Ideas to Soundproof a Gaming Room

How to Soundproof a Gaming Room

Gaming is noisy to say the least. Whether you’re engaging in a direct attack through enemy lines or busting a move to the latest tunes, there’s nothing like cranking up the volume to truly immerse yourself in the experience. If your neighbors start complaining about the noise, you could turn down the volume — but where’s the fun in that? A soundproof gaming setup will reduce the noise transfer from all your favorite games so that others can have peace and quiet as you play into the wee hours.

Noise reduction for gaming has many essential benefits. For one thing, it’s more courteous to neighbors, family members and roommates. Plus, if you happen to engage in some intense gameplay or stream your skills online, a soundproof gaming room will keep distracting noises out.

Soundproofing Your Gaming Room on a Budget

Looking to get started on soundproofing your gaming room today? There are a number of steps you can take before you make a single purchase. The more density and mass you can add to a room, the better soundproofed it will be. Look for ways you can minimize the surface area of hard surfaces such as floors, windows, and walls.

Here are some items you likely already have that you can add to help soundproof your room for gaming:

• Heavy pillows
• Thick curtains and shades
• Soft and thick rugs
• Tapestries
• Upholstered furniture
• Blankets

Once you have those set up, it’s time to take your gaming room soundproofing to the next level.

How to Soundproof Your Gaming Room

Whether you want to soundproof a gaming room for yourself or your kids, here are some ideas to make it happen.

We’ll dive into the details of these below, but here are the best ways to soundproof a gaming room:

• Door sweeps
• Perimeter seals
• Acoustical sound sealant
• Soundproof curtains
• Acoustic foam panels
• Impact barriers
• Echo absorbers
• Sound Isolation Systems
• Acoustic partitions

Trap Noise Inside With a Sound-Dampening Door

Most of the noise entering and exiting your gaming room will likely slip through the door, which is why soundproofing your entrance is a good place to start. A variety of items can block sound from passing through this surface. For instance, door sweeps and perimeter seals target weak areas like the bottom of the door and gaps around the edges.

Solve the Problem of Sound-Leaking Windows

Windows are another major noise source for gaming rooms, which is especially problematic in locations with noise-sensitive neighbors. Most double-pane windows have large air spaces that allow sound to pass right through. Unfortunately, replacing your windows with noise-canceling options is not the most practical solution. Instead, you should soundproof them. Hang soundproofing curtains or blankets over the windows, or try applying an acoustical sound sealant.

 

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Treat Your Gaming Room to Some Soundproof Walls

If you’ve soundproofed your door and windows but loud sounds are still seeping out, it’s time to focus your attention on the walls. Thin walls offer little to no noise reduction, but you’ll find that wall soundproofing is effective and easy, even if you’ve never done it before.

One great solution is acoustic foam panels, which are often used in music rooms. These sound-dampening insulators absorb multiple frequencies and minimize reverb to keep sound from escaping. If you need a more powerful solution, try lining all your walls with soundproofing material.

Don’t Forget Your Floor and Ceiling

If there are rooms below or above your gaming room, they’re bound to be affected by the noise. Simple solutions can help, such as laying heavy mats or rugs on the floor. That said, an impact barrier underneath your flooring may be a better solution. Echo absorbers also offer superior noise reduction qualities wherever you place them — ceilings, walls, windows, doors — you name it.

Soundproof your Gaming Room with Acoustic Partitions

Acoustic partitions can be fantastic if your gaming room is used for more than one purpose. Perhaps it’s part of your bedroom, laundry room, or office. You want to have a divider that sections off which part of the room is clearly meant for gaming. Acoustic partitions will help the gaming sounds stay on your side of the room. Not only will they help dampen sounds, but they’ll also give you privacy and prevent distractions from anything else going on in the room.

How to Decrease the Sound of Your Gaming System

Every new console generation brings vast hardware improvements, but even the best gaming systems or PCs will become noisy after months of heavy use. Understanding why noise happens can help you find solutions that make your gaming system quiet. Read on to pick up a few tips from Soundproof Cow on how to reduce noise from your gaming system or PC.

What Causes Noise in Gaming Systems?

Before we discuss ways to reduce noise coming from your gaming console or PC, let’s consider the problems that make it so loud.

Your gaming system builds up heat as you use it. Consoles and computers use fans to move heat away from their processors, graphics cards and motherboards, but these devices can be loud when they’re overworked. Fans may also wiggle loose or break, and sometimes they’re just too small for the job. The PS4 was notorious for its noisy fan, but any console — or electronic equipment in general — can have this problem.

8 Tips for Reducing Gaming System Noise

Here are a few easy-to-implement solutions that will make your gaming system quieter and improve its longevity, plus help with overall gaming room soundproofing.

1. Move games to a hard drive: Making your console quiet can be as easy as plugging in an external hard drive. When your system’s storage is full of large game files, it’ll take more energy to function and produce more heat, sending your fan into overdrive. You can reduce strain on your system by saving your games to an external hard drive. These drives make some noise of their own, but not nearly as much as an overheated console.
2. Avoid obstructing console fans: If your gaming system doesn’t have adequate breathing room, it’ll take more effort to cool itself off. Ensure your console or computer’s fan is free of obstruction to promote air circulation and prevent it from overheating. Consider using cable magnets or zip ties to consolidate wires around your console or PC. You can help make your gaming system quiet by giving it room to breathe.
3. Clean with compressed air: Over time, your console or computer will accumulate dust in its ports, around its fan and on inside components that can be difficult to wipe clean. To get rid of this dust, turn your system off, unplug its cables and spray its tough-to-reach nooks and crannies with compressed air. You may not get everything, but clearing out even some of that buildup will allow your system to function at a higher level.
4. Modify your PC fan: PC gamers have the luxury of increased customization capabilities over console players. Installing a quiet case fan, a fan speed controller or anti-vibration mounds will help achieve maximum airflow through your vents and minimize computer fan noise.
5. Soundproof your doors: Some gamers need absolute silence to focus, but gaming can be a loud activity even with a silent console. If you’re interested in minimizing the amount of sound that enters – or exits – your household gaming room, consider a soundproofing solution. Install soundproofing blankets, fiberglass or acoustic foam that will absorb noise from your teen’s bedroom or prevent the loud neighbors from disrupting your Twitch stream.
6. Lift your speakers: Oftentimes gamers will have their speakers or subwoofers on the floor. This gives a great bass sound, but if you have hardwood floors, the sound can vibrate through the wood. Use a foam padding to put them on instead.
7. Use a silent mouse and keyboard: Some people enjoy the loud clicking sound of a mechanical keyboard. If you’re going for a true soundproof gaming room experience, it’s time to switch to a silent setup. Not only will it lower the noise, but it could help you focus as well.
8. Use a gaming headset: One way to really lower the sound coming from your gaming room is to fully eliminate the gaming sound in the room. Look for a set that’s going to be comfortable for long periods of time, then set the levels for your personal preference.

Create Your Perfect Soundproof Gaming Setup With Soundproof Cow

If all the pew pews and zip zaps are making for cranky neighbors or unhappy housemates, Soundproof Cow is here to help. We can give you tips on creating a great gaming room while the rest of your house enjoys the sweet sound of silence. Now that you’ve heard about our udderly incredible soundproofing services, get mooooving and contact us today!

 

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