4 Factors to Consider When Buying Acoustic Panels

acoustic panels are sound-absorbing materials that help improve your space’s acoustics by reducing unwanted noise and echo. Whether you’re setting up a home recording studio, improving your home theater’s sound quality or enhancing the environment of a commercial space, you need the right tools for the job.

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What to Consider When Buying Acoustic Panels

When you’re looking for the right acoustic panels, you need to keep several important factors in mind. Acoustic panels come in dozens of types, placements, and qualities to ensure you get a configuration that maximizes your comfort. Rooms made of hard material do little to keep sound from traveling — without acoustic panels, the sound will bounce freely in loud, mixed waves around the room. Having custom acoustic panels setup helps reduce reverb and helps to give you that clear audio you’re looking for.

Let’s take a look at some of the key factors to consider when finding the best sound panels:

1. Panel Type

Panel type affects sound absorption and quality. Each type has its own features, costs and drawbacks:

Foam panels: These are an extremely common panel for sound absorption. They’re lightweight, easy to install and come in different thicknesses and shapes. Foam panels are great at reducing echo and improving sound quality in spaces like home studios, home theaters or offices.

Fabric-wrapped panels: These panels have an outer fabric layer that enhances aesthetics. They’re highly effective at sound absorption and have lots of customization options for fabric color and pattern. You’ll often see these panels in commercial spaces, conference rooms and home theaters.

Diffusers: Diffusers scatter sound waves in different directions. This scattering breaks up echoes and creates a more balanced sound. They work well in spaces where you want to maintain some liveliness, like music studios or performance venues.

Bass traps: Bass traps target low-frequency sound absorption, reducing the rumbling or booming sound in a room. They’re typically placed in corners where bass frequencies tend to accumulate. Every recording or home theater needs bass traps to help create a more even sound.

2. Material

Material plays an essential role in acoustic panel effectiveness. You have to pick the material that’s going to work with your sound needs if you want to get the best results:

Perforated wood: Perforated wood helps break up sound waves, dispersing them in lots of directions so they don’t reflect at you. The wood and perforations add a stylish touch to any space, letting you reduce sound without sacrificing style.

Acoustic foam: Acoustic foam panels are lightweight and easy to handle. They’re effective for mid- to high-frequency sound absorption. However, they’re less effective at lower frequencies, so consider using them in smaller spaces or as complements to other panels.

Mineral wool: Mineral wool panels are another excellent option for sound absorption. They’re fire-resistant, offer good thermal insulation and are low-emission products. They work well in recording studios, home theaters or anywhere you want to reduce sound.

3. NRC Rating

The Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) rating is something you have to consider when looking for good acoustic panels. The NRC rating measures a panel’s effectiveness at absorbing sound across different frequencies. A panel with a higher NRC rating, like 0.9, is more effective at reducing sound reflections and improving acoustic quality.

For spaces where echo reduction is a higher priority, like recording studios or conference rooms, you’ll want to invest in high NRC ratings. To create effective soundproofing, you’ll also want to get panels with a higher Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating, which measures a panel’s sound-blocking ability. Combining these ratings will give you a highly effective acoustic panel for a quieter space.

4. Thickness and Density

When looking to buy acoustic panels, you’ll come across different thickness and density options. Thicker panels generally provide better sound absorption across a wider frequency range. You’ll often see thicker panels in spaces with significant acoustic challenges, like office spaces or recording studios. Thinner panels work well for general echo reduction in offices or restaurants. High-density panels are better at absorbing low-frequency sounds, while lower-density panels are more effective at mid- to high-frequencies. Think about the frequency range you want to target and pick your density based on that.

Tips for Choosing Acoustic Panels

Getting the right acoustic panels can significantly improve your space’s sound quality and stop unwanted noise in its tracks. We’ve got some tips to help you pick the best acoustic panels for the job:

Define your acoustic goals: Determine whether you need soundproofing to prevent noise from entering or leaving a room or if you want sound absorption to enhance a space’s acoustic quality. Understanding your goals will help you pick your panel type, material, NRC rating, thickness and density.

Pick your aesthetics: Acoustic panels come in tons of designs, colors and finishes — you can even get custom art acoustic panels. Select panels that work with your space’s aesthetics, allowing them to work functionally and as fun decorations.

