Concrete slab first-floor versus suspended second floor – vibration control

Good morning guys and gals,


For the past 30 years or so I have been blessed by having a system on the ground floor in two separate houses with concrete slab foundation.


We're relocating to a new home. The good news is there's no audio room. I get to build one. However, it will be on the second floor above a three-car garage.


The floor joists are 2 x 12's with a 12' foot span, 24 inches on center.


I'm looking for recommendations on possibly increasing the number of joists under the speaker locations.


Additionally any experience on vibration reduction on the second story system would be extremely helpful.

Any ideas????

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Bruce

Hi Bruce. If you've recently moved to Round Rock, welcome! There are a few of us that have monthly audio get togethers, if interested, give me a hollar.

I think you're on the right track with increasing the number of joists under the speaker locations. Also might want to consider extra floor boarding (plywood, particle board, etc). One of the guys here in R.Rock screwed in a lot of wood screws into his floor, and that tightened his floor up quite noticeably. I also have the same floor joists sizes as you mentioned, but haven't reinforced them except to stress them by having at least a thousand pounds of albums! When I first put my system in my room, I had no bass to speak of with my ML Aerius. I wondered how much of that was caused by the floor. Acoustic treatments took care of that problem for me.

Hey slowGEEZER,

Thanks for the reply, info, and invitation. I will set you a private message.

Bruce

Hey Bruce, fellow Round Rocker. Steve is spot on with his advice. Might also be a good time to consider wood floors instead of carpet to also help with bass containment, if that is in the cards.

Consider wall-mounted shelves for any components that are particularly sensitive to vibration.

Thank you for the hardwood sugestion.

This room will be fairly good sized.

I have been living in a home that is all hard wood floors or travertine.

I like what wall to wall carpet does to reduce echo. I will probably just double up the "sub-floor" thickness.

Bruce

Thanks Bernard. I hadn't even considered a shelf since foot drop had never been a problem before.

Now that you have brought my attention to it I am sure my Linn will end up on a shelf.

Bruce