Do Soundproofing Materials Really Live up to the Hype? $40 DIY Sound Test

[@trenthorton9532]

I've spent probably close to 10 hours online trying to figure out cost-effective DIY methods for sound reduction from our basement and this is by far the most helpful video I've come across. Thank you.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You’re welcome! That while searching for hours process you’re talking about is exactly what inspired the video. Glad it could help!

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

Two layers of sheetrock of different thicknesses.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@nonyadamnbusiness9887 interesting thought. Obviously the assumption is the more mass the better, but perhaps the different thicknesses and densities would affect frequencies differently.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

@@JackofAllMinistries More mass is always better. But with layers it's better if they are different. High end window makers sandwich two different thicknesses of glass to reduce sound transmission.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@@nonyadamnbusiness9887 Good to know!

[@chris-C8]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It was very informative. The studio/audio world is filled with so much marketing hype that it sometimes gets confusing/annoying to navigate.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

you’re welcome! Glad I could help navigate the mess.

[@almnk]

Thank you a lot for sharing it, I wouldn't have done it more scientifically. Probably, best recommended video on the subject so far.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Wow, thanks so much! I definitely think the test served my purposes and that's all I could hope for. I know not everyone sees it that way and I'm okay with that. Thanks so much for the kind words!

[@joejtunes]

Damn good video! Thanks for demonstrating way cheaper ways to do it, and including the reality check that no matter what you do the results won’t be perfect, so lower your expectations. You deserve way more channel support than you have, so I just subscribed. Thanks for such valuable content!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for the compliment and the subscription! I’m doing my best, and hoping I can keep decent content coming your way.

[@allenhess6583]

I soundproofed a wall in my new house using Dow xps ridged insulation over a stud wall and it works amazingly well. 2”

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Did you do anything to seal the seams or just mount it on the wall?

[@LRN2DIY]

You did a fantastic job on this video, my friend. I have a home theater in the basement and this kind of thing has been on mind whenever I help people finish rooms or work on things in our home. You've inspired me to take this to the next level on my channel so I've already started ordering all the materials and will be sure to link to your video when mine is ready. Again, great job on this video and your channel in general. All the best!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! I’m so glad I could help a fellow DIY creator. I’ve actually watched lots of your videos and they’ve been super helpful to me. I specifically enjoyed the weird green “hammer” video. I actually considered buying one and your video helped me make a good decision LOL! I’ll look forward to seeing what you do with the soundproofing stuff and giving me a chance to learn a few more things. Hope everything goes well!

[@Jason98904]

Hard data and excellent analysis... by far the best info on this topic I've seen. The R-13 and carpet glue results in particular saved me a lot of pointless expense. Thank you!!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I could help!

[@KP-DID]

Jason you tried the R13 and carpet glue combo? how did it turn out? Im starting my build tomorrow and can no longer afford GG or MLV. cheers!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@KP-DID I’m happy with the way everything turned out. Not perfect for low frequencies at 95dB, but I couldn’t decouple the way I wanted to. I have no regrets.

[@Jason98904]

@@KP-DID it worked well. I would note however any approach will struggle on lower frequencies so set your expectations accordingly. To handle a low rumbling motorcycle, say, you simply need a LOT of mass. Like a massively thick wall of concrete amount of mass. Anything is still better than nothing tho...

[@carthoughtswithdan]

Im following purley becuse of how thorough and informative you are! No fluff just pure info

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks for following! I’ll try to keep the good, accurate info coming.

[@asencyel]

such an amazing work, kudos to you. not leaving a single detail behind when it comes to sound cancellation as well as absorption

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! Quite the compliment!

[@liborlepka]

For a non-laboratory test, this is absolutely amazing and detailed. You saved me a lot of money for green glue. Thank you.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You’re welcome! If I can save you money I feel like it was worth the experiment!

[@chrisfuller869]

This was great. I was shocked to see that you only had 140 subscribers so I clicked the button for you. Really wish you tested cork (comes in various densities - they have a high density products for anti vibration but even medium density products intended for use as exterior wall siding claim a 50db reduction per inch!). Thermacork is a US distributor of some products, but I think it all comes from "Amorim" in Portugal.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! Honestly just got the channel off the ground, but I'm more excited to share the info than to get monetized. I've heard a lot of suggestions for different materials so I think I'm going to post a follow up video. Cork is one thing that never crossed my mind, but it makes sense. If I get that video going I'll give it shot!

[@Nala15-Artist]

Portual is pretty much the only place where cork oaks grow, that's why cork usually comes from there.

[@jaimslaw]

Apartment owner here trying to reduce sound between adjacent units (back to back bedrooms/bathrooms). This 1953 apt has rockrool as soundproofing material. Looks like in 70 years time, not much soundproofing advancements. My biggest takeway from this video may be the importance of “leakage” (ie, addressing poor/shoddy insul. install). Your vid was inspiring in many respects. Oh yeah, get yourself an agent …and monetize your impressive narrative skills.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

LOL thanks so much - definitely a first on the narration compliment! Yeah, mass is mass. I’m always thinking about possible replacements. Stuff that’s cost effective but works. Maybe some genius will think of something someday, but until then, it’s all Rockwool and MLV.

