How to soundproof gaming booth? This question actually brought me back to my college days.
Back then I organized many online game tournaments sponsored by computer game companies. Most of which were of course educational.
But the common problem was that school administrators required me to do it with minimal noise.
It was because, in most cases, playing computers can be inevitably noisy. Apart from the noise from the sound system, players and spectators are yelling and cheering.
So playing the station should be quiet. But there’s another problem – lowering the volume of a gaming computer detriments the enjoyment of the game.
Obviously, lowering the volume did not work well for my computer gamers. So I did a lot of research to find ways to minimize the noise for the gaming booth.
Fortunately, through research and seeking advice from my fellow computer gamers, I learned to soundproof a gaming booth.
The techniques that I am about to share if implemented correctly will help a lot for people who play computer games.
So how can you soundproof gaming booth?
Soundproofing a gaming booth is different from soundproofing a gaming room. This is because a booth is different from a regular room.
A room is a closed space while the booth is partially closed space. This makes the booth difficult to soundproof.
However, the materials being used in the soundproofing gaming room can also be used to soundproof gaming booths.
In this article, I will share four different ways to soundproof a gaming booth. The following strategies involve:
- Choosing the Right Gaming Acoustics
- Block the sound
- Build Your Own Soundproof Gaming Booth
- Soundproof Gaming Booth with Alternative Tricks
1. Choosing the Right Gaming Acoustics
If you are a computer gamer, you know you want to have the best gaming experience possible. Partly because the sound triggers the excitement.
However, if you are playing in a public place like on the school campus, this is not possible. The solution is to soundproof the gaming booth.
But as mentioned, this is challenging. Fortunately, there are many ways you can do so if you are really serious to have a gaming space that satisfies you without producing noise.
Add Fluffy Materials
The first step you can do is to add soft and fluffy materials around the interior of the booth. These materials will help reduce the noise by containing and trapping the sound inside.
You can use the following fluffy materials:
- If possible, surround the whole interior gaming booth with heavy curtains. However, this will depend on the strength of the structure of the booth. I say this because, in some instances, not all booths are strong enough to handle heavy soundproofing materials.
- Put the blanket on the interior wall of the booth. The blanket should be thick enough to absorb and contain the sound.
- Put some tapestries on the wall of the gaming booth. This will not only help reduce the noise but also keep the right gaming ambiance in the space.
Install Moving Blankets
Another great material for soundproofing gaming booth is the moving blankets. These thick blankets are commonly used for protecting furniture when moving.
There are soundproof moving blankets designed for trapping or blocking sound. These blankets, however, are thick and heavy.
This means that you need to provide support for the booth is necessary before installing the moving blankets.
Moving blankets are easy to use. You can just tape or tie them on the gaming booth wall.
Install Acoustic Foams
Acoustic foams are another soundproofing material you can use to soundproof gaming booths. Acoustic foams come with two types: acoustic foam tiles and fabric panels.
The acoustic foam tiles are square textured pieces of foams you can easily glue or install onto walls. These materials are super easy to implement not only in gaming booths but also on different soundproofing projects.
Fabric panels, on the other hand, are fabric-wrapped foam panels with wooden back support. The flat wood makes this easy to hang on the wall without hassle installation.
Which is better? Working on a gaming booth is way different than working on solid walls.
Although these two soundproofing materials are equally effective in many instances, I prefer acoustic foam tiles.
The reason is that, because gaming booths are mostly made of light materials, they cannot support so much weight.
Thus, adding a lighter soundproofing material is need to soundproof a gaming booth.
2. Reduce the Sound
This is maybe the ultimate way to solve the noise issue. But I don’t mean that you should be sacrificing the enjoyment of the game.
Lower the Volume
You can lower the volume a little bit just to reduce the noise. Just find the volume level that is not too low to hear and not too high to disturb others.
Find a Perfect Spot for the Gaming Booth
If you place a gaming booth in a crowded area, or in places near the classrooms (if you are on campus), there’s a high chance that you will disturb others.
The best strategy to avoid being reprimanded is to find a perfect spot for the gaming booth. The farther the booth from the crowded area the lesser the disturbance.
This is easier to do with booths because they are lightweight. With the help of your friends, you can easily transfer the booth to its perfect spot.
Find a Sound Shield
Stacking bookshelves alongside the wall can be tremendously helpful in soundproofing a room. In fact, I recommend this technique in my previous article entitled “Soundproofing a Music Practice Room.”
However, this is not possible when dealing with gaming booths. What you can do, however, is to place the booth between walls or buildings.
This may not always possible. Schools may only have a connected building without space in between them. So this technique may not work all the time.
Apply some Common Soundproofing Techniques
If all the techniques mentioned won’t work, then maybe you should try the common soundproofing practices.
However, in the following techniques, you will spend money to achieve your soundproofing goal.
It is because you need to buy some materials for the soundproofing project. You need the following:
- Soundproof Insulation
- Mass Loaded Vinyl
- Resilient Channels
- Acoustic Caulk
Because you are soundproofing a gaming booth not a regular room, the application of these materials may pose several challenges.
The materials I mentioned above are used in soundproofing solid rooms, not a booth. But these materials are designed to contain and block sound or noise.
Your job is to figure out how these materials work in your situation. Creativity is the only limit.
I see many successful soundproofing projects that used improvised materials.
But of course, the strength of the materials that the booth is made from determines the decision whether or not using one of these materials is feasible.
If the booth is made of weak materials, then applying the application of the soundproofing materials can be limited.
3. Build Your Own Soundproof Gaming Booth
Sometimes soundproofing a gaming booth is way difficult. As mentioned, there are so many things you need to consider.
