carpeting vs acoustical foam??

[ShellShock]

I have a feeling this question has already been asked and Im sorry if it has...but can carpeting on the walls of my vocal booth work just as well as acoustic foam ?? or should i hold out to just get foam ...?(im not trying for isolation)

[SRR]

Carpeting doesn't do very well at absorption, so in a word no. Also look into 2inch 703/rockwool/etc. panels, but foam is miles better then carpet.

[Dani Pace]

I think most will agree... carpet is for floors. Two main reasons, it dosen't work well for absorbtion/diffusion on walls and it can be a fire hazzard.

[Shout It Out]

Carpet is a no go. DIY sound absorbtion is the way to go these days.

[Seeker of Rock]

i'm getting ready to post to myself after this reply (because no one wants to join in on my threads ) but I will tell you this...I've spent the last several hours moving equipment out to the new room and more importantly, installing the treatment I've accumulated in the last few months in anticipation of getting the room up and running. I have two MiniTraps (Ethan Winer's product) and one side wall treated with Auralex 'Metro' foam. So I'm not even done installing the other side of the room (which I have the materials for), and I will testify that it is not bullshit. No music tests yet (still moving in) but when I shouted or moved something before the partial treatment, it sounded like walking into an empty room in a new house...you know the sound. Now it sounds "controlled", for lack of a better word. The room acoustics by installing only half of what I plan (two more traps and diffusion on the back wall) have COMPLETELY changed the sound of the room. If you are thinking about treating your space, I can honestly testify that it is not BS...you WILL hear night and day acoustically. I have the foam on velcro and the MiniTraps on standard issue hangers (like a big picture), so once I get things hooked up I may record a quick A/B of something simple and post it, just so people can hear the difference treating a room makes.

Long story coming to a conclusion, ABSOLUTELY invest in treatment in your spaces.

[bpape]

GOOD foam is better than carpet if it's thick enough. Cheap foam is just as bad.

703 or 4.5lb mineral wool IMO is the way to go if you're going to DIY something.

Bryan

[ShellShock]

Im just going to be simple and buy 2" thick foam off of ebay

[apl]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

Im just going to be simple and buy 2" thick foam off of ebay

Foam By Mail are liars.

[c7sus]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

Im just going to be simple and buy 2" thick foam off of ebay

Do rockwool instead. It's not that much more and actually does something you want done.

That foam stuff is a nasty fire hazard. I won't have it in the house.

[ShellShock]

yeah well Im usin m audio 1814 and I hear you dont really have to worry to much about your surrounding, especially with rap music...ive seen a lot of studios who just set the mic up around foam, iduno..I guessyou gotta try to learn..

[c7sus]

Just because some clown puts foam around his mics doesn't mean it does anything.

And it doesn't.

Check out Ethan Winers' website. He explains this stuff very well and offers both commercial and roll-yer-own solutions.

Also John Sayers if you want to get into slot resonators and control room design.

[apl]

www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

Don't by Foam-by-mail. It doesn't work.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by apl

www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html
Don't by Foam-by-mail. It doesn't work.

Or at least it doesn't work very well. It does change the sound some.

When I first started pointing out that Foam By Mail is a fraud in the various forums, someone would invariable pipe up and say he bought FBM and it made a big improvement. There's no nice way for me to say, "You are a total newbie, and while I applaud you for at least doing something to treat your room, I'll bet $100 you are clueless when it comes to what good acoustic treatment sounds like."

So I'd usually end up saying nothing just to avoid coming off as an arrogant know-it-all.

Of course, I am an arrogant know-it-all, but that's a different story.

--Ethan

[bpape]

Ethan.

I wish you'd quit beating around the bush and say what you think occasionally!

Bryan

[BillyBo]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

yeah well Im usin m audio 1814 and I hear you dont really have to worry to much about your surrounding, especially with rap music...ive seen a lot of studios who just set the mic up around foam, iduno..I guessyou gotta try to learn..

if you are trying to obtain anything like this for hiphop vocals, go with sE's Electronics Reflexion Filter

http://www.seelectronics.com/rf.html

get it for about $299 from anywhere.

[Mindset]

The only time I use carpet for anything, is the podium I put my lyrics on. A small piece of carpet on there, helps. Other than that, you CAN use carpet... just make sure it's like 3-4 feet thick layered lol.

[apl]

Originally Posted by Mindset

The only time I use carpet for anything, is the podium I put my lyrics on. A small piece of carpet on there, helps. Other than that, you CAN use carpet... just make sure it's like 3-4 feet thick layered lol.

I should have added in my post above about that reflection off the floor that your brain processes...

Carpet absorbs only high frequencies which muddies that first reflection.

[Caiwyn]

Originally Posted by apl

www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

Don't by Foam-by-mail. It doesn't work.

Does that go for all other foam as well, such as Auralex?

[apl]

Originally Posted by Caiwyn

Does that go for all other foam as well, such as Auralex?

No, Auralex is good stuff. I don't like foam because it gets old and if it burns it puts out nasty fumes.

[Caiwyn]

How good is Auralex foam, then? Does a good Auralex foam panel (say, the pyramid foam) compare to the rigid fiberglass panels from RealTraps? I'm curious because a MicroTrap from RealTraps costs about twice what a 2x4 pyramid foam panel (4" thick) from Auralex costs...

[apl]

Originally Posted by Caiwyn

How good is Auralex foam, then? Does a good Auralex foam panel (say, the pyramid foam) compare to the rigid fiberglass panels from RealTraps? I'm curious because a MicroTrap from RealTraps costs about twice what a 2x4 pyramid foam panel (4" thick) from Auralex costs...

Realtraps are membrane absorbers, not fiberglass panels. 4" foam starts nosediving below 250Hz. The MicroTraps aren't really intended for low frequency absorption, either, which is usually what needs the most attention in project studios.

[apl]

OK, here's a handy graph...

[Caiwyn]

Originally Posted by apl

Realtraps are membrane absorbers, not fiberglass panels. 4" foam starts nosediving below 250Hz. The MicroTraps aren't really intended for low frequency absorption, either, which is usually what needs the most attention in project studios.

Awesome graph, thanks! Looks like there's really no substitute for the Mondo/Mini Traps. But the auralex foam could be a very suitable replacement for the MicroTraps. Maybe I should go with the Mondo/Mini Traps for bass absorption and some Auralex foam for reflections?

[apl]

Originally Posted by Caiwyn

Awesome graph, thanks! Looks like there's really no substitute for the Mondo/Mini Traps. But the auralex foam could be a very suitable replacement for the MicroTraps. Maybe I should go with the Mondo/Mini Traps for bass absorption and some Auralex foam for reflections?

I did my room with 703.

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=226980

[Caiwyn]

I don't have a lot of time to build my own stuff, so I'm more interested in buying pre-made acoustic treatments. I'll stick with the Mini and Mondo Traps for now, and for the reflection points I'll go with either 4" Auralex or make my own panels out of 703 if it's not too hard.