Originally Posted By: tanstaafl.
The downside is that the entire house is a sounding board. There is NO wood construction, it is all concrete and masonry and steel, and if someone in the basement scrapes a chair moving away from the table, I will hear it quite plainly on the fourth floor.


Very interesting. I would have thought it would be the opposite.

I would have guessed that concrete walls and steel rebar would have reduced vibrations transmitted through the house, by virtue of being stiffer than wood and drywall.

I had always dreamed that someday I would build a house that didn't transmit vibrations and noise the way regular houses did. That way it could have a recording studio, but the other household members wouldn't have to be quiet when tracking. I had always imagined the whole thing would be solid concrete. But from what you're saying, it sounds like that wouldn't work.
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Tony Fabris