Consider your installation: Always think about how you’ll install the panels. Some panels come with easy installation features, while others need professional work. Factor the installation process and cost into your budget.

Plan your room layout: Your room’s shape and layout will affect panel placement and effectiveness. Corners, walls and ceilings are all common spots for acoustic treatment, but the coverage area and layout will influence how you effectively manage sound.

Soundproof Cow’s Quality Acoustic Panels

Soundproof Cow offers professional acoustic panels to help you get the sound treatment you deserve. We have three high-quality options for acoustic panels, giving you the custom quiet experience you’ve always wanted. Explore our acoustic panel selection and start building a space you can fully enjoy:

Fabric-wrapped acoustic panels: Our Udderly Quiet™ Acoustic Panels are made-to-order, delivering professional soundproof performance to your space exactly how you want it. With a Class A flammability rating and recycled materials, you can enjoy safe, environmentally friendly soundproofing, whatever your needs. Our unmatched Udderly Quiet™ technology ensures your space has better sound quality while preventing sound from traveling outside the room. With multiple series options, you’ll get to build your acoustics to fit your needs and enjoy lasting, durable soundproofing for as long as you need it.

Art acoustic panels: Soundproof Cow’s art acoustic panels let you maximize soundproofing and creativity. We print your image onto our fabric-wrapped acoustic panels with patented DyeFusion™ technology. Your image is UV-resistant with additional fade resistance for up to 25 years. Bring your designs to life with your preferred art printed onto these acoustic panels.

Perforated wood art panels: Our attractive EccoTone™ acoustic wood panels deliver sustainable, effective sound dispersion to your space. We offer custom perforation design options to ensure your space is cohesive and inviting with our panels. Soundproof Cow’s perforated wood panels have a Class A flammability rating and are made in the USA. Create a warm atmosphere with our elegant perforated wood acoustic panels.

Request a Quote

Getting the right soundproofing starts with high-quality, custom acoustic panels. The team at Soundproof Cow is here to help you every step of the way. With expert advice and industry-leading acoustic panels, we’ll make sure you get the design and soundproofing you’re looking for. Start your Soundproof Cow journey today with a free acoustic analysis, or contact us to learn more about our custom soundproofing options!

The Best Acoustic Wall Panels? Definitive Guide For

When it comes to acoustic wall panels, people always ask what the best fabrics to use are? In , Choosing the right fabric to use for your application is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of acoustic panels.

Some fabrics will perform better acoustically than others for several reasons, but to be honest, the fabric alone will not have a significant effect on sound absorption.

You need to select a suitable type of fabric and make sure it will work correctly with the other parts that make up the acoustic panels, such as the absorbing core. The most sound-absorbing part of any acoustic panel is the absorption core that the fabric covers or stretches over, is generally made of a semi-rigid type of acoustic foam or fiberglass.

The stretch fabric acoustical panels are an attractive face covering thallowslow the sound to travel through to the core material.

Here are some key points to remember when selecting the right type of fabric for sound-absorbing acoustic paneling.

First, there are many textiles available on the market, the majority of which could be used as the front-facing covering of just about any acoustic panel.

Some of these have been tested in a controlled environment and have data that shows how they perform as an ‘acoustic fabric.’ It would be impossible to test every type of fabric known to man, so we will take a look at some major key factors used in determining a good acoustic panel fabric.

1. Transparency / Breath-ability
This is most likely the most crucial factor. If you get this one wrong, then the absorption performance of your panels can be dramatically reduced.

Many fabrics available are either ‘backed ‘or ‘unbacked. ‘ They are lined with backed fabrics on one side with either acrylic or paper, normally to help with a wall application, much like applying wall coverings which are generally fabric or paper. Any fabric you decide to use with an acoustic paneling system should be ‘un-backed’ for two quite obvious reasons.

Backed fabric helps prevent the majority of sound from transferring through them, and

Backed fabrics do not stretch very well.

The fabric you select should have an open weave and is breathable; you can blow air through a sample of the fabric to see if it is breathable or not. Just make sure you don’t select one that has too much of an open weave; remember, you don’t want to see through the fabric to the core material. It is possible to purchase an acoustically transparent fabric and visibly evident, not what you want.

