Bar and KTV Soundproofing

Bar and KTV Soundproofing Considerations:

If the bar is located in a residential building, especially in the middle or lower floors, controlling sound can be challenging. The focus of mitigation efforts should be on the propagation of low-frequency vibrations, addressing sound isolation comprehensively from various points and surfaces to meet the requirements of the bar’s soundproofing design.

The most primary and effective method for soundproofing involves understanding the characteristics of the sound source and then utilizing acoustic knowledge to determine appropriate soundproofing materials and structures. It is crucial to pay attention to soundproofing walls, doors, and ceilings.

Bar Soundproofing Plan – Part 1: Elimination of Low-Frequency Vibrations

The sound waves in KTV bars are generated by multiple speakers, each creating a point source of sound with corresponding spherical waves. The sound can propagate through hanging rods, top beams, columns, walls, plumbing, doors, windows, and vents. To address this:

1. Install vibration isolators or suspension hooks for speakers. This involves hanging speakers to reduce direct contact with the ground or surrounding structures. Padding and isolating systems must be employed to prevent the transmission of vibrations from the speakers to the building structure.
2. Add damping and soundproofing layers to plumbing pipes. For high-rise buildings, plumbing pipes concentrated on the lower floors can transmit sound waves directly to adjacent residences. Therefore, it is necessary to rewrap the pipes connected to upper-floor units with internal damping layers and external soundproofing layers.

Bar Soundproofing Project – Part 2: Minimizing Sound Wave Leakage

Bars located in residential areas may impact nearby residents through entrances, fire doors, and air conditioning vents. To mitigate sound leakage:

1. Design entrance and exit passages as “sound barriers.” Even with a well-insulated main entrance, sound waves are inevitably leaked during the opening and closing of the door. Therefore, an additional soundproof door should be installed approximately 1.5 meters from the original entrance to prevent sound leakage when the first door is closed.
2. Install wideband silencers on exhaust vents. Air conditioning and exhaust vents can carry noise during the discharge process. To eliminate high, medium, and low-frequency sound waves without affecting normal ventilation, expansion-type impedance composite silencers should be added.
3. Introduce sound-absorbing panels inside the bar. Walls, sofas, and seating should be equipped with soundproofing materials to reduce indoor sound pressure. This not only regulates the volume and tone of the bar but also minimizes excessive sound reverberation and rigid sound oscillations that may harm customers’ hearing.

Bar Acoustic Treatment – Part 3: Vibration Isolation for Mezzanine

Many bars have mezzanine structures to optimize space and sightlines. However, this design can accentuate vibration issues, particularly with fast sound transmission through steel structures, large amplitudes in mezzanine vibrations, and dense connections between mezzanine steel structures and walls or columns. This leads to rapid transmission of vibration waves through connected walls and upward to upper-level residences.