Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[George Reiswig]

Well, I know in theory what it's supposed to be good for.

I bought a roll of 1lb./square foot mass loaded vinyl to try to soundproof (really sound reduce) a double door into my practice room, to try to keep from irritating my wife as much when practicing. I fit it to one of the two doors, and played some music through the sound system inside, then stepped out.

I couldn't tell a difference between the doors at all. I put a dB meter on both doors, and there was maybe a 1-2dB drop on the treated side. Very disappointing.

So now I have a bunch of the stuff that I don't really know what to do with. Suggestions?

[Scott Holtzman]

Well, I know in theory what it's supposed to be good for.

I bought a roll of 1lb./square foot mass loaded vinyl to try to soundproof (really sound reduce) a double door into my practice room, to try to keep from irritating my wife as much when practicing. I fit it to one of the two doors, and played some music through the sound system inside, then stepped out.

I couldn't tell a difference between the doors at all. I put a dB meter on both doors, and there was maybe a 1-2dB drop on the treated side. Very disappointing.

So now I have a bunch of the stuff that I don't really know what to do with. Suggestions?

Sound will go through anything.  You need to get special air vents, seal all the outlet boxes, the door needs to be solid core with an airtight upper and lower threshold.  These are just some of the steps.  Look up Anthony Wiener's videos.

[Tim McCulloch]

Well, I know in theory what it's supposed to be good for.

I bought a roll of 1lb./square foot mass loaded vinyl to try to soundproof (really sound reduce) a double door into my practice room, to try to keep from irritating my wife as much when practicing. I fit it to one of the two doors, and played some music through the sound system inside, then stepped out.

I couldn't tell a difference between the doors at all. I put a dB meter on both doors, and there was maybe a 1-2dB drop on the treated side. Very disappointing.

So now I have a bunch of the stuff that I don't really know what to do with. Suggestions?

The best < US$40 you'll ever spend will be on a book, The Master Handbook of Acoustics, 7th ed, Everest & Pohlmann

Sound leaks with air leaks.  Sound transmits by resonance and coupling.  Increasing mass tends to mostly reduce resonances.  Plugging leaks and decoupling need different solutions.

[Scott Holtzman]

The best < US$40 you'll ever spend will be on a book, The Master Handbook of Acoustics, 7th ed, Everest & Pohlmann

Sound leaks with air leaks.  Sound transmits by resonance and coupling.  Increasing mass tends to mostly reduce resonances.  Plugging leaks and decoupling need different solutions.

Tim’s explanation is more concise and accurate.  I tried to summarize a book in a few hastily constructed sentences.

There is no easier, softer way.. it takes years of studying to have a rudimentary understanding of the subject.  When I get out of my depth I pay someone to help because I have no time for science fair projects.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Will Knight]

+1 What Tim and Scott said

I purchased MLV a few years back and found it more appropriate for redirecting / reducing direct sound when used on outdoor fencing.  In a fairly congested neighborhood (major understatement) where I live, backyard noise from neighbors "enjoying themselves" oftentimes was oppressive. Posted MLV on my yeard fence and the DIRECT sound reduction was immediate and noticeable. It did NOT eliminate it altogether - and it won't - but it served dual purposes; allowed us to going forward enjoying our yard space and, equally important, indirectly forced neighbors to lower their "party" volume. For indoor use? won't serve your purpose.

Bill

[George Reiswig]

Yup...all helpful in terms of what I should have known (or read about) beforehand. Thanks to all who have weighed in. Lesson learned!

Trying to figure out if I should keep it and use it for something different, or just get rid of it.

[Dave Garoutte]

Yup...all helpful in terms of what I should have known (or read about) beforehand. Thanks to all who have weighed in. Lesson learned!

Trying to figure out if I should keep it and use it for something different, or just get rid of it.

It could help once you seal your leaks.

[Rick Powell]

Yup...all helpful in terms of what I should have known (or read about) beforehand. Thanks to all who have weighed in. Lesson learned!

Trying to figure out if I should keep it and use it for something different, or just get rid of it.

