A few weeks ago I had the not so brilliant idea of creating a new blog The Noise Rebellion, I was thinking that this would be my new soundproofing blog replacing Soundproofing with Dave. However, I changed my mind and Soundproofing with Dave will be my main soundproofing news blog. The Noise Rebellion will focus more on gadgets and off beat noise news, like noise canceling headphones and sound isolation chambers.

Also, thanks to the experts at Soundproofing America for mentioning this blog. You can visit their blog at here.

A new ventilation system, both silent and healthy, has entered the Australian market. Sydney based company, Acoustica distributes a product that not only filters the air and provides superior ventilation, but simultaneously stops noise from outside the building (traffic, aircraft, etc).

AeropacAeropac
Acoustica’s Aeropac is currently being installed in housing along Australian motorways, due to its unique dual approach to ventilation. It has also been used in the USA and Europe to effectively control both aircraft and traffic noise.

Aeropac is designed for houses alongside busy streets where both noise control and fresh air are of paramount concern. It is a compact ventilation unit that can be fitted to any room. With dimensions of 115 x 405 x 250 mm it takes up a minimum amount of space in a modern, slimline design.

Read More


Technorati Tags: soundproofing, soundproof ventilation

Rob Tries To Drown Out Drum Noise
Rob To The Rescue Tries To Help Drummer, Neighbor
Neighbor FORDS, N.J., May 2, 2006

"(CBS) When Mike Donahue isn't working as a full-time fireman, he's pursuing his dream as a part-time musician. But Mike's love of the drums is not shared by his neighbors in Fords, N.J., who have to listen to his every rehearsal. That's why Mike's mom sent The Early Show an e-mail and hoped Rob Mariano could come to their rescue. Marge Donahue wrote to Rob, who has been helping viewers since appearing on "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," that her son had recently purchased a small house and moved in with his drums. However, he also ended up with a neighbor who doesn't appreciate his drumming. "I tried to soundproof the best I could, spending about $500 on carpet padding hoping this would resolve the issue," Mike explains. But Mike's soundproofing job did not impress neighbor Ann Everson, who has been living in her house for 57 years. "It's a very quiet neighborhood except for the drums," Ann explains. "We had a very heated argument about it."

Read More


Technorati Tags: Rob, Survivor, The Amazing Race, QuietRock, Quiet Solutions

From the babygadget blog:

"Didi Rounds are great for keeping noise out of baby/children's rooms and vice versa. They are soundproofing padded discs upholstered in naugahyde and come in an assortment of different hues. Just channel your inner interior decorator to create a din-free environment in the color pattern of your choice and velcro on. Pretty simple. As an added benefit, use also as childproofing pads for walls."

Read More

Technorati Tags: playeroom, soundproofing

Acoustica has developed a new wall system (patent pending) – the only wall system of its kind – to successfully sound proof your building without taking up excess space.

The Acoustiflex Wall System has been examined under the ‘Acoustic Performance Index’ and its rating is extremely high. ‘Acoustic Performance Index’ takes into account the cost of the wall compared to its acoustic performance, the thickness of the wall and the floor-space cost.

Acoustica says Acoustiflex Wall System is the only system of its kind to achieve such a high rating for such a thin wall. It is only 148mm wide and has an acoustic performance that can be matched only by wall systems a great deal thicker (250-300mm).

Source Infolink Read More

SUNNYVALE, CA -- Quiet Solution, LLC, a provider of award-winning soundproofing products, has introduced the lowest-cost, high-performance soundproof/RF shielded drywall and wood panels for SCIF rooms as well as commercial applications.

A Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) is a facility providing formal access controls (approved by the Director of Central Intelligence) and typically requires sound isolation as well as RF shielding throughout the room to prevent unauthorized information flow. Over 120,000 SCIF rooms have been targeted for conversion over the next several years at government offices, government subcontractors and embassies throughout the world.

The QuietRF family of products includes special drywall, wood and sealants to meet the stringent requirements of RF shielded and acoustically isolated SCIF rooms as required by DCI. Since the construction methods are more standardized than older techniques (such as copper shells), standard subcontractors can be used throughout construction, cutting labor costs by 4X or more. With STC values of up to 74 and RF shielding tested from 0Hz to 10Ghz with 60dB to 80dB of attenuation, QuietRF provides the first one-stop solution for complete SCIF room and RF shielded buildouts. In addition, QuietRF products may be used in commercial settings such as hospitals or theaters where RF shielding may be desired, but had been too expensive or impossible until now.