2. Functionality

Your fabric may be able to tick the boxes acoustically but will not have all of the properties that are conducive for an acoustic panel.

Below we will look at some of the different fabric types and reasons why you should avoid them.

In the case of stretched fabric panels, you don’t want any ripping or sagging to occur. This often happens in natural fiber materials such as cotton, wool, and linen, which can elongate in high humidity.

Material such as viscose and spun nylon will provide little stretch memory and might not return to its original tensity when exposed to humidity changes.

Fabrics such as acrylic and polyester are very stable and remain tight after stretching with no sagging risk. Synthetic materials are often seen as the most suitable for a stretched fabric system. But, as brilliant as the modern polyester fabrics are, many people love natural fibers, and therefore something like a blended fabric with over 50% polyester could be the best option.

3. Aesthetics  

These days, acoustic paneling has become more balanced between ‘aesthetics’ and ‘function.’ Designers and engineers are learning that solving many acoustic problems can be achieved in an aesthetically pleasing way. Now acoustic treatments are becoming the design focus of room interiors.

We strongly believe using fabrics on ceilings and walls is an architectural design feature that will continue to evolve each year with the ever-growing focus on the benefits of good acoustics, more so in the IT-driven workplace.

What Fabrics Do Acoustic Wall Panels Manufacturers Use

A good indication of what fabrics work well acoustically is by looking at which ones are used by the manufacturers. Many acoustic manufacturers have a range of preferred fabrics that have been tested with their own systems.

In the UK, acoustic wall panel manufacturers tend to produce more pre-fabricated, affordable, wrapped panels. These open-weave fabrics, commonly used as upholstery for office seating and screens, are at the lower price end of the market.

European acoustic manufacturers typically use more expensive, higher-quality fabrics.

In the US, Whisper Walls has been the world’s most innovative provider of acoustic wall panels for interior noise control For over 30 years. From the beginning, we’ve been focused on providing products that blend a subtle fabric finish, acoustical performance, and long-lasting value. This unique objective inspired the development of specialized stretching system track components and installation tools that are now industry standards.

Acoustic wall panel systems are site-installed; they are highly customizable acoustic wall panels and ceiling systems that seamlessly integrate with any architectural design you may have. The system utilizes a proprietary designed custom track system that is stapled to the existing substrate. An absorbent or trackable core such as fiberglass is cut and stapled inside the track to hold it in place.

An acoustically transparent fabric is then cut and tightly tucked into all of the tracks surrounding the perimeter, providing you a perfect fit every time with no gaps or sagging. Acoustic wall panels offer architects complete design flexibility without sacrificing the quality of sound control. 

How long do acoustic wall panels last?

The foam used in our acoustic wall panels is a chemically based product. So no matter the panel’s class A, the foam has an average shelf life of about seven years from the time the panels are produced. At that time, the foam most likely will start to flake off and sprinkle dust particles into the air.

What type of fabric is suitable for sound absorption?

Using a non-porous leather, vinyl, or acrylic-faced fabric will reflect much of the energy produced by the sound, reducing the effectiveness of your drapery.

You should select a fabric that could absorb water or has a plush, velour surface. If the price is a concern, then you might want to choose a less expensive fabric.

What type of foam is acoustic foam?

Acoustic foam is a lightweight polyurethane foam made from either polyether or polyester and also melamine foam.

What fabric is best for acoustic wall panels?

If the panels reflect any of the room’s sounds, then your panel is not performing the way it was designed.

For example, polyester and polypropylene work well on any vertical surface type, but a fabric made from nylon would not be right because it absorbs too much moisture.

Is canvas suitable for acoustic wall panels?

A canvas is a great way to add images to your walls, but, unfortunately, having a canvas on its own will not do much to block sound. If you’re looking for a soundproofing option with more of a personalized touch, then you will want to send your images to whisper walls and have them print them on the panel fabric so you can use it.

What material absorbs sound the best?

Normally a soft, pliable, or porous material will serve as a good acoustic insulator to absorb the most sound. Materials that are dense, hard, and impenetrable (such as any metals) will reflect the most sound.

How well a room absorbs sound is quantified by the walls’ effective absorption area, also called the total absorption area.

How can you tell if a fabric is acoustically transparent?