[@gg-gamers]

I work delivery sometimes, and frequently travel between multimillion dollar luxury apartments and public housing. The luxury apartments are like being in a spaceship when you're walking down the hallways. The public developments, you hear everything. Even your footsteps bounce around the walls.

[@jecasey2]

Thanks!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You’re welcome! If there’s anything else I can do to help please let me know!

[@jayhounds346]

My experience with Rockwool safe and sound in interior walls is actually quite positive. We just built a house and, without yet seeing legit comparisons to R13, I installed it before the drywallers put up 1/2" sheetrock. We went with rockwool due to the small difference in sound reduction over R13 plus the added fire resistance. We have a subwoofer on the floor an inch away from the living room wall, adjoining the master bathroom. With the volume up relatively high, I can hear from the bathroom that the TV and subwoofer are on but it is VERY diminished - even loud booms from action scenes are barely audible. Im very happy with it. With these results, I do not regret the extra cost. I wish I had a real-world, in-person comparison with R13 though. (Or maybe I dont - so i dont begin to regret the more expensive option!) I still lean toward the safe n sound for the floor joists now that I am planning for finishing our basement. The added fire protection alone will justify the cost, in my mind but also, as you speculated, hoping the extra density of the rockwool helps reduce impact noise. Thanks to your tests, I now plan on using carpet glue on the floor joists as well as between 2 layers of 5/8" drywall. Im hoping that carpet glue applied to the floor joists has similar results as layering it between drywall sheets as well as somewhat decoupling areas between drywall screws. Thoughts on that? Thanks a bunch for sharing your results!!!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I’m glad Rockwool has worked so well! I have to admit, even though my research and my own testing show R-13 to be equal, Rockwool still FEELS like it should work way better! One thing I’d like to test specifically is the low frequency dampening. A video for another day… As for your carpet glue on the joists idea, my two cents would be that I would bet you get some good results in the decoupling arena, but that you would find much better results with resilient channel or even UltraTouch+ Sound Absorption Strips. They’re like strips of carpet padding that you glue on to the joists. The reason I think that it because the separation is more mechanical then, and the main use for Green Glue/ carpet glue is constrained later damping which wouldn’t matter on the joists. Just my own thoughts! Good luck with your project!

[@jayhounds346]

@@JackofAllMinistries I was not aware of the UltraTouch+ strips! Thank you! I will look into those. It makes me want to consider whether combining your carpet idea with carpet glue to the joists would be cheaper also. Hmmm.. I havr more rabbit holes to follow. Thanks again!

[@Mikncole]

Very helpful information for my soundproofing project. I’m hoping to get good results on limiting the low end with concrete block, rock wool and mass loaded vinyl all sealed up with acoustic caulk. Thanks for the video & the information that nothing will be perfect - but hopefully it will be good enough to work on music and not irritate my neighbors!

[@byronjones5713]

Best sound proofing video I've found. Building a house and was wondering if I needed more than r-13 batt insulation on the inside walls. Sounds like that is well more than enough. I love you scientific approach to it and removing all of the marketing fluff. Thank you!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for watching and got the compliments! From everything I’ve read, R13 is better for soundproofing than higher R ratings. The one caveat I’ve never checked into is whether or not that rings true at lower frequencies. I only know that to be true in the STC scale which doesn’t go very low.

[@BoldWittyName]

Great vid! I would add that [according to other sources] 5/8" drywall is a big improvement over 1/2" drywall due to there being embedded fibers in the 5/8".

[@BoldWittyName]

I finished my basement rec room with 5/8" drywall, but I don't have a second basement rec room with half inch drywall for a control group. 🤣

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I can say from experience that is definitely true, but I never realized it was the fibers. It didn’t even register that there weren’t fibers in 1/2”!

[@thevainestknives4843]

Really glad I found your video. I'm about to finish my garage for a rehearsal space and was considering all kinds of expensive soundproofing materials.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I could help! It’s a very easy thing to waste money on for sure.

[@levtauber9582]

Very comprehensive and helpful video...NO BS just the straight facts! Well Done!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks! That’s my motto right there. Nitty gritty…

[@tanialimacosta]

Simply the best video on the subject I have seen!!! Thank you so much!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! I’ll try to keep them coming!

[@shifterverse]

Fantastic video, appreciate the non biased approach and the admittance of possibly compromised results! So many "miracle" products out there and the truth is it always comes down to 2 things, find the source of primary transmission and then put as much mass between the 2 as you can. Keep up the good work!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! You’re right, so many things promise to be the ultimate cure, so I think a little honest God a long way. Thanks for watching!

[@patrickevans6712]

Thanks for this data. You and a few others were extremely helpful and I begin my build today. My mission is to quiet a shop vac, for which I will make a concrete-lined enclosure that I’ll roll to outside my garage during use.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I could help!

