Sound Proofing

[east or bust]

Been looking at some options for sound proofing some single pane windows (about 3'X2'). Wondering if any mags have experience with this.

From what I've seen so far my options are sound blankets, foam, or acoustic boards. I've found some cheap foam blocks but don't know how the cost/quality relationship goes for this kind of stuff.

[DasBlunt]

Just the windows inside most house construction is not enough. You will need some room dampening. Amps or acoustic? Isolating brass instruments is easy. Amps, different protocols.

[::: :::]

explain more what you want to accomplish: you asked about windows but then talk about sound dampening for other surfaces

[booner]

just put her face in the pillow

[east or bust]

Trying to sound proof a basement. Four tiny windows are the only places sound can escape above ground (other than through the basement ceiling into the first floor, which would require too much material so I'm not going to worry about that). Music source is through an amp, no brass instruments, drums from time to time.

The windows are inset into the basement walls so there is an open space of about 3'x2'x1.5' (LxWxH). I was thinking of either finding some foam blocks to completely fill that space or put foam mats or acoustic panels over the face of the opening. If that makes sense.

[DasBlunt]

Sounding more and more like a dungeon of horrors now.....aside from the inevitable mass murders and screams from your moms basement, you can hang those blankets over the windows. Cheapest cleanest, easy to remove and can be used for wrapping up the dead bodies when you finish your nefarious deeds.

I hang some home made sound panels in my well lit natural light studio.

[Hott Butt Mud]

What's a home made sound panel consist of?

Links

[::: :::]

the blankets can work for absorption which helps some but doesn't actually solve the sound transmission.
you want some mass to do that
one possible solution mount two layers of sheetrock to a plywood panel, sized to the window. put foam tape around the window frame perimeter. screw these sandwich panels into place when you need them. unscrew when you've cleaned up the blood

[east or bust]

By my location I'm surprised you guys haven't put things together yet..

In any case I'll take that^ into consideration.

[sb]

Where I have worked we would have either sound damping concrete block, sound deadening blankets, large sound panels/paneling or combinations of all the above.

[riser4]

By my location I'm surprised you guys haven't put things together yet..

In any case I'll take that^ into consideration.

Hipster chick snuff films?

[Tippster]

[east or bust]

Hipster chick snuff films?

That could definitely be a thing in this town but nothing I'm involved with thankfully.

[ctsmith]

Two main acoustical issues, absorption to lower reverberation time within a room or space, and transmission from one space to another. For transmission the fix is mass, concrete, cmu's, layers of drywall or products like Acoustiblok. So I would go after your weakest links and add whatever mass you can, adding absorption within the room is not going to do much for transmission.

[adrenalated]

I'm no soundproofing expert, but McMaster sells sound absorbing foam for reasonable prices.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#sound-absorbing-foam/=u5djmo
We use the 1" thick egg crate stuff at work (industrial applications) and it works really well.

[RustyGroomer]

How many windows we talking?

[Adolf Allerbush]

the blankets can work for absorption which helps some but doesn't actually solve the sound transmission.
you want some mass to do that
one possible solution mount two layers of sheetrock to a plywood panel, sized to the window. put foam tape around the window frame perimeter. screw these sandwich panels into place when you need them. unscrew when you've cleaned up the blood

This is what you want to do.

However, TL between your basement and first floor is just thrue some subfloor with whatever you have on top you may only see modest sound insulation since some sound will just pass through your floor to the first floor and outside. Then again, what acinpdx is suggesting may get you enough sound insulation to be what you need. If not, even putting up some regular fiberglass insulation covered by plywood if it's just exposed beams in your basement will make a big difference for transmission loss between the basement and first floor...and that's a pretty cheap fix.