escape) so I will heavily bass trap it too. i was thinking about laminate flooring, but wood and carpet are also options. Since I'm going to have a sheetrock ceiling should I use carpet?

As long as I offset my desk I can still fit the speakers and listenening position using the golden ratio. Basically my listening recliner will be beside the desk's roller chair. I'll only have a little over 4' from me to the speakers so someone shout if that's too close for proper driver intergration in multi driver towers. I'm also tempted to forget the golden ratio stuff and push the speakers closer to the rear wall for more breathing room. My HT mains don't follow the golden ratio (although they are still technically near field) and they sound great.

I've not started yet so now is the best time for feedback. Does anyone have any options or other suggestions?

[8thnerve]

What equipment are you using?

[samplesj]

What equipment are you using?

Building the room for an office is the first goal.  I'm going to add the audio equipment later.  To be honest a lot of the gear is TBD.  I've only got a couple of local shops so I don't have a lot of options outside of internet direct or used.

The amp and preamp or intergrated is yet to be determined.  I'm seriously considering tubes because I prefer a warmer sound.  Tubes are dependant on final speaker sensitivity of course (low power and low sensitivity is not a good mix).

The speakers aren't nailed down, but I had been looking at the upcoming Onix Stratas (panel hybrid) for 2 channel for another space that got overruled.  I'm not sure the new room will fit them though.

Some gear out of my HT system that will come down.

Audio Alchemy DDS Pro  (cd transport)
Perpetual Technologies P-1A (cd upsampler/word extender)
Perpetual Technologies P-3A (modwright level 2) (DAC)
Monolith P3 (modwright modded) (power supply for P-1A and P-3A)
BPT 3.5 signature (balance power conditioner)

[Red Dragon Audio]

I figure that gives me one end of the room for a desk and the other for equipment. I plan on lining part of the side walls with bookshelves (I've got a LOT of books for work) to eat 1st reflections.
I would put the bookshelf at the back of the room to give the illusion of depth to your ears.  I have read bookcases like that can absorb and diffuse the sound well in that kind of application.  If you just put a bookcase on one side of the room it might sound unbalanced.  To treat the first reflection points, just use rigid fiberglass boards about 1"-3" thick and cover them with fabric.  I would also place a couple behind the speakers on the walls too in order to eliminate some of those reflections.

I understand the the soundproofing will require more acoustic treatment (sound doesn't escape) so I will heavily bass trap it too.
I think in a small room like this, you need to use a design Ethan Winer uses in his studios.  They are built in bass traps on the walls and you will probably need a few in such a small room like that.  Then maybe some bass absorbtion in the upper corners of the room.

I was thinking about laminate flooring, but wood and carpet are also options. Since I'm going to have a sheetrock ceiling should I use carpet?
Yes.  I would use carpet as that would help eliminate the slap echo between the floor and ceiling.

As long as I offset my desk I can still fit the speakers and listenening position using the golden ratio. Basically my listening recliner will be beside the desk's roller chair. I'll only have a little over 4' from me to the speakers so someone shout if that's too close for proper driver intergration in multi driver towers. I'm also tempted to forget the golden ratio stuff and push the speakers closer to the rear wall for more breathing room. My HT mains don't follow the golden ratio (although they are still technically near field) and they sound great.
In a room that small look for a quality 2-way speaker. Vandersteen 1C, Meadowlark Swift/Kestrel2, Opera Callas, Reference 3A http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1098244892">Dulcets, Aerial http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1098239220">Model 5...  This room will take some experimenting to get right for speaker placement...Golden ratios don't always work out like they do on paper...though they help you get closer more quickly.  This might sound funny but I think that you would be better off at least that close to your speakers in a room so small.  Just try it all to see how you like it...Try your speakers out very close (3'-4' away) and then try them perhaps closer to the room's corners.


As far as an integrated tube amp in that size of room I think you would be fine with anything over 10-15watts of tube power and probably 30watts of solid state power.  There are literally dozens of very good choices out there and it might be some time til you get the right one.  Buy a few integrated amps at one time (used on Audiogon so you get your money back when you sell the extra amps).  Then you can audition them directly in your own room where it matters most.  I can tell you this, just assembling a system from "Stereophile Class A list" won't always get you audio nirvana...some Class A components just don't have synergy and sound blah.  anyway, you are at the start and it is going to fun but not without any work.

Hopefully my rants made some sense.  IF not, go and bug Ethan Winer as he has more knowledge on this subject than I.

Good luck and hopefully your room turns out to be a great place to listen to music.

[JLM]

I'm in the same boat, except that my room is going into new construction so I was able to squeeze a somewhat bigger room out of the deal (7'-8 1/2" x 12'-6" x 20' - 1 1/2").  The office will go in the back of the room and allow for Cardias nearfield (equalateral triangle with 68 inch sides between listener and speakers) well away from side/front walls.

To maximize your headroom I'd recommend          5/8 x 2 inch furring strips into the floor (on their sides), then covering the entire floor with 1/2 inch Insultarp (R-10) and typical floor sheathing.  The Insultarp will compress somewhat over the furring strips.  Total assembly will be less than 1 1/2 inches thick.  The RSIC clips should work well to suspend the drywall ceiling, but add loose insulation above.

I'd also recommend:

1.  Providing dedicated electrical power outlets (on their own 20A circuits with 12 gauge wiring and their own ground).

2.  Add loose insulation in the walls (if space is a problem you can stagger 2 x 4 studs on either side of the wall and use the same 2 x 6 top and bottom plates, works very well).

3.  Install a sealed/insulated exterior door.

4.  Replace metal ductwork with lined fiberglass.


I'd leave space in the corners for bass traps, but plan on built-in shelving/storage on one side wall and the back (office) wall.  I'll add other treatments as necessary.  IMO nearfield listening will eliminate most of the concerns about mid/high frequency side/front wall interactions or worries of one side wall being different from the other.


I'm also assembling a new system for the room and just picked up my first pair of single driver speakers.  Nearfield driver integration will not be an issue (plus all the other single driver advantages).  As the driver is larger than a tweeter it will beam the higher frequencies, but that will have two advantages:  You can tune by simply pointing the speaker; and there will be less side wall reflection issues.