"QuietRock and QuietWood products have been used over the past three years in over 10,000 successful soundproofing projects. While our earlier products provide no RF shielding, we developed the new RF product line to make RF and soundproof SCIF room construction more affordable than earlier methods. Now builders and architects can achieve the lowest installed cost and deliver solid acoustic and RF shielded performance with proven QuietRock technology," said Kevin Surace, CEO of Quiet Solution.

QuietRF products are available exclusively through over 400 distributors of building materials throughout North America. Specific details are available at www.QuietRF.com

Noisy Neighbors Upstairs

Yikes, I thought I had it bad.

BY JOTHAM SEDERSTROM
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Ear-itated Bay Ridge residents are struggling to name that tone - a round-the-clock humming noise they say is depriving them of sleep.

The noise - compared to the roar of an engine and the honk of a fog horn - has been blowing in from near the Bay Ridge Channel for nearly a year, but nobody has been able to pinpoint its source.

"The problem is it's constant, 24 hours a day," said Dr. Concetta Butera, a chiropractor who lives on Colonial Road. "It's messed up my life really badly."

For Butera, who has lived in her sixth-floor apartment for 18 years, the sound is more than just a nuisance. Besides spending the night at her office, she has sunk more than $2,000 into muffling the noise.

Late last year, Butera installed soundproof windows, invested in a sound machine and even hired an acoustical consultant, who failed to determine where the sound was coming from but suggested a fan outside her building.

Rita Majurinen, a music teacher who lives several blocks away on Wakeman Place, said the sound reaches her home, too.

"It's such a low tone that I can feel it in my body," said Majurinen, adding the noise has kept her awake at night.

Source New York Daily News Read More


Technorati Tags: annoying noise

Step-by-step guide to soundproofing your apartment, including the walls, ceiling and floor.
Do you have loud neighbors? Does the lady upstairs stomp around her apartment? Do the folks next to you play their TV too loud? Are kids constantly screaming and being rambunctious? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, I will give you step-by-step do it yourself instructions on soundproofing your apartment.

The key to soundproofing an apartment is to block sound transmission. You will easily accomplish this with a product known as mass loaded vinyl barrier. More effective than a sheet of lead for stopping sound, vinyl barrier uses its weight (up to 2 lbs. per square foot) to stop sound transmission dead in its tracks.

The easiest and simplest way to soundproof your walls is to apply furring strips to the existing drywall and then apply the vinyl barrier. It is important that an air gap be left between the existing drywall and the vinyl barrier, as this will maximize the sound deadening properties of the mass loaded vinyl barrier. After applying the vinyl barrier to the furring strips, you want to seal up the seams using a silicon adhesive. This is a critical step, as sound will pass through any opening. Add another layer of drywall after you have applied and sealed the vinyl barrier to notice a dramatic decrease in sound transmission.

If you do not wish to use furring strips on the wall, you can use vinyl barrier foam composite that will provide you with the separation necessary for adequately blocking sound. The treatment above for walls may also be used for ceilings to keep sound out from the dear lady upstairs that stomps around her apartment.

Source Buzzle.com Read More

Technorati Tags: Soundproofing, apartment

House Hacker :: Informative Soundproofing Discussion

Here's an excellent soundproofing discussion over at studio-central.com. The thread begins with the oft recommended carpet and foam wall technique, which, as you'll read, is a total no-no to some - although it's not quite unanimously opposed. The carpet opponents believe carpet and foam to be dangerous potential fire hazards that, lacking any significant mass, have minimal soundproofing ability - which is hotly debated due to many people adding their anecdotal evidence to the contrary.

The discussion offers many links to different, informative soundproofing resources, including this document called Exposing Acoustical Myths (PDF), which really breaks down a lot of the misconceptions people have about the science of soundproofing a space. Another nice resource is this page that details the different drywall, stud and insulation configurations and their corresponding STC ratings. STC ratings are, according to stcratings.com:

...a single-number rating of a material's or an assembly's ability to resist airborne sound transfer at the frequencies 125-4000 Hz. In general, a higher STC rating blocks more noise from transmitting through a partition.

So, the higher STC the better. Another site worth checking out is Acoustics.com. They've made available an Acoustics 101 overview page, as well as handy project design resources that give detailed tips on designing all sorts of different types of rooms, including home theatres.

