Dedicated Listening Room

[sreejithsreedharan]

Hi All,

I'm finally building a dedicated listening room (2 Channel) and would appreciate some advice. I have two size options:

• 19 x 12.5 x 11 ft
• 23 x 12.5 x 11 ft

Which of these would be more ideal for a good acoustic environment?

Also, I’m considering using puff sheets and lightweight bricks for the construction. Would this be a good idea in terms of sound insulation and room acoustics? Or should I go for solid constructions and treat the room?

Kindly suggest.
Thanks,
Sreejith

 

[prateekatasniya]

Hi All,

I'm finally building a dedicated listening room (2 Channel) and would appreciate some advice. I have two size options:

• 19 x 12.5 x 11 ft
• 23 x 12.5 x 11 ft

Which of these would be more ideal for a good acoustic environment?

Also, I’m considering using puff sheets and lightweight bricks for the construction. Would this be a good idea in terms of sound insulation and room acoustics? Or should I go for solid constructions and treat the room?

Kindly suggest.
Thanks,
Sreejith

19 by 12.5 feet room

Sound proofing depends on the surroundings. Noisy surroundings need better sound proofing.

And then your room AC matters.. if it is noisy then sound proofing will be wasted.

So overall, your budget defines your room.

 

[sreejithsreedharan]

19 by 12.5 feet room

Sound proofing depends on the surroundings. Noisy surroundings need better sound proofing.

And then your room AC matters.. if it is noisy then sound proofing will be wasted.

So overall, your budget defines your room.

Thanks @prateekatasniya for the inputs... That makes a lot of sense.

Given that I am staying in a rural area with a relatively quiet environment, external noise isn't much of an issue as of now. But I am wondering — would it still be a good idea to go for proper solid construction (brick and mortar) instead of lightweight materials, especially to maintain long-term acoustic integrity and isolation?

Also, I’ll make sure to consider the AC noise — that’s a great point.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Ps. I am planning to start the construction by the end of July, once the rainy season is over.

Thanks,
Sreejith

 

[hifimaddy]

Hi sreejith,

Is this room being constructing above your existing terrace? Or this is a free-standing, dedicated listing room/shed type room. If it's a freestanding structure, then you can go for normal brickworks. If you are planning above your existing house, the lightweight bricks are perfect; they don't give much load to your existing house structures.

vishnu

 

[sreejithsreedharan]

Hi sreejith,

Is this room being constructing above your existing terrace? Or this is a free-standing, dedicated listing room/shed type room. If it's a freestanding structure, then you can go for normal brickworks. If you are planning above your existing house, the lightweight bricks are perfect; they don't give much load to your existing house structures.

vishnu

Hi Vishnu,

The room is being built on my balcony, so it's not a freestanding structure. Since it will be visible from the front, aesthetics are also an important factor for me — I’d like it to blend well with the overall look of the house.

Given this, I understand that using lightweight bricks is a practical choice to reduce the load on the existing structure. However, my concern is about their aesthetic appeal and soundproofing effectiveness — I'm not sure how well they perform in those aspects.

Thanks,
Sreejith

 

[hifimaddy]

I don't know if you need soundproofing; it's not a dedicated theatre space, so much aesthetic acoustic panelling is enough, but I am not an expert in that case. But you said you are using puff sheets for the roofing, so it's better you can do a sound roofing ceiling below the sloped puff sheet. It will be much better during our rainy climates in Kerala.

 

[sreejithsreedharan]

I don't know if you need soundproofing; it's not a dedicated theatre space, so much aesthetic acoustic panelling is enough, but I am not an expert in that case. But you said you are using puff sheets for the roofing, so it's better you can do a sound roofing ceiling below the sloped puff sheet. It will be much better during our rainy climates in Kerala.

Thanks for the input! I was actually just exploring the possibility of using puff sheets, mainly to reduce weight and cost. But if it turns out to be a solid construction, then I’ll definitely go for a proper concrete roof. That would be more durable and also help with sound isolation, especially during heavy rains — which, as you mentioned, is a real factor here in Kerala.

 

[hifimaddy]

As per my suggestion, you can build the wall using lightweight bricks. and go with a sandwiched soundproof puff sheet like this one.

Puf Panel - Sound Proof Puffed Panel Retail Trader from Chennai

Retail Trader of Puf Panel - Sound Proof Puffed Panel, Puf Sandwich Panel offered by Roof Sense, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

www.roofsense.in

But I have no experience with this particular brand. This kind of puff sheet actually reduces the heat inside the room during summertime, and during rainy days it can reduce the noise a little bit, but for 100 per cent effectiveness, you can do a real acoustic ceiling below this. and walls you can go with acoustic panels in the early reflection spots; this way you can cut down the cost . But if you want a concrete roof, then you have to think about normal brickwork.

This puff sheet will surely be damaged after 15-20 years , so you need some maintenance. But in the very long run, concrete roofs are good, but internal reflection will be more, so you need more room treatments. Both have good and bad sides. Everything is according to the budget you have.