Most of the problems encountered when soundproofing an existing gaming booth are the strength of the booth.
Because gaming booth is not designed to be soundproof, their structure is weak. This is the main challenge.
The only option is to build your own soundproof gaming booth from scratch.
But there is a big problem; building a soundproof gaming booth is expensive. It is even more expensive than soundproofing a regular room.
Aside from that, building a soundproof gaming booth requires a skill – a skill that takes years to develop to perfect the building process.
This tremendous challenge suggests that a soundproofing project like this is not for an impatient person.
Does this mean that you cannot soundproof a gaming booth?
Obviously not. There are ways you can do to achieve your soundproofing goal for your gaming booth.
Design Your Own Soundproof Gaming Booth
Creativity determines the success of any project. I believe in this philosophy for many years. You can build amazing things which you wouldn’t have thought possible.
This is true in soundproofing a gaming booth too. If you want to go to this route, you have to design a door and an air supply mechanism.
Then, install all the applicable soundproofing materials such as foam, soundproof blankets, etc.
The amount of work needed depends on the size of the gaming booth you want to build. As I said, this process can be arduous.
If you are not that patient person, this will not be good for you. You better have somebody to build it for you.
But if you really want to build your own soundproof gaming booth, I can give tips on how to do it.
The first step is to figure out where to start. You can start by drawing board and draft your own design. Or, if you have a portable closet or big box made of durable materials, you can use it.
From there, start to modify the interior side if it is necessary for you. Use the applicable soundproofing materials I mentioned above.
In order for a space like this to be totally soundproof, you need to seal all the gaps on the wall and door.
You can do it by applying acoustic sealant or weatherstripping. Increase your chance of success by mounting acoustic foam.
Then add air supply. An air purifier will do if you don’t know how to construct an air vent.
Choose an Easy Route
If you cannot build your own soundproof gaming booth, don’t worry. You still have the option – actually an easy one.
That’s right. This option is perfect if you are in a hurry. What you can do is to buy some materials and convert them into a gaming booth.
Here are the best materials for the project like this:
Seismic Audio Multi Panel DJ Façade is made of the lightweight wood frame making it easy to transport. The product comes with a 4-foot DJ Façade Kit.
This is, for me, one of the best options you can have when building a soundproof gaming booth.
This material is designed to create an appealing DJ booth. But because it is durable and strong, you can easily convert it into a gaming booth.
Aside from being durable, the JMAZ Event Façade Booth is washable and fire retardant. After use, if the booth gets soiled, you just need to wash it and lay on the clean area to let it dry.
Then, you are ready to go to the next computer gaming event.
What we have here are the alternative materials you can use instead of building your own soundproof gaming booth from scratch.
Unfortunately, these materials are not built for soundproofing. So the remaining task now is to make these materials soundproof.
Whichever you chose, you need some of the materials mentioned to achieve your soundproofing goal.
You can use the soundproof blankets to cover the booth. The easy way is to suspend blankets over.
The good news is that these materials are built to last. They are strong enough to carry additional weight for sound dampening materials.
You can use additional soundproofing materials. Just figure out the perfect materials that will help you succeed in your soundproofing project.
4. Soundproof Gaming Booth with Alternative Tricks
If you still hear complains about noise after implementing all the strategies and materials shared above, you can proceed with the additional tricks.
The following tips should help you to totally reduce or soundproof your gaming booth.
Make a Soundproof Box Around the Computer
This could be the ultimate way to reduce sound from your gaming computer. Make a soundproof box that will encase the gaming computer.
There many soundproofing materials that will allow you to achieve this project. One of them is the OBS board.
This board will serve as a frame that will surround the computer. The box should have three walls and a top. Make sure that the box has enough space for the player to move freely.
After constructing the box (frame), you can then add some soundproofing materials to immediately absorb the sound coming from the computer.
The thickness and interior design of the box depend on your personal preference and creative power.
Block the Vibration
Soundproofing is not about just blocking the sound but also blocking the vibration coming from speakers or sound system.
There are many ways to do this. But the best method that works for me all the time is placing the speakers on the Xcel Foam Rubber Padding.
This soundproofing material is designed to absorb vibration. This should reduce vibration no matter how loud the sound is.
Or, if you don’t want to buy rubber padding, you can use household spongy materials and insert them under the speakers.
Use Gaming Headset
Another great way to reduce sound is to use a gaming headset. Gaming heads are not only great for canceling sound but also keeping you connected to the players with their teammates.
There are headsets designed for computer gaming. One of these is the SteelSeries Arctis 7 headset. This is a lag-free 2.4 GHz wireless headset that has 24-hour battery life.
It also comes with a ClearCast mic that delivers high-quality sound without producing noise.
If you have a tight budget, you can choose the BENGOO X-40 headset. This headset is inexpensive but you still get high-quality audio.
Choose Silent Keyboard and Mouse
To make everything quiet, use a silent keyboard and mouse. This is important not only for the gaming booths but more so in the gaming room.
There are keyboard and mouse designed for gaming that produces little to no sound. The following are the best silent keyboards designed for gaming:
Conclusion
Soundproofing a gaming booth is more difficult that soundproofing a regular gaming room.
The strategies can be different due to a unique feature and purpose of a gaming booth.
The good news, however, is that there are materials you can use to soundproof gaming booths.
All you need is a good plan and a pinch of creativity.
I hope that this post will somehow help you in soundproofing your gaming booth.
For more information about soundproofing, don’t forget to visit my soundproofing guide.
Happy soundproofing!
