Does anyone have practical experience with the acoustical effects of installing floating prefinished flooring systems over concrete?

I'm contemplating the installation of cork flooring in a basement area in lieu of carpeting or area rugs and have the choice of glue-down tiles or an insulated prefinished system that installs over the concrete.

In the case of the floating systems, I'm a bit concerned over the proper coupling of speakers to the floor, and other challenges such a system might pose.

Howard

I wouldn't worry about coupling speakers to the floor if it's the mass/movement. Now, if there's a concern with not being able to spike them in - well, that's an issue with any non-carpet floor.

If you get a decent laminate and the appropriate pad underneath, you'll be fine.

Bryan

While I do have concrete flooring...my speakers sit on top of side racks on either end of the console.
Actually...the side racks and the console desk frame are all one unit, on 3” hard rubber wheels (which makes it easy to move out and get behind).

Anyway...to decouple the monitors from the rack/console unit...I placed a 3-layer sandwich of:

1/4" thick, dense-cell foam
1" thick solid marble
1/4" thick, dense-cell foam

...underneath the monitors.

The monitors are pretty much "floating" in air with that under them...and nothing goes directly from the monitors to the rack/console unit.
I've cranked them with LF material...and placed my hand on top of the rack/console unit right next to them...and it's pretty dead.
Plus…the fact the racks/console unit are a hard rubber wheels…that further decouples it from the floor.

Thanks, Bryan / Miroslav.

I've been dealing with carpet & spikes forever, and never had much experience with anything else.


H