Optional Acoustic Panels

[King_Cobra]

The other day I was given a few office panels.

http://modernoffice.stores.yahoo.net/propanels.html

Two are 24x24x2 and Four are 36x36x2 thick. Not sure what material they're made form, but they look very similar to this:

http://www.atsacoustics.com/cat--ATS...nels--100.html

Just wondering if I can use them as acoustic panels?
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I only have the internal panels. They did not come with the metal tracks. Seen on the website. The metal tracks where damaged so the company was getting rid of them. Under the panel's fabic it looks like three boards layered and clued together. I plan to use them in the control room. The control room does not have acoustic treatment. I plan to change the fabic and maybe get an installtion kit.

http://www.atsacoustics.com/cat--Accessories--103.html

Is there more I can do to modify their performance? Or is fiberglass boards the best choice?
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[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by King_Cobra

Or is fiberglass boards the best choice?

always the better choice...

I doubt those dividers will do much help. Especially if you say under the fabric they are just boards?? Rigid boards?

Don't cheat on acoustic treatment...get something that will actually benefit you. You wouldn't record an album with a $5 guitar from Walmart would you?

I think they'd reflect more than they'd absorb, or at the least, not do much of anything at all.

The site you linked to (ATS Acoustics) has very good prices for pre-built panels. Do yourself a HUGE favor and just buy those. It kind of sucks spending money on fiberglass, but not only will it make your studio LOOK better it will also sound better, and probably be easier and more fun to work in. It's the first thing I'm going to do once I buy a new geetar.

[bilco]

Give them a try, I think they will at least help absorb flutter echo in your room. Record something without them in the room and then repeat with them in the room. Those things usually do have have some kind of sound absorbing material in them.

bilco

[mrface2112]

they'll work pretty decently as gobos--for separating acoustic instrumentalists playing "live", electric guitar amps, mitigating some drum bleed in a live room, that sort of thing.......but don't mistake them for "acoustic treatment".


cheers,
wade

[King_Cobra]

Wow.. thanks for the advice guy!

[mixsit]

Originally Posted by King_Cobra

... I plan to change the fabic and maybe get an installtion kit.
..Is there more I can do to modify their performance? Or is fiberglass boards the best choice?

As was mentioned before they likely won't do acoustic treatment. If these happen to have at least an inch of fiber they would absorb some highs which might qualify for gobos. (Although a free flexing panel can absorb lows.)
There's two things going on here; Solid' reflects and/or isolates, fiberglass absorbs.
If you're going to re-wrap them why not add a 2-3" layer to each side

[Nameless]

Maybe attach some auralex to one side and a 1/4" to 3/4" piece of plywood on the other. And hang them on the walls to absorb some highs.

Or add 2" to 4" OC 703/705 to one side (would be easier with this because it's more rigid than mineral wool) and a piece of plywood to the other and use them as gobos.

As they are now I don't think they would do much for gobos. Or anything, really. But they will serve a purpose if you attach something to them that WILL do something, like rigid fiberglass or auralex foam.

[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by Nameless

Maybe attach some auralex to one side and a 1/4" to 3/4" piece of plywood on the other. And hang them on the walls to absorb some highs.

Or add 2" to 4" OC 703/705 to one side (would be easier with this because it's more rigid than mineral wool) and a piece of plywood to the other and use them as gobos.

As they are now I don't think they would do much for gobos. Or anything, really. But they will serve a purpose if you attach something to them that WILL do something, like rigid fiberglass or auralex foam.

yeah, but then you pretty much don't need the office panels. I mean, if you're going to make some 703 or auralex attached to plywood...might as well just forget the office panels then. No point to them anymore, imo.

[Robert D]

Actually, a lot of office partition construction these days is optimized for sound absorption, so don't necessarily discount these as having no real acoustical properties. I would suggest you mix them with some of the good stuff rather than just saying toss them.

[Nameless]

Originally Posted by bennychico11

yeah, but then you pretty much don't need the office panels. I mean, if you're going to make some 703 or auralex attached to plywood...might as well just forget the office panels then. No point to them anymore, imo.

In a home recording-on-a-budget, use-what-you-can-find situation, I think they're a good find. And they do have a use as something to attach foam or something else to.

And if they DO happen to have some sort of sound absorption properties then they might be worth something but I doubt much.

Obviously just buying 703 panels would be the best option, but in a guerrilla recording situation I think they might have a purpose.

For all I know, the poster could have plenty of money for 703 though, if that's the case then dump them or give them away or something and get some/build some 703 panels.