The most common way to test can be done by attempting to blow through the fabric. If air quickly passes through the material, it will also allow sound to pass through it, making that fabric acceptable for use as an acoustic fabric.

Do acoustic wall panels reduce noise?

Acoustic wall panels are composed of mineral wool or foam that has been compressed; sound-absorbing acoustic wall panels absorb the sound waves directed towards them to reduce noise, clarify speech, and reduce reverberation on the walls within an enclosed room.

A soundproofing panel is designed to block noise from entering or exiting a room.

What fabric is acoustically transparent?

An acoustically transparent fabric will allow sound to pass through it with a little barrier. This is an essential factor because you want the sound to pass through the fabric and be absorbed by the acoustic panels; for this, you will want to use an acoustic foam or fiberglass wool.

What are acoustic panels used for?

Acoustic panels are sound-absorbing panels designed to mitigate noise and reduce reverberation and any echo in the enclosed room. For both types, we look at the different principles of good acoustics: diffusion, absorption, and attenuation. These are all tied directly to the performance of the acoustic wall panels.

What type of insulation is used for acoustic wall panels?

There are two types of insulation commonly used for acoustic wall panels: fiberglass and mineral wool. Fiberglass insulation panels are made out of tiny inorganic glass fibers held together by a thermosetting resin binder and preformed into a rigid board with 2ft x 4ft rectangles.

Where do you put acoustic wall panels?

Most people will mount their acoustic wall panels flat on the walls throughout the entire room. To get the maximum effectiveness from a limited number of panels, try to avoid placing the panels on BOTH points of opposing walls; instead, stagger their positions.

Are acoustic panels necessary?

A home theater without any acoustic wall panels, you will experience sound waves reflecting from all surfaces of the room. Typically, you will want to hear only the sound coming directly from your speakers and not the sound reflected from walls, ceilings, and floors.

How thick should my acoustic wall panels be?

Acoustic wall panels will come in thicknesses of either 2″ or 4″. While traditional wisdom states that thicker is better, 2″ panels are considered the industry standard by many. They will not be able to absorb frequencies as low as 4″ panels, but that’s OK.

So as you can see, there is a huge difference between normal glue or staple-down fabric and acoustic wall panels, yes, there is a cost difference but there is also a quality difference.

Acoustic Panels 101: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

In the recording studio, acoustic panels are a cornerstone of any good acoustic treatment plan.

While they may not absorb the low end as well as your bass traps, they do perform the entirely separate task of killing standing waves between parallel walls.

And it’s this issue specifically, that is especially problematic in the small cubical rooms of most home recording studios.

So to help you tackle this challenge, in this ultimate guide I’m going to teach you everything you know on this all-important topic.

First up…

Commercial Acoustic Panels vs Homemade DIY Panels

What you may not know is, building homemade DIY acoustic panels is actually a lot more common than you’d imagine.

It does require some trips to Home Depot, and basic carpentry skills, but it can potentially save you a lot of money.

Commercially bought acoustic panels however, while pricier, have the main advantage of being performance tested.

So you actually know for sure that they’re doing what they’re supposed to.

Many newbie studio owners make the common mistake of using materials such as carpeting, cardboard cup holders, or egg crate foam, which absorb the higher frequencies while allowing the low ones to remain.

And all this does is make the room sound dull and bassy.

So here’s what I’d recommend. If this is your first time around with this stuff, just buy them online.

And I recommend this route, mainly because you need to first get familiar with the “sound of a studio”.

Gain a few years of experience first, so you know what a good room should sound like, and what a bad room sounds like. THEN, if you want to later, experiment on your own with homemade panels.

So up next…

The 3 Key Features of Acoustic Panel Design

When you shop for acoustic foam online, there are 3 key features that you’ll have to consider.

First there’s the THICKNESS.

2″ is the industry standard. While 4″ is premium and more expensive.

Thicker is always technically better, but for their purposes, 2″ is good enough, and what I’d recommend. Later in this post I’ll show you a mounting trick to make them just as effective as the 4″ foam.

Next there’s the SURFACE PATTERN.

Panels typically have some type of 3D pattern on their outer surface. Wedged and Pyramid are the two most common.

These patterns do affect performance slightly, but the differences are minimal. So feel free to choose by aesthetics.

