In recent years, the rise of VTubers and streamers has been remarkable, with many people taking up streaming activities that can easily be started from home. However, one thing that cannot be overlooked when streaming is “soundproofing measures.”

Noise leakage issues and the intrusion of external noise can be major obstacles to smooth streaming activities. This article thoroughly explains cost-effective and easy soundproofing measures you can implement at home!

We’ll introduce a wide range of methods, from those that beginners can immediately apply to more serious measures. Acquire a comfortable streaming environment and deliver better content to your audience!

Advantages of Soundproofing for VTuber Streaming

Soundproofing is an extremely important factor when it comes to working as a VTuber. Preventing noise leakage and external noise is essential to maintain the quality of streaming and create a comfortable streaming environment. Here, we’ll explain the specific benefits.

Avoiding Trouble and Enhancing Peace of Mind

Noise leakage can sometimes lead to issues with neighbors. Especially in apartment complexes, voices or music during streams can easily pass through walls and floors, causing potential problems. Implementing soundproofing can prevent these issues before they occur, allowing you to stream with peace of mind without the stress of worrying about your neighbors.

Increasing Viewer Satisfaction

By establishing a soundproof environment, you can deliver clear audio to viewers with minimal noise or outside sound interference. This makes it easier for viewers to immerse themselves in the stream, enhancing their satisfaction. Particularly in VTuber streaming, where the voice takes center stage, good audio quality greatly influences viewers’ impressions.

Increasing Flexibility in Streaming

With soundproofing measures, it becomes easier to stream at your preferred times, such as at night or early in the morning. This allows for schedules that match your lifestyle rhythms and audience needs, expanding the range of your streaming timetable.

By implementing proper soundproofing measures, you can achieve both trouble avoidance and improved stream quality, significantly increasing both the freedom and efficiency of your activities.

Essential Knowledge: Types of Noise Issues in Streaming Environments

There are three main types of noise issues to be aware of in the streaming environment: “noise leakage,” “external noise,” and “household noise.” Understanding their impact on streaming or recording and implementing appropriate measures is crucial.

Noise Leakage

Noise leakage is one of the biggest concerns for streamers.

Particularly in apartment complexes, voices or music can travel through walls, windows, and doors, reaching neighbors.

Additionally, in such settings, structure-borne sound (sound traveling through walls and floors) can lead to problems with neighbors above or below.

To prevent noise leakage, using high soundproof materials is effective.

External Noise

External noise refers to sounds entering from outside. Examples include:

• Siren sounds from ambulances or police cars
• Construction site or car engine noises
• School chimes or PA system sounds from nearby schools

These sounds can negatively affect the viewer experience as live streams are hard to edit. Soundproofing around windows and doors is especially important.

Household Noise

Household noise refers to sounds generated within the home. For example:

• Voices of family members or pet noises
• Operating sounds of appliances like washing machines or vacuums
• Noises from children running around

Especially when living with others, it can be difficult to prevent household noise from intruding during live streams or recordings. Strengthening soundproofing for doors and walls is an effective measure.

By understanding these three types of noise issues and implementing flexible measures tailor-made to their characteristics, you can achieve a comfortable streaming environment.

Cost-effective Soundproofing Measures: Easy and Accessible Solutions

One of the appealing aspects of soundproofing is that you can achieve effective results even with relatively easy methods.

Next, we’ll introduce specific measures that can cost-effectively and easily reduce noise leakage in your streaming environment, divided into three areas: windows, walls, and floors.

Window Measures

• Use heavy curtains Installing heavy curtains with soundproofing properties is effective in preventing noise leakage through windows. It also reduces external noise.
• Use soundproof sheets Applying soundproof sheets to window glass absorbs sound vibrations and is easy to implement.

Wall Measures

• Install sound-absorbing materials By attaching sound-absorbing materials to walls, you can reduce sound echoes. Choosing sheet or sponge types makes installation easy.
• Optimize furniture arrangement Placing dressers or shelves on walls that transmit sound easily can enhance soundproofing performance.

Floor Measures

• Lay carpets or mats By laying noise-absorbing carpets or mats on the floor, you can suppress sound vibrations. It also helps in reducing footstep noise.

These measures are easy and cost-effective, making them recommended for soundproofing beginners. However, combining them with other measures is necessary to achieve significant effects.

Cost-effective Soundproofing Measures: Intermediate Level

In the “Intermediate Level,” we introduce soundproofing methods that make your streaming environment even more comfortable. By incorporating methods that are more effective than easy measures, you can more efficiently reduce noise leakage and external noise.

Simple Soundproof Booth: DIY or Buy

A simple soundproof booth is an excellent option for blocking external noise and preventing noise leakage by creating a dedicated space. While there are ready-made products available for purchase, DIY options are also possible.

• Advantages of ready-made booths: Easy to install and designed with soundproofing considered from the design stage. Prices range from about 50,000 to 200,000 yen, and they offer an accessible solution.
• Advantages of DIY: Allows customization according to room size and purpose, keeping costs down. By combining soundproofing materials and panels, costs can also be minimized to several tens of thousands of yen.

Microphone Settings: Noise Gate and Noise Cancelling Features

By adjusting settings on the microphone itself or in streaming software, you can reduce unnecessary surrounding sounds.