[@MichaelTanMusic]

what i love most about this video is that you thoroughly recognise your own limitations while doing actual real-world tests. it's so painful to sort through every self-professed expert that just asserts things with no explanation of where the data came from. The one thing I would still love to see is the effect of a larger air gap between materials, again, lots of "experts" but hard to find any real world apples-to-apples tests.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks! I definitely try to recognize my own limitations while still doing meaningful work. I’d love to do an air gap test - although that might be a challenge with my limited resources. Maybe I could find some creative solution…

[@FellUpAndDown]

I've been looking into a "noisy neighbour" situation and prepping ready. I'm cutting corners (no money), so I'm going to be sticking up some MLV direct onto plaster, but stuck up with specialist acoustic adhesive (Everflex AC50). It's cheap and hopefully will separate the MLV from the plaster. Over the top of that, I'll be putting some 2mm Thermal by wallrock, then painting. It's an old 1930's house, so anything really to help on the party wall. To get to the point, your information has been invaluable. I'll come back after I've done this to let people know.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

So glad to hear that! I'd love to hear how it all works out. Getting what you want done without spending a lot of money is what I'm all about!

[@e.climan1329]

I have the same problem. Did your method work? Thanks

[@JP5466]

This will do nothing for low frequencies and impact noises.

[@thefuzzman9833]

There you go, 200 subscribers for you, your information and delivery is fantastic, you need to get out there. Thanks for the info! I was actually looking at ways to make an enclosure for a generator and came across your site. Haven't decided which way to go but i am definitely in a better position to plan.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for the compliment and for subscribing! I'm working on it and I feel like I'll get there eventually!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Great job !!!!!!!!! Super impressed with your approach on every level. 👍😊👍

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Wow, very encouraging words! Thanks so much!

[@repalmore]

FINALLY!!!! Someone who paid attention in high school science class. Laws of conservation of energy is such a simple idea. Energy never goes away. Just does somewhere else in a different form. Super simple. Thank you.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

LOL thanks so much for the compliment. And you're right, I paid attention in high school science. Until I got into chemistry anyway...

[@ComradeStiv]

16:46 "How dare you?" Woof. Really loved your testing and straight talk! Def saving for future reference 🤙

[@JackofAllMinistries]

She seemed so confused when I filmed her too! Thanks for watching, hope it was helpful!

[@briansegall1084]

Thanks for all the effort putting this video together. I'm researching soundproofing and your results are very useful! I'm trying to soundproof between floors of my house, and my current thinking is to use R20 insulation (fiberglass), resilient channel, Sonopan and 5/8 drywall. That ought to be enough to significantly reduce impact noise and ambient noise.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Although every application is different, it sounds like you have a solid plan together to me! I hope you get to enjoy many quiet days and nights when your project is done!

[@elsantoproductora]

Massive work my friend! thanks for the effort and the awesome video.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much!!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Looking at the chart 14:51 it seems that a double DW is basically the same as a double DW with Green Glue. Am I reading that right? If that's the case...YES !!! that will save me a bundle of cashola.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

According to my test, yes. Although I should point out that it was mostly in the higher frequencies. The GG did better in the lower frequencies, but overall they were really very close.

[@boyshanks]

Great video!! I was tired of searching. I’m trying to insulate and soundproof a wall between a toilet closet and guest bedroom. I’m going to use wool insulation and two pieces of 1/2” drywall. 5/8s takes up too much room. It’s a very small toilet closet.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Awesome!! I hope you (and the people on the other side of the toilet) love it when it’s done!

[@paulmuresan1252]

Super interesting, really helped me. Thank you!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

So glad it was helpful!!! You are very welcome.

[@MikeFaucher]

Nice video and thanks for doing the testing!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You’re welcome! It was my pleasure…

[@Lughnerson]

I think what is effective is a) filling any gaps, and b) using multiple layers of different densities at any intersection: top, bottom, and sides. I used simple tar paper in my car trunk and it worked enough to notice. A bit better is still better than the same.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Great point!

[@luct3368]

have you seen those acrylic caulking mist sprayers where they pressurize the builing and the airbourne caulk clogs any gaps in the building fabric. If gap filling, or air sealing is effective, it would be fascinating to see how effective, just doing this with no other further sound insulation would be.

[@Haroldus0]

You are on the right track with the experiment but to do this properly you need to have a larger space for the speaker to develop low frequencies. One way to do this is to mount the test microphone in a suitable concrete box with the lid being the test subject, and have the test tones or sweep run through a 'known good' loudspeaker system, and do the test outside in a quiet moment. This can approximate to an infinite baffle, removing any room mode non linearity. We did this years ago for a range of really high end PA speakers and then sent the units to JBL for official anechoic chamber tests and the results were remarkably similar, though about 1% of the price!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Your infinite baffle idea is genius! I was trying to stay away from sweeps originally because I wanted to make a test that was easily doable for someone with no knowledge of room measurement. That's why I used a tone generator. However, I've been thinking about doing a next level type test, much like the one you mentioned. I was worried about low frequency development because I didn't want to make a 12 foot concrete box to test 50Hz, but I love the idea of using your baffle to get a read without modes and calculate the difference!

