Best Party Wall
Soundproofing of 2024
Over the last 14 years, iKoustic has designed, tested, and improved our range of Party Wall Soundproofing systems. We’ve worked with specialists in our industry, such as the University of Salford, and constantly reviewed solutions available to improve performance.
Party wall systems we compared
| MuteClip Gold | MuteClip Silver | Resilient Bars | ReductoClip Direct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduces Talking | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Reduces Bass Noise | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Uses Decoupling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Sound Reduction | 19dB | 18dB | 16dB | 19dB | ||
| Cost per m2 | £97 | £91 | £85 | £102 | ||
| Our Rating | 10 | 9 | 6 | 8 |
Party Wall Soundproofing Overview
Party wall soundproofing needs to be able to deliver excellent airborne noise reduction. This will reduce the sound of talking, music, TVs and dogs from next door. These are common complaints for people with noisy neighbours.
Party wall soundproofing is usually for a brick wall, as most are solid party walls. However, we will also compare the best stud wall options, to cover all bases!
How party wall soundproofing can block noise
The Best Party Wall Soundproofing for Noisy Neighbours
- MuteClip Gold: This is best for the highest sound reduction, including bass noises.
- MuteClip Silver: This is best for a high performance with a small cost saving.
- MuteClip Gold Stud: The highest reduction on a stud wall.
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 19dB Ctr |
| Suitable for | Brick Party Walls |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 74mm |
| Works for | Noisy neighbours, TV noise, music studio |
| Installation Level | Intermediate |
| Decoupling Device | MuteClip |
| Price per m2 | £97 |
| Best pro | High sound reduction |
| Con | System is 74mm thick |
No.1 Solid Party Wall Soundproofing
MuteClip Gold
We have found this system to be best for people with a persistent noise issue who need a permanent fix and significant sound reduction.
Out of the systems we have looked at, this is the highest performer for solid party walls. It will offer a great reduction in airborne noises like music, talking or a TV and also offers a reduction in bass noises. Bass noises can often be overlooked when choosing a system, but for party walls you need to look at this.
Bass noises are the hardest to stop, as they have the most energy, which is why we recommend party wall systems that use a decoupling device. This system uses the MuteClip sound vibration isolation clip and this provides added protection from louder noises and bass frequencies.
As this is the highest performing option, it does have the higher price tag, however, when we compared this to other similar systems on the market, it was cheaper.
What we like most
System draw backs
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 18dB Ctr |
| Suitable for | Brick Party Walls |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 74mm |
| Works for | Noisy neighbours, TV noise, music studio |
| Installation Level | Advanced |
| Decoupling Device | MuteClip |
| Price per m2 | £91 |
| Best pro | Cheapest for reduction |
| Con | Harder installation |
2nd Place Party Wall Pick
MuteClip Silver
Similar to the best option, this system still gives a high sound reduction, however, this also offers a saving by changing one material.
For our second best option, we have the MuteClip Silver. It looks very similar to the first option, however, this has one different material. This makes it cheaper per meter squared, so it’s accessible to more people.
The change in material does make the installation a little harder, as the membrane layer is stiffer. However, once everything is in place, this system delivers a fantastic 18db reduction. If you are going for a DIY job, the gold system would be easier to install but to save a few pennies, this is a great option.
What we like most
System draw backs
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 20dB Ctr |
| Suitable for | Stud Party Walls |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 74mm |
| Works for | Noisy neighbours, TV noise, music studio |
| Installation Level | Intermediate |
| Decoupling Device | MuteClip |
| Price per m2 | £97 |
| Best pro | High sound reduction |
| Con | System is 74mm thick |
Stud Party Wall Soundproofing
MuteClip Gold
If you’ve got a stud wall, then there’s really only one option worth considering. Party walls are normally subjected to the most noise, so get the best.
When we looked at stud party wall systems, we looked for one with a decoupling device. While direct to wall systems are out there, they aren’t suitable for party wall noise as they can’t block enough sound.
This system is the same as our brick option, however, the sound isolation clips go straight into the stud work. The acoustic mineral wool may also be thicker, if your stud work allows for it. This adds more mass to the system and strengthens your stud wall.
You’ll notice that this system reduces 20dB, an extra 1dB over the top choice. This is due to stud walls having a weaker starting resistance than brick walls. In effect, the first few dB reduced are easier to block, so we can squeeze an extra bit of performance out of it!
