CINEMA

SOUND
ISOLATION
David Schwind
Tom Schindler
Charles M Salter Associates Inc
San Francisco, CA, USA

Consultants in Acoustics
& Audio/Visual System Design
NEW ISSUES FACING DEVELOPERS

NOISIER SITES NEXT TO RAILWAY TRACKS,

FREEWAYS, AND AIRPORTS

INCLUSION IN MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL

AND RETAIL BUILDINGS
CINEMA AS A NOISE RECEIVER

ON-SITE NOISE (AND VIBRATION)

MEASUREMENTS

RAILWAY
-AIRBORNE NOISE, GROUND VIBRATION
-ISOLATE CINEMAS WITH RUBBER BEARINGS

ROADS
-WALLS AND DOORS TYPICALLY DOMINATE

AIRPORTS
-CEILING, WALLS, AND DOORS DOMINATE
CINEMA AS A SOUND SOURCE
FOR RESIDENCES

DO NOT LOCATE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO

RESIDENCES

ACOUSTICAL OBJECTIVE TO PREVENT

SLEEP INTERFERENCE
THE ROLE OF SOUND ISOLATION
IN THE CINEMA PRESENTATION

SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF
-HOLDING THE PATRON IN THE
FILM STORY

MAINTAINS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE

NOW EXCELLENT DYNAMIC RANGE OF
CINEMA AUDIO SYSTEMS
-BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM OF RANGE

CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL

IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTI-CINEMA
INTRUSIVE SOUND SOURCES
IMPACTING CINEMAS

EXTERIOR/EXTERNAL NOISE
-TRAFFIC, AIRCRAFT, ETC.
-ADJACENT TENANTS

PATRONS IN ENTRY LOBBIES,

FOYER SOUND SYSTEMS, ELEVATORS,
AND ADJACENT CONCESSION AREAS

SOUND SYSTEMS IN
ADJACENT CINEMAS
 SOUND TRANSMISSION

DISSIPATED
REFLECTED

TRANSMITTED

DISSIPATED
INCIDENT

SOURCE BARRIER RECEIVER

HORIZONTAL
SOUND
ISOLATION
SINGLE FRAME/RESILIENT CHANNEL DEMISING WALL
(9 -5 /8 ”)
240 mm

F IBERGLASS BATT IN SULAT ION

146 mm (6 ”) M ETA L STUD ,

600 mm (24 ”) O .C .

(2 ) LA YERS 15 m m (5/8 ”)
GYPSUM BOARD ON RES ILE IN T

(3 ) LA YERS 15 m m (5/8 ”)
G YPSUM BOARD
DOUBLE FRAME DEMISING WALL

(22 ")
550 mm

BATT IN SULAT ION

146 mm (6 ")
M ETAL STUD , 600 m m (24 ") O .C .

(1 ) LA YER 19 m m (3/4") and

(2 ) LA YERS 12 .5 m m (1/2")
GYPSUM BOARD ON EACH
OUTS ID E STUD FACE
BLOCK/FRAME DEMISING WALL
(19 ")
480 mm

146 mm (6 ")
M ETAL STUD , 600 m m (24 ") O .C .

(2 ) 12 .5 m m (1 /2 ") G YPSUM BOARD

(1 ) 12 .5 m m (1 /2 ") G YPSUM BOARD

BA TT IN SULAT ION

50 mm (2 ") SEPA RAT ION , M IN IM UM

190 mm (8 ") SO L ID CO RE O R SO L ID
GROUTED MASONRY
 DEMISING WALLS/THX
RECOMMENDATION COMPARISON
100

90
DOUBLE FRAME WALL
SINGLE STUD 80
TRANSMISSION LOSS
RESILIENT CHANNNEL

SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL/TRANSMISSION LOSS

BLOCK/FRAME WALL
TRANSMISSION LOSS
70

SINGLE FRAME WALL

60 TRANSMISSION LOSS

- DECIBELS
50

40

30
DOUBLE FRAME
20

10

-10
31.5 63 125 250 500 1K 2K 4K 8K
OCTAVE BAND CENTER FREQUENCIES - HERTZ

BLOCK/FRAME
 DEMISING WALL FIELD ISOLATION
PERFORMANCE-RESULTS ONLY
100

90

SINGLE STUD 80
RESILIENT CHANNNEL

SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL/TRANSMISSION LOSS

70

60

- DECIBELS
50
SINGLE FRAME-
RESULTING INTRUSIVE
SOUND LEVEL
40

NC 40
30 NC 35
DOUBLE FRAME NC 30
20 NC 25

DOUBLE FRAME- NC 20
10 RESULTING INTRUSIVE NC 15
SOUND LEVEL
BLOCK/FRAME-
0 RESULTING INTRUSIVE
SOUND LEVEL (BLOCK)