[@Sybex127]

I wonder how well Hardiebacker would work vs drywall

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Somebody had mentioned that same thing to me awhile back. I bet that would do very well. I plan on revisiting this video again this year, that’s something I’d like to test!

[@MadLadsAnonymous]

Great video! For our walls I'm planning on eventually going with Rockwool plus MLV (2 lb), whisper clips, dual Sonopan layers, then drywall/plywood/CLT with another layer of MLV glued behind it.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Sounds great! I’m curious about how that Sonopan works out…

[@vickigreene4288]

Wow! Fantastic information. Thank you for doing all that!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

My pleasure! Hope it helps!

[@sfkeepay]

Thanks for sharing all this work. Very illuminating, and above all, useful.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You’re welcome! Glad I could be of service.

[@bradmckeever3258]

I enjoyed your video. I was wondering if you had any ideas on a portable solution to help make the cab of a semitruck quite. I'm not able to drive the same one every day and it would be nice to block out some of the road noise and vibration. Thank you

[@JackofAllMinistries]

That would be a big challenge. Any solutions I could think of would be changes to the truck, not something you could take out and carry with you. Ear plugs are portable, but I believe it’s illegal to drive with them in your ears. That one may truly be an impossible venture.

[@freddie5475]

Rockwool works great if you build a decoupled wooden frame, do not join the frame to your wall. I put carpet, two layers of foam then a decoupled frame with 50mm rockwool and 12.5mm soundblock plasterboard, 95% of noise gone

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Good deal! Sounds remarkably similar to my build actually.

[@appleseed666]

Wow thanks for this video. I'm rennovating my home which is next to a train track. Unfortunately they shunt in the middle of the night and this is very loud and shakes the house. In your tests what materials have the best dB reduction at the lower frequencies. Could you share your data findings?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Dang, that’s a horrible situation! That’s probably going to be a tough one to handle… You can see my data at www.visitcrosspoint.com/joam and that should help a little, but I have to admit there’s nothing useful under 100Hz. The speaker is just too small to play anything lower at an even volume. I’d be willing to bet that’s right where those engines would be. I used to work in a paper mill and I remember the sound of trains being pretty low and easy to recognize; even over the volume of pumps and motors. I’ll be putting out another video sometime this week that you may also find helpful. It’s all about a solid general approach to soundproofing in existing construction. I see that you subscribed, so you might want to stay tuned if you’re interested in that.

[@appleseed666]

@@JackofAllMinistries thanks for this info, it is super helpful . I noticed you are a drummer, I am as well :) The current approach I have for the train is to use resilient channels with a double layer of 5/8" dry wall. Two materials I'm not sure of using are the insulation and the use of green glue or sonopan. From your videos it seems that there is no significant benefit from rockwool over regular pink fiber glass (even though the specs for rockwool say it will get you a 9 db reduction) and green glue which sounds like it's no significant difference from carpet glue. To your point about cost vs benefit rockwool is double the cost regular insulation and green glue is very costly. Have you ever used sonopan before? Looking forward to your next video.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@appleseed666 Sounds like you have a solid plan to me. Without actually seeing anything, I’d bet that rez channel is one of the best things since I almost guarantee trains are using impact noise to get into your house. It may help with your late night drumming too lol! Several people have mentioned Sonopan to me since I’ve released this video, but I had never even heard of it before. Although I’ve never worked with it, I admit I have my doubts as to whether it’s performance will be worth it. The question I always ask is, “Will it work as well as another sheet of drywall for the same amount of real estate?” Like I said, I’ve never used it, and I suppose that’s the spirit of this video in the first place. I plan on making an update to this video in the future and I’ll probably order done of that to test it out.

[@JP5466]

@@appleseed666 So, what were your results with this build?

[@paradisedreamland3]

huge amount of tedious work on this video. probably best and concise video on the matter. thanks a lot !

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for the compliment! I had a lot of fun doing that one.

[@simontompkins301]

superb, stuffed full of great information so well presented- bravo

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much!

[@EpicATrain]

Will you be updating a new video with new materials to test anytime soon? I'm about to start gutting a basement to convert into a soundproofed room (safe space). I would appreciate any further testing that you might do for any ideas that you have.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

As much as I would love to do that, unfortunately I’ll be working on my current project until June. When that comes out I’ll be posting videos on that, so I probably won’t get to more soundproofing stuff until the summer at the earliest. Even if I wanted to squeeze it in, my shop is a total disaster and I can’t get to anything.

[@EpicATrain]

@@JackofAllMinistries Rats okay. I'm hoping to have my project done before Summer. I appreciate the response tho. :)

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@@EpicATrain Sorry, wish I had better news. I will say this though: I’ve leaned that soundproofing is much harder than I originally thought, that air sealing is extremely important, and that for every rule you try to follow there is something else that’s easy to miss. Good luck on the project, I hope it comes out awesome!

