Building a studio in my garage-HELP!

[CAGuy]

Also, I'll be doing recording and mixing in this studio. I figure if the room sounds great for acoustic guitars, then it should sound great for mixing too providing I get the mix position right, which I will do.

[CAGuy]

Also, I'll be doing recording and mixing in this studio. I figure if the room sounds great for acoustic guitars, then it should sound great for mixing too providing I get the mix position right, which I will do.

Also with a concrete floor couldn't I just put ceramic tile down or even vinyl flooring down for the floor? I'm thinking in a room with over 3000 cubic feet I can get away without a floating floor and still get good acoustic guitar recordings and vocals, etc. I'm thinking the overall size of the room is going to be more important than a floating floor.

[Robertbfw]

Please do your research regarding this ductless HVAC. Some are quieter than others. Also, depending where you live, it may serve you better to not have vaulted ceilings due to the fact of heat infiltration. Having a ventilated attic space that is at least moderately insulated will make a big difference. Look out for a traditional split system HVAC with variable speed technology. This will be by far the best for less noise.
BTW, my day job is HVAC Contractor in TX.

[CAGuy]

Thank you for your input. Do you recommend any ductless systems that are known for being quieter than others?

I'm thinking with only a 12' ceiling at the highest point, the room will benefit more from the extra space overhead than the attic and only an 8' ceiling. Lower ceilings cause havoc with acoustic guitar recording so I'm thinking the higher ceiling will give me a better balance of bass frequencies.

[Arqen]

Originally Posted by CAGuy

Thank you for your input. Do you recommend any ductless systems that are known for being quieter than others?

I'm thinking with only a 12' ceiling at the highest point, the room will benefit more from the extra space overhead than the attic and only an 8' ceiling. Lower ceilings cause havoc with acoustic guitar recording so I'm thinking the higher ceiling will give me a better balance of bass frequencies.

Right on. While I did not calculate your room ratios, I think your peaked 12' ceiling will yield a better acoustic space than an 8' ceiling. But of course, you'll still want to add bass traps... which leads us to another question you had: yes, I'd put bass traps down the peak of the ceiling (in addition to your typical trapping sweet spots: namely corners and concave edges).

[Robertbfw]

Daikin is a great super quiet and super efficient system. But will cost a little more. On a budget Samsung is good also.

[CAGuy]

I measured the ceiling at its peak and it will be 11'.

[OpusOfTrolls]

You should put HVAC in the ceiling apex and build a soffit for it. You can use the vents which your garage most likely has for intake/outlet, build a soffit around them for the whole span of the ceiling, and duct into the room. Then you can seal the doors and make it airtight.

[CAGuy]

Has anyone tried this ROLUX safe & sound insulation? I've heard it is very good at soundproofing. I'm hoping if I use that and one layer of 1/2" thick drywall it will be sound proof and of course put some sound deadening caulk on the studs as well. Will this be enough?

And I'm thinking of just putting a vapor barrier down and then ceramic tile or laminate flooring over the cement floor but the floor is old cement and is a bit broken up. I'm thinking since I'll mostly be recording alone and most acoustic music, I will not worry about decoupling the floor. Any thoughts or ideas on what would work best to cover the bad looking cement floor?

[Arqen]

Originally Posted by CAGuy

Has anyone tried this ROLUX safe & sound insulation? I've heard it is very good at soundproofing. I'm hoping if I use that and one layer of 1/2" thick drywall it will be sound proof and of course put some sound deadening caulk on the studs as well. Will this be enough?

And I'm thinking of just putting a vapor barrier down and then ceramic tile or laminate flooring over the cement floor but the floor is old cement and is a bit broken up. I'm thinking since I'll mostly be recording alone and most acoustic music, I will not worry about decoupling the floor. Any thoughts or ideas on what would work best to cover the bad looking cement floor?

I believe lots of people here have used ROXUL Safe'n'Sound, and it's very good.

For 'soundproof' wall construction ideas, check out this page:

Find QuietRock for STC Ratings 60 or Higher
(includes diagrams of numerous STC 60 and higher wall constructions)

You don't have to use the "Quietrock" drywall material, but if you use regular drywall the STC ratings will be lower.

Instead of QuietRock drywall, I recommend Homasote 440 SoundBarrier as a drywall replacement.

[CAGuy]

I'm thinking of using hard rubber flooring like what you'd see in a fitness center under the free weight rooms. The flooring is about 3/4" thick and has a hard surface so I'm thinking it will still reflect the sound to make for a nice sounding room. It will sound much better than carpet but not as hard as wood or tile. I'm thinking it actually could absorb excess bass as well.
Do any of you have any thoughts on this??

The heavy rubber would also serve as a vapor barrier over the cement floor as well.

[OpusOfTrolls]

Originally Posted by CAGuy

I'm thinking of using hard rubber flooring like what you'd see in a fitness center under the free weight rooms. The flooring is about 3/4" thick and has a hard surface so I'm thinking it will still reflect the sound to make for a nice sounding room. It will sound much better than carpet but not as hard as wood or tile. I'm thinking it actually could absorb excess bass as well.
Do any of you have any thoughts on this??

The heavy rubber would also serve as a vapor barrier over the cement floor as well.

Cups underneath heavy furniture would help prevent long term compression on the floor. Speaker stands will need to be heavy to prevent the material from vibrating, as it has a high natural frequency usually.