I Found Some Foam...

Doctor Varney

Cave dwelling Luddite
Few weeks ago, I found a HUGE piece of foam put out on the street for collection. It appears to have been part of a double mattress. As it happens, I reclaim soft sponge foam and polystyrene (among many other things), on a regular basis, for puppet making and theatre props - so this was a good find (this stuff is expensive!)

I know this is not the right sort of 'foam' used in studios. It should be the rigid, closed cell type, I think? But this mattress is formed in 2 inch squares on one side, meaning it forms a grid with deep grooves. Just for the hell of it, I shouted against it to see how it worked acoustically, not expecting very much. It has the effect of deadening the reverberation of my voice and so rather than cutting it up for making other things, I am wondering how best I could put this to use in my little talk studio?

I presume it's perhaps not so much the foam itself, but the deep grooves breaking up the sound and it works surprisingly well. I'm wondering whether to cut it into rectangular blocks to mount in key places or keep it whole. Was wondering if it might be worth making a portable screen around my mic position or something?

I know it may sound silly (no pun intended) but it came to me for nothing and it might be worth a try, until I can afford to do a proper room treatment.

Cheers

Dr. V
 
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I had a similar find, only mine was almost a whole sheet of foil covered 2" thick polystyrene for thermal insulation.
Would this be okay to make a portable sound booth with, or does it require some covering like hession?

Ta
G.
 
Why wonder?

It's cost you nothing, so you have nothing to lose.

Try it out and see.

It'll kill some higher frequencies and dampen the room. It will have little effect on the lower end of the frequency spectrum.
 
Why wonder?

It's cost you nothing, so you have nothing to lose.

Try it out and see.

It'll kill some higher frequencies and dampen the room. It will have little effect on the lower end of the frequency spectrum.
Yes, I hesitated to post because I don't want the Doc to think I'm just being negative at his expense. But first of all "foam" isn't what studios use, rigid or not. Foam will not do anything other than kill the high's and probably end up making the room sound even more muffled than it is. Real sound treatment material is rigid fibregalss, rockwool, and a few other similar materials. Foam is the last thing you want to use to make a room sound better.

Foam, carpets, egg cartons, blankets, etc......they're all sometimes "better than nothing", but they're often "wrose than nothing", too. Only one way to find out, especially for the price you paid.
 
I presume it's perhaps not so much the foam itself, but the deep grooves breaking up the sound and it works surprisingly well.

No, it is probably the foam itself. You are correct in thinking closed cell foams are what are common, but those still don't work much better than open cell foams like what you've found.

I had a similar find, only mine was almost a whole sheet of foil covered 2" thick polystyrene for thermal insulation.
Would this be okay to make a portable sound booth with, or does it require some covering like hession?

Ta
G.

Polystyrene? Like Styrofoam? That would not work very well as a portable sound booth at all!
 
Yes, I hesitated to post because I don't want the Doc to think I'm just being negative at his expense.

Foam, carpets, egg cartons, blankets, etc......they're all sometimes "better than nothing", but they're often "wrose than nothing", too. Only one way to find out, especially for the price you paid.

Not at all. All seems fair and good from here. Thank you, RAMI.

Yes, on closer inspection, it does seem to kill higher frequencies while there is still some reverberation of lower frequencies. I can see how it would cause a muffled sound.

Regards

Dr. V
 
Why wonder?

It's cost you nothing, so you have nothing to lose.

Try it out and see.

It'll kill some higher frequencies and dampen the room. It will have little effect on the lower end of the frequency spectrum.

Well I suppose it was more the issue of carving it up that bothered me. Now this has been mentioned, I listen with a bit more awareness of what it actually seems to be doing.

Thanks

Dr. V
 
Well I suppose it was more the issue of carving it up that bothered me. Now this has been mentioned, I listen with a bit more awareness of what it actually seems to be doing.

Well...you don't have to carve it up, and you can still use it in the studio....


...on the floor for naps. ;)

:D
 
Well...you don't have to carve it up, and you can still use it in the studio....


...on the floor for naps. ;)

:D

If I only had the space! Seriously, it could become a futon if I put my mind and furniture making skills to it... but space is tight in here. :(

Cheers

Dr. V
 
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