WHAT’S THAT NOISE

AV systems for luxury residences are in high demand. But how can installers ensure the best quality sound without impacting other areas of the home? Ben Hancock, Managing Director at Oscar Acoustics offers practical advice on the most effective acoustic solutions and how it’s possible to mitigate noise with minimal disruption.

AV enthusiasts would agree that every athome cinema or media room needs some sort of acoustic treatment in order to reproduce the most natural, comfortable sound for the viewer. Good acoustics in a home cinema are essential for speech intelligibility, minimising audio reflections and bass level reverberations, dampening high-pitched ‘ring’, and enriching the overall ambience.

Soundtracks will sound ‘truer’ with the right acoustics, enhancing the emotional connection a viewer has with the film, and transporting the audience into the on-screen action. And with today’s ‘working from home’ culture there’s another big consideration: preventing sound escaping beyond the four walls, floor and ceiling and disrupting the rest of the household or adjoining neighbours.

ACOUSTIC TREATMENT CONSIDERATIONS

Acoustic treatments come in many different forms, and how you implement solutions depends on the size, shape and physical construction and layout of the room, as well as the interior furnishings. Surfaces inside the room need to be considered and treated to prevent too much reflection. The simple rule is the harder the surface, the more reflective it is, so installers need to think about absorption.

Absorption panels, diffusers and reflection panels can redirect sound. Some people use curtains across walls to create a vintage cinema look, and other options include cushions, thick carpets on the floor, acoustic ceiling tiles, as well as hanging acoustic baffles.

However, luxury home-owners tend to aspire to clean, modern lines in their decor. In such cases, smooth surfacing treatments are recommended, and many people turn to fire-rated acoustic spray or acoustic plaster for a workable solution that doesn’t compromise design aesthetics.

Exceptionally smooth acoustic plaster or textured acoustic spray can be applied to ceilings quickly and with ease. These seamless and decorative acoustic treatments will absorb sound energy instead of reflecting it, reducing reverberation times and overall noise levels within the space and giving clarity to speech and music.

Look out for acoustic sprays and plasters that have environmental benefits too. For example, at Oscar Acoustics our range is made of recycled, natural plant-based fibres and specialist water-based adhesives. In fact, the SonaSpray range contributes towards many sustainable design and health certification systems including BREEAM, SKA, Living Building Challenge and adds up to 17 points towards the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating of a project.

SOUNDPROOFING FOR EVERYONE’S SANITY

With home-working now so prevalent, smaller accommodation units being built, and shared spaces so precious as we all spend more time at home, it’s important to prevent sound escaping beyond a home cinema and disrupting domestic harmony.

It’s helpful if windows are double or triple glazed and doors need to be as heavy as possible and airtight. AV installers should be wary of using wall panels for soundproofing as these can be unsightly and a common misconception is that putting foam or panels on the walls and ceiling will somehow stop sound from going into the room next door or above.

Professional AV installers often recommend thermal sound insulation, which works particularly well in ceiling and wall voids. This can either be sprayed into the cavity before the void is closed, or where a void is already closed blown by a hose through holes to improve the acoustic insulation of walls and ceilings. At Oscar Acoustics, we use a fire rated insulation product which provides a barrier as it resists penetration by fire.

Acoustic hangers, are an excellent choice to achieve the ultimate ceiling soundproofing performance. The Oscar Iso-Mount range of isolating acoustic hangers exceeds British building regulations Document E, for airborne and impact sound.

The end result is a soundproof ceiling which appears no different to a standard plastered ceiling, once completed. This is ideal to stop sound transferring into adjoining spaces above and below.

A quality acoustic hanger like the Oscar IsoMount fixes under existing concrete and timber joist ceilings with minimum fixings. All work can be carried out from the room below, so there is no need for access to the room or property above. Just one hole needs to be drilled per mount, which saves hours of work when drilling concrete.

By creating an isolated ceiling, using IsoMounts you will stop the vibration that causes the transfer of unwanted noise from floor to floor, allowing peace of mind when the volume is set high.

Like it or not, our homes have become our entertainment hubs since Covid-19 landed. For many, investing in a top-quality AV experience has become a top priority. So why compromise on acoustic quality, when the enjoyment of movies, gaming and music at home, can be so easily and cost-effectively enhanced?

Keeping the sound contained and focused is a challenge