Practicing and recording studio

Umm, too bad didn't do some more reading here. 'Acoustic' foam is not what you need to use. It will absorb a little (very little) high frequency, leaving the mids and lows (the problem areas when recording in a small room) untreated.
People also use blankets and duvets to help tame flutter echo, and think all the problems are taken care of ...

I'll build another four panels and bass traps too. I went through all comments, recommendations, suggestions and thoughts. I'm just too busy to build everything at once. So next steps are bass traps for the corners and carpets.

Moreover, I have 0.5" depth in the current panels that I can fit in some materials. I know it won't be as effective as thick panels.
 
I'll build another four panels and bass traps too. I went through all comments, recommendations, suggestions and thoughts. I'm just too busy to build everything at once. So next steps are bass traps for the corners and carpets.

Moreover, I have 0.5" depth in the current panels that I can fit in some materials. I know it won't be as effective as thick panels.

You can make what you have more effective by spacing it off the wall by (expert comment welcomed!) some 100mm/4".

Air is free (SO far!) .

Dave.
 
You can make what you have more effective by spacing it off the wall by (expert comment welcomed!) some 100mm/4".

Air is free (SO far!) .

Dave.

I thought about spacers too, would spacers make a noticeable difference?
 
I would think not much difference with foam.

And this is not something I have a clue about.

Foam ok for reflections as far as I have heard. Not sure if the air gap behind makes any difference. I would guess no since it only really addresses frequencies above 2k or so.
 
I just bought two panels (Semi-rigid panels of foam agglomerated polyurethane) 2m x 1m x 4cm each.

Specs: http://www.leroymerlin.es/dms/leroyMerlinKit/pdfs/aislamiento/17010994.pdf
Density: 80 kg/m3
Thickness: 4cm
Absorption: 63 db
NRC: 0.81

Do you think this material is good enough to be used in bass traps? If yes, what is the recommended size (if any)? I'm thinking of building eight bass traps 1m x 0.5m.

Thank you :)

17010994_f1.jpg
Source: Panel multiaislante CHOVACUSTIC D80 200X100X4 CM Ref. 17010994 - Leroy Merlin
 
I would think not much difference with foam.

And this is not something I have a clue about.

Foam ok for reflections as far as I have heard. Not sure if the air gap behind makes any difference. I would guess no since it only really addresses frequencies above 2k or so.

I understand that air gap can make difference in case I used bass traps, but not absorption panels. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
 
I just bought two panels (Semi-rigid panels of foam agglomerated polyurethane) 2m x 1m x 4cm each.

Specs: http://www.leroymerlin.es/dms/leroyMerlinKit/pdfs/aislamiento/17010994.pdf
Density: 80 kg/m3
Thickness: 4cm
Absorption: 63 db
NRC: 0.81

Do you think this material is good enough to be used in bass traps? If yes, what is the recommended size (if any)? I'm thinking of building eight bass traps 1m x 0.5m.

Thank you :)

View attachment 100551
Source: Panel multiaislante CHOVACUSTIC D80 200X100X4 CM Ref. 17010994 - Leroy Merlin

It sure looks like closed cell foam. I do not understand the language on the links but I believe this product is more suited for sound isolation (preventing transfer of sound to another space). Not absorption (controlling sound frequencies within a space). Sound absorption materials need to have sound pass through them yet limit the amount of sound waves passing back through them from reflective surfaces.

I can't say for sure, but I would give a personal 'NO' on using this material for bass traps.
 
It sure looks like closed cell foam. I do not understand the language on the links but I believe this product is more suited for sound isolation (preventing transfer of sound to another space). Not absorption (controlling sound frequencies within a space). Sound absorption materials need to have sound pass through them yet limit the amount of sound waves passing back through them from reflective surfaces.

I can't say for sure, but I would give a personal 'NO' on using this material for bass traps.

Thank you, Jimmy. So material used should be between reflection and absorption? This material’s NRC index is 0.82 which means it’s highly absorpant.
 
Thank you, Jimmy. So material used should be between reflection and absorption? This material’s NRC index is 0.82 which means it’s highly absorpant.


I am really not the guy you want to talk to about this.

NRC numbers are measurements of a product ability to retard sound from getting through. You need to spend more time researching in regards to 'your' room acoustic treatment needs. I am not about to start a tutorial here. Been there and found treatment that worked for me. None of it involved any type of foam product.

For this thread, I am out.


Spend more time researching the products that work for your particular application.


Cheers
 
NRC at what frequency range? without giving you a frequency, that number doesn't mean anything. Look how the various Roxul and O-C materials are rated here: Selecting the Right Acoustic Material

Thanks for the link and explanation. I’m trying to find an alternative to Rockwool; there is another product whic is made of textile, would it be as effective as rockwool?

Bobina ecologica GEOPAN THERMOPY 5 MM ACUS 33.6 M2 Ref. 17839962 - Leroy Merlin

There is another one: Panel acustico GEOPANNEL SUPERPYL 40 MM ACUSTICO Ref. 17856832 - Leroy Merlin

Here its’ frequencies absorption chart: http://www.leroymerlin.es/dms/leroyMerlinKit/pdfs/aislamiento/17856832.pdf
 
I am really not the guy you want to talk to about this.