[@EpicATrain]

@@JackofAllMinistries I appreciate it, thank you

[@HappyTyke25]

Thanks for all your hard work, some very useful information and tips contained in your video, I recently did a wall between my son and daughters bedrooms, and used regular decorators caulk instead of the the green glue, now ive done no testing but I wouldn't think the difference is that significant between the 2 products, but the cost is definitely less. For me it's more about sealing any little air gaps that may leak sound. You're absolutely right though it's the lower frequencies ie the bass that is much harder to stop.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks for the encouragement! The biggest question I have about using caulk is the longevity after it dries. I know GG stays soft, but I wonder how much of the reduction comes from sound passing through different materials in layers like Quietrock. I'd bet that's exactly what regular caulking would achieve at a much lower cost. Even if GG is better, I still can't imagine it would be worth the money. As for the lows, if it really must be dampened drywall just isn't the way to go. I wish I would have tried my hand with concrete or something like that, although that would never be practical in a bedroom!

[@zeomarmob]

The counterclockwise turn on the volume knob is the best performer on reducing the sound.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You know, that’s really hard to argue with…

[@papahansel3136]

I really appreciated and enjoyed your logic and reasoning. Thanks for the effort.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

And thank you for watching!

[@danielgorosito6329]

Very great experimentation to compare frequencies.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks! Hopefully there will be more to come…

[@fzane14]

Very interesting video, quite an eye opener. Thank you for sharing this information. I thoroughly enjoyed your quest for truth

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully I'll be doing a follow up not too far into the future.

[@MichaelBrown-vq4fd]

This was very helpful and well presented. Thank you Sir for the info and effort you put into this.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for watching! It was completely my pleasure!

[@russellsanders9004]

Very helpful information, thank you for your research and video.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

My pleasure!

[@babixillo]

very cool and informative! i wish you tested triple drywall to see how 1 added sheet of drywall compares to added mlv, rockwool or r13

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Now I do too! I’ve heard every additional sheet gives roughly half the results of the previous sheet, maybe that helps give an idea?

[@skaworld509]

Excellent well done. Very informative

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much!

[@JoeLewis14]

Incredibly helpful. Thank you!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

So glad! You’re welcome!

[@brandoncrapo7434]

What a great video! Thank you. It's very helpful. When you utilized the carpet glue in your actual project, did you spread it uniformly across the drywall sheets, or did you make a box around the perimeter and then add some lattice lines to make air pockets?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! Glad it could help. I spread it evenly. Turns out the air gaps aren’t the helpful bit. It’s about layers with differing mass together - it’s a principle called “constrained layer damping.”

[@desiredflowmusic]

Ha ha! Who cant relate? My wife can hear my drums, even when I'm not playing them! Great vid, thanks so much, some very helpful clarifications about costly materials in there. Great job. (Just Liked and subscribribed)

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Ain’t that the truth…! thanks so much for watching! Glad it was helpful.

[@pedronudie4311]

Amazing work ! I’ve been looking to better soundproof my Parisian flat and so far MLV (Tecsound) with Fermacell sheet seems to be the best efficiency to thickness ratio. In my research the thickness is a key factor taking into account the value of each square meter in my arrondissement (i.e. district). Again thank you for the comprehensive testing. Take care !

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Paris is an amazing city! I was lucky enough to go during the Euro Cup a few years ago when Iceland was there. I wasn’t there for the match, but there was a fun soccer vibe going on. Must be fun to work in soundproofing with Parisian architecture. Hope everything works out well!

[@quetzalcool]

Why didn't you use perlite, which can be called "activated silica". It has air molecules between the Si-O bonds just like air inside the activated carbon structure. It would be really exciting to see the results.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Honestly I didn't try it because I had never heard of it. Seems interesting enough and pretty affordable. I'll give it a shot on my follow up.

[@larslengberg]

@16:46 Would be interesting to see a follow-up video where you test soundproofing using dogs...

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I am considering doing a follow up, and if I can figure out how to use a dog, I definitely will!

[@kurthermann3482]

Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! Very well done video. I am getting ready to finish a detached 24x24 pole barn garage on a slab and make it a drum studio. I wanted to try to sound proof it, but realized quickly that it wasn't going to happen due to the size of the space and my budget. This helps a lot. I think I am going to do a double layer of 5/8" drywall with staggered seams and put the carpet glue between it. I was gonna use rockwool but I think I might just use R13 now. I know there is a company that makes heavy blankets you can hang. I think I might devise some sort of a system where I can roll it up when it isn't needed but then roll it down in front of the door for additional coverage. The money I save, I'll likely put into actual recording equipment, acoustic treatment ect. Thanks again!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Jealous of how much room you’ll have for your studio! I think you’re right, it would be a tall order to soundproof it, but in separate building you’ll probably be okay. Enjoy that extra money and gear!

[@sunalwaysshinesonTVs]

I would have liked to see the data points from your spreed sheet.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I'm honestly surprised you're the first person to mention that. I plan to do an follow up video on this and when I do, I'll be sure to go over the data points in more detail. Thanks so much for watching!

[@bobbyculkin2958]

@@JackofAllMinistries I second this request, would love to see the data. Excellent video.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

It's available now on my church site. www.visitcrosspoint.com/joam Enjoy!