Technorati Tags: soundproofing

Spin the Rota » Blog Archive » Daily Tip for Home Builder - Framing: Home Theatre Soundproofing

I’d promised more when I wrote about insulation and drywall, so here goes: When framing a soundproof wall, use 2X6 plates then stagger the 2X4 studs to either side of the plate creating a 6” space for thicker batts of insulation snaked on the horizontal. lsolate the slab or floor joists of home theatre especially if you plan a floor-shaker woofer (bass is hardest to soundproof). Just a 3% “short” (touch) can increase sound transmission by 50%. Install sound absorbing columns within walls; use a cardboard form (used for poured concrete columns) and fill it part way with sand. It will absorb bass frequencies. Don’t cut out openings in drywall opposite from each other in adjoining walls. Stagger those opening for expert soundproofing. Use insulated doors then weather-seal all around them.

Technorati Tags: framing, home theatre

I dislike squeaky floors, especially since I live underneath one. You can fix them from the top and through carpet.

"Floors and stairs only squeak when you're doing something sneaky, like coming back to bed after an ice cream binge at 4:00 a.m. But you don't have to get caught. Let me share my espionage tactics.

If you've got plank floors, memorize which boards squeak and step deftly over them. I use the word 'deftly' with authority, since my stairs have four squeaky steps in succession, meaning I have to haul myself over this thigh-killing span using only the feeble banister for support.

If you have carpet laid over floorboards, you can't just count planks and avoid the noisy ones. No, you need landmarks that help you pilot safely around squeaks hidden under monochromatic broadloom. I personally navigate using a cluster of cat-barf stains that looks just like Orion's Belt, as well as an explosive-looking discolouration where I once dropped a whole pot of cheese fondue."

Source Mag Ruffman Home Envy Read More

Technorati Tags: squeaky floors

Not afraid to try something new
Local builder using foam blocks and concrete techniques for stronger, more energy-efficient homes.

By AVON WATERS

FRANKTON — Carpenter Don Knotts is an environmentalist.

He’ll build you a stick-built home, but prefers to talk about polysteel homes that he began building in 2001 — he’s built six since them. Currently Knotts is building two homes in the 500 block of Sigler Street where the Frankton Elementary School once stood.

“Every time I build one of these, people stop and start asking questions, or they’ll keep driving by real slow,” Knotts said. “Some carpenters stop, but most won’t — they don’t want to have to ask about it.”

The innovative polysteel system is more energy efficient, withstands about 240 mph wind, has few mold problems, no insect problems and saves 33 percent on heating and cooling. So what’s the catch?

“The problem is some people don’t want to change,” Knotts said of the new kind of construction. “It costs about 10 to 15 percent more to build, compared to conventional construction.”

Source The Herald Bulletin
Read More

Soundproof your PC - Weekend Project - CNET reviews

By John A. Burek
(February 23, 2005)
Estimated time required:
5 hours
Estimated cost: $175 and up

Step 1:
Getting started
Today's CPUs, graphics processors, and other chips generate heat that can't always be dissipated without spinning, and often noisy, fans. But if your PC's case roars or hums to the point of distraction, take solace. Though no modern desktop can be made completely silent, if you're determined, you can reduce PC noise to near-inaudible levels. PC noise tolerance is different for everyone, but these tips should help reduce the racket significantly.
What you'll need

This story originally appeared in Computer Shopper magazine.

Acoustical Solutions has introduced Green Glue. Green Glue is a liquid, waterborne, sound damping compound. It is used in between sheets of drywall, subflooring or other building materials. It is tolerant to real-world application conditions and carries almost none of the burden of precision required by many soundproofing systems.

The best application for Green Glue is between sheets of drywall, OSB or Plywood over the main part of a wall, floor or other structure. Green Glue will not be effective as a paint or coating. Green Glue is non-toxic with no mixing required. For walls, floors and ceilings, this product drastically reduces impact and airborne noise. It can also be used in commercial environments, new construction or remodeling of an existing space as well as home theaters, and recording studios.

In a constrained layer damping system, sometimes referred to as CLD, a damping material is sandwiched between two other materials. For example, Green Glue sandwiched between two layers of drywall. Sound damping occurs when the viscoelastic center of the 'sandwich' is sheared. The shearing pulls and stretches on the sound damping material. Under these conditions, the unique polymeric construction of Green Glue very efficiently converts this mechanical energy to heat. The vibration energy is not isolated; it's dissipated and removed.

Green Glue comes in 29 oz. tubes. It can be applied with any quart size caulk gun, available at most hardware and building material stores. It is very fast and easy to apply, no special skills whatsoever are required. Recommended application is two tubes of Green Glue per 4' x 8' area or two tubes per standard sheet of drywall. Each case of Green Glue covers about 192 square feet, or 128 square feet if used at the three tubes coverage rate.


Read More