Basement ceiling acoustics

[suttondesign]

Hi all. I am planning a new house in WA with a basement media room. Concerning the ceiling, I am thinking that exposed joists on the ceiling would be far better than drywall or tongue and groove decking because a complex ceiling would break up a lot of reflections. Anyone here have special insight on that? And Yes, Amir, you will be invited to Bellingham!
I would use homasote panels as floor underlayment on the floor above.
patrick

 

[DVDdoug]

I'm not sure because you have several equal-width cavities with the same resonant frequency...

 

[Inner Space]

A lot will depend on local building codes for habitable rooms. I did a basement room in CO, where drywall on the ceiling was required for fire safety. In any case I have found stuffing the ceiling cavity with fluffy insulation is a good first step. Then add vertical slats (like joists but smaller) in random heights with random spacing below the drywall. Make some of the spacing the right size for foam tiles, which you can add later, especially at the bounce points, if you feel you need them. Best of luck with the move!