[@kroneditor9266]

Excellent video and thanks for taking the time to produce and share it. Very interesting findings which I can incorporate in my own noise reduction projects - Cheers from the UK!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks for watching, even across the lake! So glad I could help, even if it’s just a little.

[@kathleendavis2008]

Hahaha ..I can't believe it...I do believe it! I couldn't find the green stuff, just used fire rated plumber stuff and used carpet glue elsewhere. Rockwool and fire rated drywall was also part of our equation. We will find out if it works when the Aunt on the other side of the wall no longer knows our business!!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Awesome! I hope it turns out so great that you start to miss your old conversations through the wall…

[@johnfrith7884]

Thank you for this video it’s definitely helping me out with my build

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I’m so glad it could help you out!

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

Love this. Ninety percent of consumer products and more than half of industrial/commercial products are just hype. Most of what Americans spend money on is nothing. You should get better performance from drywall if the layers are of differing thickness. They resonate at different frequencies so sound doesn't transfer across as well as with identical layers.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

My friend and I argue about that all the time. He’s willing to pay an $1,000 to get the right resonance from rosewood over maple and stuff like that. I’m like, “Dude, that improvement is not worth anywhere near $1,000.” No one can even tell.

[@rivierarenovation06]

Thanks for sharing your testing, nice job! With respect to the test setup, I think it would be better to have your sound-level meter suspended (e.g., on an elastic string) above your test material, while making sure to have the same distance from the material (adapting for the thickness of the material). At one point it seemed that you were measuring via a gap in the weighting blocks but not directly in front of the material. Another improvement, IMHO, would be to make the cavity (containing the speaker) bigger, ideally mimicking the separation of your studs (or other anchor points). This would better reflect how the material behaves when mounted on the wall.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll probably be doing a follow up sometime, and I've already thought of a bigger cavity. I hadn't thought of suspending the db meter though. I noticed that it wasn't always in the same spot and that likely affected the results.

[@Tearial311]

Have you looked into carpet padding for impact noise reduction? Wrap them around drain lines and ducts

[@JackofAllMinistries]

That’s an interesting idea, never thought of that. I bet that would be awesome for flanking noise!

[@AmazingPhilippines1]

Interesting test setup. I was in the "noise control" business in the SW USA for some years dealing with commercial AC chillers majority of the time. Low frequency is a bear to deal with. MLV/fiberglass "blankets" sewn to cover the offending equipment or enclosures were often the solution. MLV has the advantage of being relatively thin. Test data is important but I also learned to use "what works" depending on the budget. All test setups have their limitations when applied to the real world but important data non the less. I am now living in the Philippines where low frequencies from regular "fiestas" until 4AM are a major noise issue. Add in loud motorbikes, barking dogs, roosters, and karaoke....but it is more fun in the Philippines. LOL!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Interesting that blankets were the best solution. I mean, obviously you’re not going to built concrete enclosures, but still. I think it all lands like you said, in a balance of cost and efficiency. Too bad you can’t sleep under one of those blankets in the Philippines! Sounds like auto-insomnia to me…

[@unusualmuse]

Hooray for science! Great video. I’d be really curious to see one of the QuietRock drywall products included, to see how it really compares to the regular stuff.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Yep, lots of people have mentioned the QuietRock to me. I plan to expand the test someday and post a new video - I can’t imagine I wouldn’t try that out…

[@coqui8861]

This video is very very very helpful Thanks

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I could help!

[@trinchezito1383]

I did MlV in my car floor, safest product to do inside the car. I’ll be doing Rockwool in the engine bay, due to fire resistant and sound absorption

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You should put some green glue on the muffler hangers.

[@jeffp5991]

This was really helpful! Being able to sift through the hype of some of the high priced products that really don't do much is great. Although thinking about someone remodeling my house 30 years from now finding green slime between layers of sheetrock is a bit amusing. 😅

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I could help! I’m all about eliminating the hype and saving a dollar!

[@olekristianrannekleiv762]

low frequencies are indeed hard to block. if you ever run out of content, a soundproofing experiment down to 50hz with these materials would be very interesting.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I keep thinking about that, but I’d have to build a box big enough to encase my sub. Then I’m not sure if limited air space would be fair because of the wavelength. I guess I’d have to do some research and maybe just add a disclaimer.

[@olekristianrannekleiv762]

@@JackofAllMinistries why would the wavelength be an issue?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@@olekristianrannekleiv762 I don’t know for sure, but I wonder if diffraction could have an effect (although I think a sealed box eliminates that problem) and I also wonder if incomplete wavelengths can have an amplified effect if they become standing waves.

[@olekristianrannekleiv762]

@@JackofAllMinistries it will probably be massive interference, but the same happens at higher frequencies as well, the difference being that high frequencies have smaller patterns of interference. if there would be any issues, some eq could probably fix them. when it comes to EQ, I would recommend APO equalizer if you do not have an eq. it Is free software for PC with 31 band eq and more, run an antivirus check on it if you are skeptical it is great.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@@olekristianrannekleiv762 You’d have to put a measurement microphone inside the box then right? Or is there another way to know what kind of interference you have?