NRC numbers are measurements of a product ability to retard sound from getting through. You need to spend more time researching in regards to 'your' room acoustic treatment needs. I am not about to start a tutorial here. Been there and found treatment that worked for me. None of it involved any type of foam product.

For this thread, I am out.


Spend more time researching the products that work for your particular application.


Cheers

I understand. Thank you, Jimmy. I too will stop annoying you with my endless question and confusion. All I wanted is advice for experts in this field. I’ll do a research, try different material until I reach my goals.

Thank you everyone for your help, I appreciate it :)
 
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I do not want to hijack this thread but I did read earlier if you break into the false ceiling and pack it with absorbing material, it would make a monster bass trap..

So my question is, in my basement drop ceiling...if I were to place 2x4 panels of Roxul 80 above the tiles inserts, would that provide suitable bass trap? ( I have a lot of Roxul 80 )
 
I stuffed regular fiberglass (pink stuff, but really yellow), around the complete perimeter of my drop ceiling. There's only about 4" of space there. Did it make a difference, who knows, but combined with the cloud, and other traps, things seem better
 
Thank you, Jimmy. So material used should be between reflection and absorption? This material’s NRC index is 0.82 which means it’s highly absorpant.
NRC can mean reflective also, which is the opposite of what you want. NRC is about soundproofing, preventing transmission across a barrier. This is a combination of absorbtion and reflection -- the important thing for you to understand is that the harder materials are going to be bouncing everything back into the room and doing nothing.

I'd suggest getting a bunch of heavy cheap moving blankets and stacking them in the corners of the room as thick and dense as possible. This would trap bass.
 
I understand. Thank you, Jimmy. I too will stop annoying you with my endless question and confusion. All I wanted is advice for experts in this field. I’ll do a research, try different material until I reach my goals.

Thank you everyone for your help, I appreciate it :)

It's all good -- this is the place to ask. People may choose to respond or not. Everyone's got to learn somewhere if they want to learn...!
 
NRC can mean reflective also, which is the opposite of what you want. NRC is about soundproofing, preventing transmission across a barrier. This is a combination of absorbtion and reflection -- the important thing for you to understand is that the harder materials are going to be bouncing everything back into the room and doing nothing.

I'd suggest getting a bunch of heavy cheap moving blankets and stacking them in the corners of the room as thick and dense as possible. This would trap bass.

Wait, NRC values are ratings of the ability to absorb frequencies from moving through it. That is true, but you use of the word 'soundproofing' is possibly confusing points here. Yes the product would have a slight effect on transmission to another room, but not in any way effective unless used with decoupling of rooms. This conversation is about absorption (acoustic treatment within a room) to help with room modes and frequency response within any given room. Absorbing some frequencies from being reflected back into the room.

The one thing that kills be about suggestion of moving blankets as absorption, it like saying 'try whatever and hope it works'. We just had a conversation about the NRC rating of different insulation. How would we have any idea as to the rating of a blanket or comforter? No clue what the material is or how possible it would be to absorb frequencies. We have had way too many times this debate over foam vs/insulation treatment. It is just not good advice to recommend heavy/cheap moving blankets. Might be better than foam but not in my opinion a better alternative. Worth trying 'if' you have them laying around for free to try. Not an investment I would recommend.
 
Wait, NRC values are ratings of the ability to absorb frequencies from moving through it.

*Thank you* for correcting my misunderstanding of NRC. I thought it was a measurement of transmission across a barrier, as this is how the term was used in many, many threads on here when I was building my studio in 2006.

I'm not talking about using a moving blanket as a broadband absorber, but as bass trapping in corners. Have you used moving blankets? They deaden and absorb sound really very well. It's not 703, but it's much better than foam if used thoughtfully. Someone with a roughly cubical room like the OP is gonna need a lot of bass trapping, and it sure can't hurt. I'd take a blanket, fold it lengthwise three or four times to make a thick rectangle, and hang it from the short end of the rectangle across a room corner. Then see how it does.

One can use cheap stuff + their ears to understand and tune a room. That's what I did. You need your ears to tell you whether the expensive stuff is working, too.

"Trying some common cheap solutions and listening to whether it works" is very different from "Try whatever and hope it works."
Dense material like moving blankets is going to get some decent bass trapping started for the OP. Professionally produced bass trapping is $$$ and in my experience, it's good to get started with things like moving blankets and a staple gun to see how it works in your space. Then build some 2" 2'x'4' 703 panels and a few 4" panels for the corners. You can use the moving blankets later to isolate things in the studio (temporary vocal or VO booths) or even to move things! That's what I did, and got a room to sound pretty good.

No need for that to "kill" ya! :)

Your NRC definition is again appreciated. I hate to be the victim and subsequent perpetrator of misinformation and misunderstanding.
 
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