The thing is, the MLV probably reduced the transmission a little bit through the door itself, but unless you have a sound-rated door like this, https://tinyurl.com/3nejs47p

The sound will find its way through every crack and crevice that is not thoroughly sealed in the doorway. The other thing is that, even by replacing a door with a sound-rated door, all the other elements that might restrict sound within or let it through your practice space would need to be upgraded so that they would act as a unit. Soundproofing is only as strong as its weakest link.

The MLV would be useful in a full room treatment if used correctly as part of a systematic treatment, but if you are not planning on "going there" it probably wouldn't have much utility otherwise.

Others here have chimed in on what a deep science acoustics is. They are correct!

[Jay Marr]

Soundproofing is only as strong as its weakest link.

100%

My rehearsal room has walls that do not touch the house, 2 sheets of sheet rock on each side of the frame (with insulation in the middle), zero seal (super dense) doors, all electrical outlets are wall mounted (so holes are small).
One vent in, one vent out (with a fan on, constantly drawing air).

Full band rehearsal while kids are sleeping.

There is no cheap way out (not saying you were looking for one, but it's hard to get a lot of db reduction without going all in on the solution.)

[Brian Jojade]

I fit it to one of the two doors, and played some music through the sound system inside, then stepped out.

I couldn't tell a difference between the doors at all. I put a dB meter on both doors, and there was maybe a 1-2dB drop on the treated side. Very disappointing.

So now I have a bunch of the stuff that I don't really know what to do with. Suggestions?

Is this a set of side by side double doors? If so, yeah, treating one door is going to do just about nothing.  If you think of it like insulation, throwing insulation on one door and leaving the other one exposed is still letting the cold in. Even if you cover most of the surface, if there's a gap around the door, the cold STILL comes in.  The true insulating happens only once all surfaces are insulated and gaps sealed.  It's that last little bit of effort where you see the final big change.

[George Reiswig]

Is this a set of side by side double doors? If so, yeah, treating one door is going to do just about nothing.  If you think of it like insulation, throwing insulation on one door and leaving the other one exposed is still letting the cold in. Even if you cover most of the surface, if there's a gap around the door, the cold STILL comes in.  The true insulating happens only once all surfaces are insulated and gaps sealed.  It's that last little bit of effort where you see the final big change.

I guess I expected to be able to detect more of a difference. Putting my meter 1/2" away from the center of each door, it didn't seem like there was a detectable difference. Same with my ears; you could clearly hear that both doors were still vibrating and transmitting sound. IDK, maybe if I'd more or less attached the MLV to the panel, rather than just draping it there? But I don't want to destroy the doors.

[Dave Garoutte]

I guess I expected to be able to detect more of a difference. Putting my meter 1/2" away from the center of each door, it didn't seem like there was a detectable difference. Same with my ears; you could clearly hear that both doors were still vibrating and transmitting sound. IDK, maybe if I'd more or less attached the MLV to the panel, rather than just draping it there? But I don't want to destroy the doors.

I believe you must apply that material for it to be effective.  It's a physical damper, not an acoustic one.

[Caleb Dueck]

It's a physical damper, not an acoustic one.

True.  MLV is great stuff, but it has to be used as intended.  Think dual stud walls, 8" or so on center rather than 16" (in the USA), with an air gap between.  Then thread the MLV between the gaps of the studs, so there is limp mass (the MLV) in addition to dead air between the walls. 

I wouldn't get rid of it, there are plenty of uses you can find for it.  For a room though, as others have mentioned, start with multiple layers of sheetrock with Green Glue, glued and screwed, with multi-pane windows, solid core (preferably dual) doors with a small air gap between them - like an air lock.  Seal the doors and windows.  Anything that can resonate, like a window, make sure it's dampened and has multiple layers to go through.  Address HVAC ducting.  If there's an opportunity to add MLV between offset stud walls, then use it as such. 

Something else that hasn't been mentioned is absorption on the walls.  Dense wall acoustical absorption, such as 6lb/sq/ft fiberglass, mineral wool, or recycled cotton can all work.  None of these block sound, but they absorb sound in the room, so there is less acoustic energy to be stopped from escaping.  This also helps inside walls, above tile grid, between joists, etc.   Make sure you go with 3-8" thick though; the cheap 1" DIY stuff just makes a room muddy.  I've had surprisingly good experience with using this 3-8" thick above ceilings, between joists, on walls, etc with indirectly keeping sound in. 

[ProSoundWeb Community]