[@daveinch8781]

Glad i found this vid - Just in the planning stages of a sound proof drum room & green glue costs a fortune here in Australia. Too much to even think about using it. I'll be using the carpet glue - Thank you ! subscribed....

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! Glad I could help. Just remember whatever carpet glue you use that is the type that will stay tacky. Good luck!

[@ReAnnRing]

This is excellent! Love the doggy :)

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks! I am biased, but I think she makes everything better.

[@stefanscally4449]

Thanks so much for the video. So many small bar businesses are struggling because they can't make good music events without the neighbors calling the law. But they don't make a lot of money so if there's a cheap way to effectively soundproof... would really help a lot of artists and communities. It's never been made clear to me how much can be done. Thanks for the info!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I can help. Sad to say noise pollution will be an issue that probably only gets worse until a really great (and cheap) product can be discovered.

[@dimchohvarchilkov683]

Excellent approach for actually demonstrating the performance of all these insulations! That is the way these videos shohld be made. Great and useful. Thank you!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks for the encouragement! Just trying to help a brother out in figuring out some of this often confusing information!

[@tripham2850]

The gap can change the resonant factor like capacitor change remote control frequency

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Makes sense to me!

[@stephenchow5161]

such a great video thanks for you well designed project.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! It was a lot of fun…

[@JasonRigden]

Wow! Awesome work. We need more folks on here testing the woo of these products.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks! I agree, it was so hard to find something like that and that's actually why I ended up making it!

[@johndunn5322]

I never comment on you tube videos but excellent demonstration my brother👏Great information for my current project

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks man! So glad I could help!

[@SteveMarvel]

Immensely helpful video. Thank you. I wonder whether the MLV might prove more effective if tested in a larger sheet. MLV is meant to “flutter” when struck by sound, thus dissipating it, like a sheet hung on a clothes line when struck with a baseball (it absorbs the forward force and ball falls to the ground). The small square you used probably wasn’t large enough to “flutter”. You’d probably need something at least a yard square….

[@JackofAllMinistries]

That’s a good point. “Limp mass” is the phrase that describes that I believe. That actually gives me reason to ask a few more questions about how to calculate things like that. Essentially it will require less energy to become resonant if it’s small, and limp mass requires more so I wonder if there is some kind of a 3 way graph between tension, area/density and modes that would make it easier to test things like that.

[@blanjahape530]

Thank you, your video very helping me to understand soundproof

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Glad I could help!!

[@Rod-Wheeler]

Great stuff! Subscribed! Building my own vocal booth for voiceover. This is like gold! Thanks again!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

You’re very welcome! I hope the vocal booth comes out amazing. Glad I could help!

[@Blackcreekstudios]

Thanks. I agree with you about all the hype. It is all about mass, decoupling and being airtight. However if you are tuning a room for sound the frequency absorption is critical for different materials.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Absolutely, two different approaches for sure. If you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve and what you’re not, there is a huge chance for disappointment.

[@carlos.coronado]

thanks for sharing this, i will try this soon!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Hope it works out! I'd love to hear any improvements too!

[@romanelishayev3853]

Thanks for the video, can you please share the excel file too?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Yep! Head to www.visitcrosspoint.com/JOAM and you can download it

[@superconnie5003]

Bro luv your style! the testing rig!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! Just trying to keep things helpful for people!

[@olivierdanhoffre5754]

Hello, thank you for this great job. I want to protect my flat from noisy neighbours who live just above. The ceiling is made of concrete. The problem is that I have not a lot of height (2.5 m) and I want to avoid to lose too much height. Do you think an insulation with 1 cm of air + 5 cm of rockwool + 1/2" (1.3 cm) drywall would be enough , I mean would give a good protection ? Thank you if you or someone has an idea or an experience.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I’m surprised you’re having significant noise issues with concrete ceilings! Adding anything would help, but if what they are doing is going through concrete it seems like there is a serious noise level up there. Do you know, is it impact noise like footsteps or people rolling around, or is it direct transfer like stereos, talking, etc?

[@theshawnfussellband]

With most carpet glues, if you go that route, it's recommended that after you spread it you should let it sit for a few minutes. Until you see the beads left from the trowel start to darken and thicken up. Carpet glues stay tacky for a long time. So letting it set up for 15-20 mins before you put your second piece on will ensure a bit of an air gap. Which is the purpose of the green glue etc, to keep the two sheets of drywall from touching so that vibrational transfer is reduced. As a floor guy who's interested in sound engineering, I'd be curious to see what a pressure sensitive glue would do. My bet is it would outperform even the green glue. Pressure sensitive glue is what you use for some vinyl flooring and a few wood flooring options. It never fully dries and is reactivated with pressure. Point being that for a floor is that the more you walk on it the stickier it gets. My guess is the low frequencies would keep the glue somewhat active from the wall vibrating and my theory is that the continuous reactivating from the sound would further keep the two sheets of drywall decoupled. It wouldn't stay wet enough to drip out from the bottom like the quite glue, but I believe would stay soft enough from the vibrational movement to keep it from ever hardening. Regular carpet glue once it's fully dried (after a few months) can get as hard as plastic which would go from being helpful to being counterintuitive once the glue has fully cured.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Dude, you just shook up my whole world with the pressure sensitive glue idea. I know I had seen that stuff before but never realized what it was until I read your comment. I’m definitely testing that stuff my next go around.