What we like most
System draw backs
Other wall systems we compared in 2024
Here are some extra wall soundproofing systems you might want to have a look at. We’ve listed their pros and cons, so you can compare them to our top three party wall solutions.
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 19dB Ctr |
| Suitable for | Brick and Stud Walls |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 60mm |
| Works for | Noisy neighbours, TV, and music studios |
| Installation Level | Advanced |
| Decoupling Device | ReductoClip |
| Price per m2 | £102 |
| Best pro | High sound reduction |
| Con | High price |
Other Wall Soundproofing Options 2024
ReductoClip Direct to Wall
An alternative to the top pick, would be this system. While the ReductoClip Direct to Wall solution can also reduce 19dB of noise, it costs a lot more, which is why it didn’t make our cut.
What we like most
System draw backs
The biggest difference between the top pick and this one (besides the higher price), is the type of isolation clip. This system uses a dual fixing clip, so there’s more contact between the existing wall and new partition. We prefer a single fixing option, as it keeps the vibration transference to an absolute minimum. A dual fixing also takes longer to install.
Besides that, the two systems are almost the same, and both have high mass and absorption, all key for party wall solutions! If the difference between dual and single clips has you confused, see our guide below.
Comparing dual fixing clip v/s single fixing sound isolation clips
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 16dB Ctr |
| Suitable for | Wood battens or studs |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 160mm |
| Works for | Noisy neighbours, TV, and music studios |
| Installation Level | Advanced |
| Decoupling Device | Resilient Bars |
| Price per m2 | £85 |
| Best pro | Widely available |
| Con | Easy to fail |
Other Party Wall Soundproofing Options 2024
Resilient Bars with Battens
No best wall soundproofing review would be complete without resilient bars! Arguably the original isolation systems, these have been around for a while and deserve a mention. While they do reduce noise, they are hard to install correctly and are out priced and outperformed by other options.
What we like most
System draw backs
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 14dB |
| Suitable for | Stud walls |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 30mm |
| Works for | High frequency noises |
| Installation Level | Simple |
| Decoupling Device | None |
| Best pro | Slimline |
| Con | Poor Performance |
Other Party Wall Soundproofing Options 2024
NoiseStop Silent Panel
Something we haven’t rated is a direct to wall system, these don’t use decoupling devices. The reason these don’t make our top three is that they aren’t well matched to party wall soundproofing needs. Without a decoupling device, the sound that can be blocked is quite low and bass sounds can’t be treated. We only suggest these for stud walls in specific situations.
This system gives a 14dB reduction reading, which doesn’t match to our own experience of these boards. You’ll see below a different supplier gives a 5dB reduction rating, for the same make-up, which is what we would expect to see. Comparing sound reduction readings is always hard because readings can be taken in a variety of ways and can look quite favorable.
If a ‘Ctr’ (control) reading is not given, then the sound reduction figure can be much higher than expected. Also, we prefer the reading from ProSound SoundBoard 4 (see below) as it’s taken from a real-life installation, not a lab or basic calculation.
What we like most
System draw backs
Features and Benefits
| Sound Reduction | 5dB Ctr |
| Suitable for | Stud walls |
| Layers of mass | 3 |
| System width | 30mm |
| Works for | High frequency noises |
| Installation Level | Simple |
| Decoupling Device | None |
| Best pro | Slimline |
| Con | Poor Performance |
Other Party Wall Soundproofing Options 2024
ProSound SoundBoard 4
It’s worth looking at direct to wall solutions, so you can see all options. However, for Party Walls, we wouldn’t suggest using these. While they have a place in wall soundproofing, we use them as a last resort for people with an immovable space constraint (like a window). In addition, they have almost no effect on a brick wall, because they only add mass and brick walls already have high mass.
What we like about direct to wall options, is that they are super slim, however, they can’t block much noise at all. This makes them better for internal spaces with very low noise issues, like a boiler cupboard. Keep in mind the cost per dB reduced while you’re comparing systems, because it can mean saving up makes more sense!
What we like most
System draw backs
This is a direct as possible basket comparison between the MuteClip Silver System and the ReductoClip system. The price is based on a 2.4 x 3.6m wall and includes ancillaries, VAT and delivery costs (London).The MuteClip Siver system attains an 18dB noise reduction and the ReductoClip System attains a 19dB reduction The data was collected on 03/04/2024. The data has been rounded to the pound.
ReductoClip System £885 Total Cost 
MuteClip System £780 Total Cost
