Here comes the Sound Screw

[ack]

and screw your sound



The Sound Screw, developed by Håkan Wernersson of the Department of Materials Science and Applied Mathematics at Sweden’s Malmö University, is a more streamlined solution that requires no custom installation tools.

Whereas a traditional drywall screw holds a panel of drywall snug against the wooden studs that make up the structure of a room, the Sound Screw features a flexible spring just below the head. It still holds a piece of drywall securely against a wall, but with a very slight gap allowing the spring to expand and compress, damping the energy of soundwaves hitting the walls making them much quieter as they reverberate into another room. During testing in a sound lab, researchers say, the use of the Sound Screws was found to reduce sound transmission by up to nine decibels, making the sounds bouncing into a neighboring room about half as loud to human ears.

New Spring-Loaded Screw Turns Drywall Into Sound-Absorbing Panels

"Sound Screws" might one day be an easy way to tune out noisy neighbors.

gizmodo.com

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Good invention.

 

[jeff1225]

9 dB reduction is pretty significant.

 

[ACHiPo]

Well I had my brow all scrunched and ready for a big eye roll, but that does sound like a great idea! Agree 9 dB is a lot, but it doesn't say at what frequency. Perhaps a more cost/labor effective option to hat channel or similar drywall mounts.

Sound Isolation Clips vs Resilient Channel vs Hat Channel

Here is how you can reduce sound with sound isolation clips, resilient channels and hat channels, how they compare, and how effective they are

bettersoundproofing.com

 

[Cellcbern]

Not sold in North America yet but available from Akoustos in Sweden.

I emailed them to try to buy some.

 

[jeff1225]

Well I had my brow all scrunched and ready for a big eye roll, but that does sound like a great idea! Agree 9 dB is a lot, but it doesn't say at what frequency. Perhaps a more cost/labor effective option to hat channel or similar drywall mounts.

Sound Isolation Clips vs Resilient Channel vs Hat Channel

Here is how you can reduce sound with sound isolation clips, resilient channels and hat channels, how they compare, and how effective they are

bettersoundproofing.com

Great point regarding the frequency.

 

[Cellcbern]

Great point regarding the frequency.

FYI: https://www.akoustos.se/

If you click on "About Us" there are email addresses for two people who might be able to answer technical questions.

 

[Solypsa]

I emailed the inventors to find out more, and what the plans are for North America. They are looking to license the design to a manufacturer so may be a while before locally available.

I didn't ask about frequency...

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

This indeed seems to be a very interesting concept. It slides drywall to areas of wider consideration, at least from an average audio fan's perspective. Nevertheless, I would like to see some reviews and especially test the assembling instructions - will they require much precision, such as very conrecte amount of power? Will the screws be very vulnerable to angle of their assembly? I am really curious how this new invention will handle the market's challanges.

 

[pjwd]

This indeed seems to be a very interesting concept. It slides drywall to areas of wider consideration, at least from an average audio fan's perspective. Nevertheless, I would like to see some reviews and especially test the assembling instructions - will they require much precision, such as very conrecte amount of power? Will the screws be very vulnerable to angle of their assembly? I am really curious how this new invention will handle the market's challanges.

This type of device is focused on reducing structure born sound from one space to another without adding labour or much in the way of material costs .. I would think it will make the drywall sheet less rigid and become an unpredictable membrane absorber of low frequency
Drywall relies on glueing and screwing to studs to gain rigiidity and meet impact codes etc.so could be an issue there as well
Better used on other side of wall from sound room to limit noise transfer I would think
Phil

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

meet impact codes

Well said, Phil. This one is a challenge I didn't even think about, but it is even more important than the ones I mentioned. Nonetheless, it will be strongly dependent on the local enviroment. I guess we need to stay patient and vigilant to see what kind of answer the future brings us.

 

[sbo6]

Which "researchers" say it reduced sound transmissions by up to 9DB?

Updates after link above - Can you provide the link to the results from The Sound Research Laboratories in UK, the Technical University in Denmark and at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB?

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Which "researchers" say it reduced sound transmissions by up to 9DB?

Updates after link above - Can you provide the link to the results from The Sound Research Laboratories in UK, the Technical University in Denmark and at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB?

I could not find any published results, nevertheless, the research is mentioned on the Malmo University website:
https://mau.se/en/news/screwing_with_sound_waves/

No information about reduction to 9DB, though.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I could not find any published results, nevertheless, the research is mentioned on the Malmo University website:
https://mau.se/en/news/screwing_with_sound_waves/

If you click on "read more", you will be redirected to the webpage devoted to the screws. There isn't any data published there, with a small exception of one, rather low-quality photo:

 

[stehno]

I realize this is bass ackwards thinking to the traditional isolationist but as an anti-isolationist, I think this whole concept is well...., screwy.

It seems the concept here is to isolate drywall from its studs to lessen sound transfer to adjacent rooms? Ummmm, ok. So an adjacent room is a tad quieter now but what about the listening room?

Sound waves make contact with the listening room borders (drywall), right? When drywall is tightly anchored to a rigid structure (think congruent), the resonant energy captured at the drywall is more easily transferred to that rigid structure. But when drywall is suspended / isolated from the rigid structure (think disparate), that resonant energy captured at the drywall must now release all of its energy somewhere within the drywall - since it is now somewhat trapped or isolated from its studs.

So it seems to me that if per chance there are any positive benefits in adjacent rooms, then it must come at the expense of the listening room. From a listening room performance perspective, this product makes no sense to me.

 

[Tuckers]

Nice! I think 9db is a bit hopeful, as the implementation would have to be absolutely perfect with so many variables that would cut that down. But hey, a 4db reduction would be excellent!

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Not sold in North America yet but available from Akoustos in Sweden.

I emailed them to try to buy some.

I emailed the inventors to find out more, and what the plans are for North America. They are looking to license the design to a manufacturer so may be a while before locally available.

I didn't ask about frequency...

Did you get any answer? I am curious to hear what did Akoustos reply.

 

[Bobvin]

I wonder if, over time, this would make the drywall tape start to crack or start to detach from the sheetrock?

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I guess it is possible, but probably it would take years before the crack appears. There are many factors that could play in.