Next there’s the SQUARE FOOTAGE of the package.

The standard bundles normally come in packages of 6, 12, or 24. In sizes of 1ft², 2ft², or 2ft×4ft.

But the real number to pay attention to is the total square footage of coverage. A good starting point for most home studios is around 48ft².

This usually means:

48 – 1ft² panels

12 – 2ft² panels

6 – 2×4 ft panels

Any of these will work fine, but I’d generally recommend smaller panels because they are lighter and easier to mount with temporary adhesives that won’t damage your wall.

Up next…

NRC Ratings vs SRC Ratings: What’s the Difference?

Product descriptions typically include a “Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) rating” between 0 and 1.

The higher the number, the greater the absorption.

While this number may seem important, the truth is…it’s pretty much worthless for recording studios. And here’s why:

The test to determine this number only measures absorption at 4 frequencies:

Hz

Hz

500 Hz

250 Hz

Which means that no measurements are done below 250 Hz, where virtually all problematic frequencies in the studio exist.

That is why a different metric, known as Sound Absorption Coefficient (SRC), gives a much better representation of true performance.

With competitive price and timely delivery, Suyin Group sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Because this number measures absorption at a specific narrow band of frequencies. Unfortunately, it’s pretty uncommon these days to see SRC numbers actually posted.

Up next…

The 10 Best Acoustic Panel Packs on the Market Today

At this point, you’ve learned everything you need to know to choose a package that suits your room and budget.

And to save you a ton of painful research, I’ve already done all the heavy lifting for you…narrowing the options down to the 10 most popular and well-reviewed acoustic panel packs on the market today.

Each one is made by a top-name brand so there’s no question of what you’ll be getting.

For smaller rooms here’s what I recommend:

Auralex DST 112 – (B&H)

Auralex DST 114 – (Amazon)

DMSKY Self-Adhesive – (Amazon)

Fstop Wedge – (Amazon)

Auralex Wedge 1ft² – (Amazon/B&H)

Auralex Sonoflat 1ft² – (Amazon/B&H)

And for larger rooms, I’d recommend these instead:

Auralex D36 Designer Series – (B&H/Thomann)

Auralex 2ft² Pyramid – (Amazon/B&H)

Auralex 2×4 Pyramid – (Amazon/B&H)

Auralex Sonoflat 2ft² – (B&H)

Up next…

How to Build Homemade DIY Acoustic Panels

Maybe you already have some experience with commercial acoustic panels and you’d like to try something new.

Or maybe you’re just the handyman type and think it will be fun.

Or maybe you saw the prices in the previous section, and decided this is a better solution.

Regardless of your particular reason, you can easily build your own homemade panels with a little patience, and a few basic components.

So here are the tools you’ll need:

Hammer/nails

 – to construct the frame

Glue

– to secure the insulation within the frame

Staple gun/scissors

 – to secure and trim the outer fabric

Mounting brackets

 – to mount the finished panel to the wall

Next, here are the materials you’ll need:

Wood

 – to construct a standard-sized 2ft by 4ft frame.

Fabric

– to cover up the exposed insulation and give the finished panel a nice look.

Owens Corning 703

– which is a special type of fiberglass that costs about 1/5th the price of acoustic foam and is just as effective

While the wood and fabric can be easily bought at any local home improvement store, Owens Corning 703 is not available everywhere, so you may have to order it online instead.

Once you’ve got everything you need, here’s a great video I found that walks you through the entire building process step-by-step:

Moving on…

How to Mount Acoustic Panels in the Corners of the Room

Once your acoustic panels are built (or arrive in the mail), it’s time to mount them in your room.

Assuming you already have bass traps, and have mounted them according to the recommendations in this post…

The next step is to make sure the area directly behind your studio monitors is covered, especially if those monitors have a rear-facing bass port.

The third step is to cover the open dihedral corners (shown in the picture as blue lines) with acoustic panels.

With commercial foam, fold your panels around the corner as shown below, remembering to leave an air gap for added low-end absorption.

With homemade panels, position them diagonally across the corner like this:

Make sure you don’t use them all just yet though, because there’s still more area to cover on the walls.

Here’s how it’s done:

How to Position Acoustic Panels for Maximum Wall Coverage

Depending on the severity of a room’s acoustic problems…the ideal wall coverage could vary anywhere between 20-80%.