 

[sreejithsreedharan]

As per my suggestion, you can build the wall using lightweight bricks. and go with a sandwiched soundproof puff sheet like this one.

Puf Panel - Sound Proof Puffed Panel Retail Trader from Chennai

Retail Trader of Puf Panel - Sound Proof Puffed Panel, Puf Sandwich Panel offered by Roof Sense, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

www.roofsense.in

But I have no experience with this particular brand. This kind of puff sheet actually reduces the heat inside the room during summertime, and during rainy days it can reduce the noise a little bit, but for 100 per cent effectiveness, you can do a real acoustic ceiling below this. and walls you can go with acoustic panels in the early reflection spots; this way you can cut down the cost . But if you want a concrete roof, then you have to think about normal brickwork.

This puff sheet will surely be damaged after 15-20 years , so you need some maintenance. But in the very long run, concrete roofs are good, but internal reflection will be more, so you need more room treatments. Both have good and bad sides. Everything is according to the budget you have.

That makes sense — long-term durability is definitely something to consider. If puff sheets are likely to need maintenance or replacement after 15–20 years, then I think it’s better to go with a solid concrete roof. I agree it might need more internal treatment to handle reflections, but it feels like a more reliable option in the long run. So yes, if the construction supports it, I’ll go with a proper concrete roof. Thanks for helping me weigh the pros and cons!

 

[keroo1099]

Hi Vishnu,

The room is being built on my balcony, so it's not a freestanding structure. Since it will be visible from the front, aesthetics are also an important factor for me — I’d like it to blend well with the overall look of the house.

Given this, I understand that using lightweight bricks is a practical choice to reduce the load on the existing structure. However, my concern is about their aesthetic appeal and soundproofing effectiveness — I'm not sure how well they perform in those aspects.

Thanks,
Sreejith

You can also look at Aerocon panels which are light, strong, and have much better acoustic properties than block/brick. Both inside and outside surfaces can be plastered to match your existing facade. They might also have panels that can be used for a light weight roof running on metal rafters.

Good luck with your room

https://birlanu.com/walls

 

[hardcore_gamer99]

You can also look at Aerocon panels which are light, strong, and have much better acoustic properties than block/brick. Both inside and outside surfaces can be plastered to match your existing facade. They might also have panels that can be used for a light weight roof running on metal rafters.

Good luck with your room

https://birlanu.com/walls

I have square rooms and i live on 2nd floor. Construction guy said only square room can be made on 3rd floor, Design or beam whatever it is, We cant make rectangular room if ground floor 2nd floor all are same size square rooms. Now if i want rectangular room how should we proceed?

 

[ItsBabu]

I have square rooms and i live on 2nd floor. Construction guy said only square room can be made on 3rd floor, Design or beam whatever it is, We cant make rectangular room if ground floor 2nd floor all are same size square rooms. Now if i want rectangular room how should we proceed?

Maybe, you can partition your square room into a rectangle by leaving 3 feet and move your AV rack into small room(3 feet) if you have enough space.

 

[ItsBabu]

Maybe, you can partition your square room into a rectangle by leaving 3 feet and move your AV rack into small room(3 feet) if you have enough space.

check this one for reference..

 

[ajuvignesh]

I have square rooms and i live on 2nd floor. Construction guy said only square room can be made on 3rd floor, Design or beam whatever it is, We cant make rectangular room if ground floor 2nd floor all are same size square rooms. Now if i want rectangular room how should we proceed?

can you combine two square rooms to make a huge rectangular room?

 

[hardcore_gamer99]

Maybe, you can partition your square room into a rectangle by leaving 3 feet and move your AV rack into small room(3 feet) if you have enough space.

No i will have to build concrete then rockwool and allthat. But i am confused

can you combine two square rooms to make a huge rectangular room?

You are right length be 26 feet x width same 11feet

 

[keroo1099]

can you combine two square rooms to make a huge rectangular room?

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. If they're span is too long you can always put a concealed beam or an inverted beam at 13' to distribute the load

 

[ajuvignesh]

No i will have to build concrete then rockwool and allthat. But i am confused

You are right length be 26 feet x width same 11feet

This would be good. This allows more room for you so that you can hide the speakers behind the acoustic transparent screen, if you choose to use a projector. Besides, bigger the room better will be the bass management.

 

[ajuvignesh]

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. If they're span is too long you can always put a concealed beam or an inverted beam at 13' to distribute the load

Thats a good idea.

 

[hardcore_gamer99]

can you combine two square rooms to make a huge rectangular room?

but 26feet room it will cost me very much for rockwool and other stuff

 

[ajuvignesh]

but 26feet room it will cost me very much for rockwool and other stuff

You don't have to put rock wool everywhere. Carpet, few curtains and few panels of rockwool will be fine. Maybe 6 or 8 panels per side.