• Noise Gate: Sets a threshold for what the microphone picks up and cuts sounds below that level. It can effectively eliminate noises like air conditioning or sounds from adjacent rooms, which are below a certain volume.
• Noise Cancelling: Adjusts the microphone’s pickup range to reduce unnecessary ambient sound. It is especially common in high-performance USB microphones or audio interfaces.

By incorporating these intermediate-level soundproofing measures, you can create a comfortable streaming environment while keeping costs down.

Advanced Soundproofing: Implementing a Soundproof Room

When considering advanced soundproofing measures, one of the best options is implementing a soundproof room. A soundproof room offers high soundproofing performance, effectively minimizing noise during streams, such as loud voices or singing. Below, we provide a detailed explanation of various types, costs, and installation considerations for soundproof rooms.

Types of Soundproof Rooms

Prefabricated Soundproof Rooms

This type is relatively easy to install and allows for easy changes during relocations or rearrangements. It offers high soundproofing performance that is sufficient for individual VTubers. Various models are provided by instrument manufacturers such as YAMAHA and Shimamura Musical Instruments, as well as soundproof construction specialists. Compare products from different companies to choose the best fit for your streaming environment and budget.

Custom-made Soundproof Rooms

Custom-designed to fit room shapes and purposes, maximizing soundproofing performance and convenience. However, they can often be quite expensive.

Balancing Cost and Effectiveness

The cost of a soundproof room varies widely from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand dollars. There are also second-hand options, offering high performance at a lower cost compared to new ones. Choose based on usage frequency and budget.

Installation Considerations

Space is required for installation. For a 2.5-tatami mat size, consider the layout based on room layout and surrounding space. Also, be aware that installing an air conditioner inside the soundproof room may incur additional construction costs.

Implementing a soundproof room is an optimal choice for fundamentally resolving noise issues and comfortably conducting streaming activities. Soundproofing enthusiasts should consider this option.

Read more about costs and how to choose a soundproof room in the following article.

VTuber Guide: Do You Need a Soundproof Room? Alternatives and Cost Tips

Alternative Soundproofing: Living in a Soundproof Apartment

Living in a soundproof apartment is also an option for addressing noise issues in streaming environments. For VTubers dealing with noise leakage problems, soundproof apartments may offer an effective solution.

Soundproof apartments feature thicker walls, floors, and ceilings using high soundproof materials, reducing both external noise leakage and noise intrusion. Many also have high-performance double-glazed windows, providing additional soundproofing benefits.

Item	Description
Advantages	Less worry about noise leakage or external noise, allowing focused streaming
Disadvantages	Higher rent, limited availability of properties
Other Considerations	It’s important to check soundproofing performance during property viewings

Residing in a soundproof apartment allows you to focus on streaming activities without worrying about surrounding noise, improving streaming quality. It also provides peace of mind from avoiding noise leakage issues.

However, soundproof apartments tend to have higher rent compared to regular apartments. Additionally, properties are limited, making it challenging to find the desired area or layout.

When considering soundproof apartments, verify the actual soundproof performance during viewings. Contact the management company for specific information on soundproof structure and sound isolation ratings.

Maximizing the Effectiveness of Soundproofing Measures

By keeping the following points in mind during soundproofing, you can maximize its effectiveness. Combining these methods can make your streaming environment even more comfortable.

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Properly Understanding Sound Blocking and Sound Absorption

Soundproofing involves two approaches: “sound blocking” and “sound absorption.”

• Sound Blocking: It’s the measure to enhance the airtightness of walls and doors to prevent sound from leaking outside. Thick soundproof sheets and curtains are effective.
• Sound Absorption: It’s the measure to reduce reverberations in the room, ensuring clear sound quality. Use sound-absorbing materials and curtains to suppress echo.

It’s important to balance sound blocking and absorption.

Identifying Noise Sources and Focusing Efforts

Identifying sources of noise leakage or generation is the first step for efficient soundproofing.

• Causes of Noise Leakage: Gaps in windows, doors, and walls. Reinforce with gap tape and soundproof sheets.
• External Noise: Focus intensive measures on windows and walls facing roads, to maximize cost-effectiveness.

Regular Maintenance to Sustain Effectiveness

Soundproofing is not a one-time effort. Regularly inspect for deterioration of gap tape and the state of sound-absorbing materials. Replacements or repairs as needed will help maintain soundproof effectiveness long-term.

By applying these points, you can significantly reduce sound-related stress during VTuber streaming. Please refer to the sources below for more detailed soundproofing tips.

Conclusion

This article introduced a variety of options, from easy methods to full-fledged soundproof room installations. Each measure features characteristics like “sound blocking” or “sound absorption,” and combining them based on purpose and budget maximizes effectiveness.

Here’s a table summarizing the main points concisely.

Level of Measures	Specific Contents	Effectiveness
Easy Soundproofing Measures	・Curtain and furniture placement to reduce noise leakage ・Use sound-absorbing materials (such as urethane sponges) to suppress echoes	Marginally reduces noise leakage and echoes, easy to start
Intermediate Level Measures	・DIY or purchase simple soundproof booth ・Use microphone’s noise gate feature to cut noises	More effectively reduces noise leakage, improving sound quality during streaming
Advanced Measures	・Implementing soundproof rooms (custom-made or prefabricated) for improving sound blocking performance	Achieves high sound blocking performance, nearly eliminating leaks to neighbors

Be sure to integrate soundproofing measures suitable for your environment and achieve a comfortable streaming life!

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