And the only way to know for sure, is to constantly re-test the acoustics after each new panel, using the clap test as described in this post.

It’s entirely possible that you may not even need every panel to reach the sound you’re after.  

Because at a certain point, adding more panels than you need will only make the room sound uncomfortably dead.

In most cases though, home studios have fewer than the ideal number of panels. So to get maximum results from a shortage of panels, here’s what you do:

When covering an area of one wall, leave its reflection point open on the opposite wall…because one panel is sufficient to kill standing waves in that spot.

And if those instructions are too confusing, check out the diagram above, and it’ll be crystal-clear.

Up next..

How to Mount the Panels Without Ruining Your Wall

In home recording studios, where acoustic foam installations are unlikely to be permanent, there’s always the big worry of damaging your walls.

You also want to avoid damaging the acoustic foam itself, in case you ever want to take them down and sell them.

So the challenge here is to find an adhesive strong enough to support the weight of the foam, yet weak enough to be cleanly removed at any time..

Unfortunately, since every wall/paint job is different, there is no single solution that works in all cases.  Which is why so many products exist to solve this one problem.

So up next…

3 Adhesive Strength Options for Mounting Your Acoustic Panels

Auralex more so than any other company, has developed a wide variety of adhesives to choose from for this one purpose.

Here are their 3 options:

Auralex TubeTak Pro – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)

Auralex FoamTak – (Amazon/B&H)

Auralex EZ-stick – (Amazon/B&H)

TubeTak is the strongest, but can be difficult to remove.  EZ-stick is the weakest, but may not always hold well.

So FoamTak in my opinion, offers the best compromise between the two.

But the problem with FoamTak or any other spray-on adhesive, is that it leaves a big mess behind once everything is removed.

So here’s a trick I discovered in my own studio:

A DIY Hack I Discovered Through Years of Trial and Error

First, cover both the wall and the back of the foam with clear packaging tape.

Then spray the FoamTak or similar adhesive in between them.

With this method, you’ll be able to mount your panels while leaving ZERO adhesive residue on anything.

HOWEVER…If you try this idea, proceed at your own risk. Because like I said, every wall and every adhesive is different.  

So test the tape on a small area of the wall first to make sure it can be removed later without damage.

And if all this stuff seems way too complicated, there’s one final option you can try which may be the best of all.

Rather than using an adhesive, you could instead try impaling clips, which screw into the wall, and are used to hang your acoustic foam by “impaling” them.

And that’s my final tip of the post.

General FAQs

Q: What is the shipping transit time for my order?

A: Most of our products are shipped via FedEx Ground. Our site will show you the FedEx Ground transit map on the shopping cart screen (when you enter a zip code to estimate shipping) and during the checkout process below the list of shipping method choices.

Shipping transit time is the number of business days your order will take to reach you after shipping from our facility. If you are shipping to a residence, you may also receive delivery via FedEx Home Delivery on a weekend day. For build-to-order products, please allow additional days for production prior to shipping. All products on our site outside of the "DIY Acoustic Materials" category are build-to-order products.

Transit times are based on standard business days (Monday through Friday). If you receive your shipping confirmation after 3pm Central Time, your order's time in transit may begin the following day. Standard Overnight shipments sent on Friday will not arrive at their location until Monday. Saturday deliveries may be possible subject to your location's weekend delivery services. Contact one of our sales representatives to check if your area offers Saturday delivery services.

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A: Production times for orders vary based on the product and quantity being manufactured. Typical production times are listed under each product page. However, production backlogs or large quantity orders may increase these production timelines. If your order must arrive by a specific date, please contact us by , , or chat to consult a sales representative for current production times or expedited/rush options.

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A: If you would like to receive your order by a specific date, you may wish to add Rush Production to your order. When you select the Rush option, a representative from our sales team will contact you with an expected ship date in about 1 business day. Rush Production expedites your order and moves it toward the top of our production lists. However, other customers who have previously paid for the same service may still be in line ahead of you. Depending on the number of orders already in line and your order's specifications, Rush Production may expedite your order anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. Rush Production is subject to the minimum time frames that it takes to manufacture specific products. In cases where production has a low backlog, your order may ship out before the typical production time. For the most up-to-date information, you can always contact us by , , or chat to see if paying for Rush Production is the best option for you.