[@toddroy9558]

Where would you get pressure sensitive glue? And what would be a name brand of that glue?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@toddroy9558 it’s a fairly common type of glue for vinyl flooring. Lowes (Mapei 373) and HomeDepot have it (Robert’s 6280). Henry’s makes it too (650R).

[@boyshanks]

I’m late to this video but if you need space between 2 pieces of dry wall can’t you use longer screws and insert a shim - temporarily - to create that air gap?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@@boyshanks I think I’m confused about what you’re saying. Why do you need space between the sheets of drywall?

[@rongti5543]

Great! very helpful. Subscribed.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy the rest of the content

[@Lou.B]

EXCELLENT methodology!!! Thanks!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much!! Glad you found it helpful.

[@darkomijic]

Really appriciate the work you did here! Thanks!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for watching!!

[@NacNacMOTT]

Hi Jack. Excellent video. Thank you very much. It helps me a lot compare to others I have seen. Regarding your green glue results. I noticed you mentioned you waited for the carpet glue to dry. Have you done this also for green glue. The manufacturer actually say that it takes about 30 days to get to the best results because of the nature of the product and how it "dries" it never fully dry. So I wonder if because you seem to have done the test pretty much straight away if this could be the reason.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I honestly don’t recall if I waited or not. I know I did both initial tests right away, and I waited and retested the carpet glue. I can’t remember if the GG was retested or I kept the same results. I’d like to think I retested but it would be a shot in the dark honestly.

[@NacNacMOTT]

@@JackofAllMinistries This may explain some of your disappointment about GG. It takes a few days for it to be effective

[@JackofAllMinistries]

@@NacNacMOTT Definitiely have to consider that if the manufacturer specified it.

[@jakesnedigar5272]

Outstanding material here! I’ve been doing countless hours of research as I’ve been preparing to do my best to block the low frequency noises from neighbors bass, I’ve got open cell spray foam in the wall cavities and I’m planning on doing 2 layers of decouple 5/8 drywall, I’m wondering if adding MLV between the studs and drywall would be a noticeable improvement or if outdoor carpet or some sort of underlayment would be as beneficial for more value? Any suggestions you have here would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks so much for watching! I’m so glad it was helpful. MLV is great stuff and will definitely outperform carpet and underlayment. Underlayment just doesn’t have the same amount of mass as MLV, although sometimes MLV is used as underlayment. For me the real question was cost per dB attenuated, and that’s where MLV falls off - it’s just so expensive.

[@jakesnedigar5272]

@@JackofAllMinistries Agreed! Now that you’ve saved me a bunch of money by using a tacky carpet glue, I might be able to swing the MLV 😂 How’s your carpet glue holding up? It looks like that Roberts 3095 might be the ticket to remain tacky. Have you been able to try any SONOPan yet? I’ve been hearing good things (pun intended) but apparently the only dealer in the States is in Ohio. Keep up the great content!

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I wish I used the 3095 because I have no idea how the carpet glue has held up in my walls. I have a hunch it has hardened, but that’s all it is - a hunch.

[@JP5466]

@@jakesnedigar5272 From what I've been able to gather based on feedback from people who have used it, Sonopan doesn't do much for frequencies below 125hz.

[@vitalyvalochnik1802]

the best tests. I think you have to test three layers of dry wall :)

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Thanks! I know for every layer of drywall you add, they say the results diminish by 50%. So if one layer eliminates 10db, two eliminates 15, three eliminates 17.5 and so on. It would be fun to test that and see if it’s true!

[@JP5466]

Law of diminishing returns.

[@zwuuuuu]

thanks for sharing. this is v useful for the community

[@JackofAllMinistries]

That’s what I’m here for!

[@MartyH]

Great video, I was thinking of doing the same sort of testing but making a complex speaker box, your way is so much better and easier. I wonder if you mix charcoal with the carpet glue would make a difference? I might try that.

[@JackofAllMinistries]

Wow, charcoal and carpet glue… that’s a very interesting idea! It seems like it would have to be ground up pretty fine and I wonder if that would change the sort of porosity that charcoal offers. I may steal that for my next video if that’s okay…?

[@MartyH]

@@JackofAllMinistries Please do, you will probably get to it before I do and might save me the effort :)

[@0Tweaky0]

Is better to butt heavy soundproofing drywall against the bottom of subfloor so the weight could slow vibrations down or add a layer of something first to stop vibration transfer?

[@JackofAllMinistries]

I think the differences would be minimal. If you’re doubling up the drywall, I but the first layer down to the floor, and the second up to the ceiling. The bigger issue in my opinion is to be sure the corner is sealed up air tight with silicone.