-10
31.5 63 125 250 500 1K 2K 4K 8K
OCTAVE BAND CENTER FREQUENCIES - HERTZ

BLOCK/FRAME
DISCONTINUOUS ROOF SYSTEM
AT DEMISING WALL
 VERTICAL
SOUND
ISOLATION
 150 mm (6 ”)

CONCRETE
DECK

150 mm (6 ”) F IBERGLASS
BATT IN SULAT ION

F IN ISH CE IL IN G
(N RC -0 .60 )

CONCRETE FLOOR DECK

WITH
ACOUSTICAL TILE CEILING
 150 mm (6 ”)

CONCRETE
DECK

ISO LATOR

6" BATT
IN SULAT ION

15mm (5/8 ”)
PLYW OOD

15 mm (5 /8 ”)
GYPSUM BOARD

F IN ISH CE IL IN G
(N RC -0 .60 )

CONCRETE FLOOR DECK WITH

RESILIENTLY SUSPENDED
CEILING
 * TYP ICA LLY - 50 m m (2 ”) TA LL ISO LATORS
600 mm (24”) O .C . SURROUNDED W ITH 100mm (4 ”) RE IN FO RCED
16 kg/m 3 (1 lb/ft3 ) F IBERGLASS BATT IN SULAT ION 2400 kg/m 3 (150 lb/ft3 )
CONCRETE
15 mm (5 /8 ”) PLYW OOD
50 mm (2 ”) RES IL IENT
SYSTEM
*
STRUCTURAL D ECK
(150 m m (6 ”) CONCRETE)

CONCRETE FLOATING FLOOR

 100mm (4 ”) RE IN FO RCED
2400 kg/m 3 (150 lb/ft3 )
CONCRETE
19 mm (3 /4 ”)
NEOPRENE PAD 15 mm (5 /8 ”) PLYW OOD
50 mm (2 ”) RES IL IENT
SYSTEM
STRUCTURAL D ECK
(150 m m (6 ”) CONCRETE)

CONCRETE FLOATING FLOOR

WITH STADIUM SEATING
 CINEMA FLOOR/CEILING
PERFORMANCE
100

90

CONCRETE FLOOR DECK WITH 100 mm (4 “) THICK FLOATING SLAB

OVER STRUCTURAL SLAB 150 mm (6”) THICK SLAB
80 WITH GYPSUM BOARD CEILING-
ACOUSTICAL TILE CEILING TRANSMISSION LOSS
TRANSMISSION LOSS

SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL/TRANSMISSION LOSS

70

150 mm (6”) CONCRETE SLAB WITH

60 ACOUSTICAL CEILING
TRANSMISSION LOSS

50

- DECIBELS
40

NC 40
30 NC 35
CONCRETE FLOOR DECK WITH
RESILIENT CEILING NC 30
20 NC 25

NC 20
10
NC 15

-10
31.5 63 125 250 500 1K 2K 4K 8K
OCTAVE BAND CENTER FREQUENCIES - HERTZ

CONCRETE FLOATING FLOOR

 CINEMA FLOOR/CEILING
PERFORMANCE
100

90

CONCRETE FLOOR DECK WITH

80
ACOUSTICAL TILE CEILING

SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL/TRANSMISSION LOSS

70

60

50 RESULTING INTRUSIVE SOUND

- DECIBELS
LEVEL (SLAB W/ ACT CEILING)

40

NC 40
30 NC 35
CONCRETE FLOOR DECK WITH
RESILIENT CEILING NC 30
20 RESULTING INTRUSIVE NC 25
SOUND LEVEL (SLAB W/
RESILIENT CEILING) NC 20
10
NC 15

RESULTING INTRUSIVE SOUND

0 LEVEL (FLOATING FLOOR)

-10
31.5 63 125 250 500 1K 2K 4K 8K
OCTAVE BAND CENTER FREQUENCIES - HERTZ

CONCRETE FLOATING FLOOR

 SUMMARY

MEASURE SOUND LEVELS ON NOISY SITES

DEFINE THE ACOUSTICAL CRITERIA

SELECT INTER-CINEMA DOUBLE WALLS

DON’T NEGLECT VERTICAL ISOLATION

DON’T LOCATE CINEMAS DIRECTLY

ADJACENT RESIDENCES
 CINEMA
SOUND
ISOLATION

Charles M Salter Associates Inc

Consultants in Acoustics
& Audio/Visual System Design