Sound Absorption and Acoustical Panel FAQ's

Q: How many acoustic panels do I need in my room?

A: Our online room acoustics analysis is a great tool to find the right answer for any room. You provide some information about the room dimensions and surfaces, and our system crunches the numbers for you.

Q: Where should I place the panels in the room?

A: In general, where you place the panels in the room is not critical. A visually pleasant appearance is often the guiding factor in placement. The most important thing is simply to get the total square footage of panels into the room somewhere. No matter where you place them, the panels will soak up the extra sound that is bouncing off every surface in the room.

That said, we do have a couple of non-critical guidelines for acoustic panel placement. First, you get more absorption per square foot of panel when the panel is placed in or near a corner. Said another way, you'll need slightly fewer panels in your room if you place some of them in or near corners.

Second, if there is a primary source of sound in the room, such as speakers at one place in the room, it's a good idea to place panels at first reflection points. These are places where the sound can come from the source, bounce once, and reach the listener. For example, on the side walls of a listening room approximately midway between the listener and the speakers. This is because sound that reaches the listener after traveling an indirect path arrives just a little later than sound that came directly. This means your brain has to sort out multiple copies of the same sound, making things sound less clear and making speech more difficult to understand. Adding panels at the first reflection points reduces the late-arriving sound so your brain can focus on one clear copy of the sound.

Q: I need to keep sound from going through my apartment walls (or through a window, or from coming in from the street). Will your panels do that?

A: No, our panels won't do that, but we carry some products that might help. What you need is acoustic isolation (keeping sound from one area isolated from another area).

My (owner Mark Aardsma's) two pieces of advice on isolation are:

1. Make it airtight.
   

   Get rid of gaps under doors, etc. Even a small gap will let a lot of sound through. This makes a big difference. If you make it airtight you'll reduce mid and high frequency sounds, but still have muffled low frequency sounds coming through.

   Seal those big gaps with weatherstripping, plywood over openings, etc. For small gaps, especially during new construction and remodeling, we also carry Green Glue Noiseproofing Sealant that's great for sealing cracks where sound gets through.

2. Make it rigid and decoupled.
   

   Low frequency sound (bass) requires rigid surfaces to bounce it off so it doesn't come through. Concrete walls are great, but I realize you can't just pour one in your living room. Heavy plywood over a window, double-layer sheetrock on a wall, anything that adds stiffness and weight to your sound barrier will help keep those low frequencies out.

   Decoupled means when you vibrate one side of the wall, it doesn't transmit the vibration through to the other side. This is accomplished with shock absorption in between. This is where sound isolation products come in. See our Sound Isolation Materials category for clips that decouple drywall from studs, and Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound that goes between layers of drywall to greatly reduce the amount of sound that is transmitted. And remember, airtight first, rigid and decoupled second.

Q: Is the 2-inch or the 4-inch panel thickness best for me?

A: The answer depends on three things:

1. Budget: The 2-inch panels cost a little less to buy and half as much to ship. The total difference is $6 to $12 per panel.
2. Purpose: If you are concerned about bass absorption the 4-inch panels perform 4 times as well as the 2-inch panels at 125Hz. However, the two thicknesses perform equally well at 500Hz and above.
3. Preference: Some people like the look of the thinner panels better on the wall, some don't. Some like to "go with the best" just to be on the safe side.

Both thicknesses work very well to reduce reverb, ringing, and unwanted reflections in your room. The 4-inch panels will do more to even out the bass in the room, but they are not true bass traps and they will not absorb much below 100Hz. For serious bass absorption (50 to 125Hz), check out our Corner Bass Traps.

Q: Can I order custom size panels to fit my situation?

A: Yes, we can supply both our 2 inch and 4 inch thick panels in custom sizes. For a quick price quote just give us a call toll-free at 815-364- and let us know the length and width you need.

Q: Do your panels release dust or fibers into the air?

A: We find that the fabric we use to cover the panels does a good job keeping any dust or fibers from escaping. We haven't had any trouble with that.

Q: How are the panels normally attached to the wall?

A: Our panels come with our professional installation kit containing special aluminum clips, anchors, and screw for neat and secure installation on drywall, wood, or concrete walls. The included anchors can be used for both drywall and concrete installations. Click here for full installation instructions (PDF). Follow the guides on the ATS Acoustics Custom-Size Acoustic Panel Installation page to determine the appropriate number and placement of installation hardware mounting points for your custom-size ATS Acoustic panels.

Q: How about mounting panels on a ceiling?

A: Sure, not a problem. You can mount your panels with our Acoustic Cloud Installation Hardware. Or, if this is a DIY job, some customers will drill small pilot holes (from the back through to the front edge of the panel) and put screws through those holes and into the ceiling (preferably into a joist or other solid structure). The edge frame of the panel is solid and will support screws without a problem. Others will use screw eyes and/or screw hooks in the back of the panel and in the ceiling, sometimes with sections of wire to suspend the panels a couple of inches or more below the ceiling. The hooks and eyes can also be hooked together, or held together with small cable ties. The 24x48x2 inch panels weigh 10.5 pounds each, and the 24x24x2 inch panels weigh 5 pounds each, so there's not a lot of weight to support. If you are working with a drywall ceiling, be sure to use suitable anchors anywhere you are screwing something to the drywall. Of course, whatever method you choose, you are responsible for installing the panels in a safe and secure way. Please always take extra care to secure the panels safely when mounting to any slanted wall or ceiling.

Q: Why do the panels have a solid wood back?

A: The 1/4" wood back provides strength for the panel, and makes it easy to hang the panels on the wall, or attach hardware such as hinges, hooks, or other hangers.

Acoustically, the solid back against the wall is about the same as the panel with no back against the wall. Either way the sound enters the front of the panel, is reflected by the back and/or wall, and exits through the front again.

Where the back can be undesirable is if you are trying to absorb bass and you want an air gap behind the panel. This air gap is to allow the sound to travel through the panel, some distance in the air gap, reflect from the wall, back through the air gap, and back through the panel. That distance is helpful in absorbing low frequencies (because they have long wavelengths). Most of our customers mount our panels against the wall for broadband absorption and control of reverb, and this works very well.

We have had the panels absorption tested (solid back and all) by Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories and they rate very highly. See the test results on our 4-inch panels for the absorption coefficients at various frequencies.

Our 4-inch panels are available with fabric-covered open backs. If you plan to install your panels across a corner or spaced away from the wall for an air gap, we recommend that you select the open back option when adding the panels to your shopping cart. This option is not available in 2-inch panel construction.

Q: How is mineral wool different than fiberglass absorption material?

A: There is very little difference. Mineral wool is made from basalt rock that is melted and spun into wool. Fiberglass wool is made from silicon rock (glass) that is melted and spun into wool. The mineral wool has a higher melting point, but that has no effect on the acoustical properties. Mineral wool and fiberglass of similar densities have nearly identical acoustical properties.

Q: What's the difference between rigid fiberglass board (like Owens Corning® 703) and Sound Attenuating Fire Batts (SAFB)?

A: There are no significant differences in acoustical properties (how they absorb sound). There are two significant differences in physical/mechanical properties.

1) Density. SAFB has a density (weight) of 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, which is the most cost-effective density for absorbing sound. Higher densities absorb sound only slightly better, so they are not worth the extra cost of material in most cases. 703 is the Owens Corning rigid fiberglass board product and is commonly used for sound absorption. It has a similar density at 3.0 pounds per cubic foot, and nearly identical acoustical properties to SAFB.

2) Rigidity. SAFB is a thick batt, like a heavier version of common household insulation batts. Rigid Fiberglass board is manufactured as a relatively rigid board that holds it's shape.

Q: How can I attach fabric to Owens Corning 703 or 705?

A: Here's a process that works well:

• Apply spray adhesive such as 3M Super 77 or Ram-Tack High Tack Spray Adhesive to the fabric and to the surface of the fiberglass board.
• Use plenty of adhesive, spray a lot on and you'll get a better bond.
• Press the fabric onto the fiberglass board smoothly and allow to dry for at least an hour.

Q: What is your Art Panel Policy?

A: Artwork for all art panels must be received by us and proofs approved by the customer within 30 days of placing the order, unless other prior written arrangements are made. Art panels are non-refundable once production on them has begun.