My DIY acoustic panel build

[shmaller]

I'm working on an album and want to record everything myself. So I turned a small room in my apartment into a recording space.

1. Watched this YouTube video:
2. Went to Home Depot and bought enough lumber to make twelve 4' long pieces and twelve 2' long pieces, eyehooks for hanging, and twelve 2'x4' batts of Rockwool
3. Drilled the lumber together to make wooden frames, installed hooks on inside of frame towards rear.
4. Picked up some fabric from a nearby fabric store.
5. Stapled boring inner fabric to the inside of frame.
6. Laid down pretty outer fabric, laid Rockwool inside outer fabric, put frame on black-fabric-side-down, pulled the outer fabric tight and stapled all around (took almost 1000 staples for all 6 panels)
7. Hung them from picture wire off the hooks.
8. Realized I needed a rug and moving blankets too, so back to Home Depot for those.

It sounds... better. It does not sound like an immaculately treated recording studio; there is still a noticeable early reflection. But I need to get back to recording to stay on track, so it will have to do for now -- this was only supposed to enable me to record mics, not become its own endless project!!

I am able to use an Oktava Mk 12 and an SM57 in here and they sound awesome. I also have an AKG Perception 220 LDC which is very finicky, I'm really only able to use it in here if I drape one of the moving blankets over my head and the mic lol.

Just found this site, happy to be here
s

 

[Eric Malone]

I think I watched that same video, when I was going to build some panels (again, I've built a few in the past).

Good for you! That is awesome building your own panels. And it does make a difference for sure on early reflections. Considerably more frequencies dealt with then your usual Amazon foam stuff (which I use a bit of as well).

I built some last summer, in a similar fashion, but my frames were at a depth to lay the rockwool inside of the frame, and then use some sort of fabric to cover it.

I like the fabric you found, nice designs.

You must be in Canada since you are using Safe and Sound. Using the often suggested Owens Corning 703 is impossible to obtain here. It's like trying to buy DHEA.


EL

 

[shmaller]

You must be in Canada since you are using Safe and Sound. Using the often suggested Owens Corning 703 is impossible to obtain here. It's like trying to buy DHEA.

New York, actually!

I built some last summer, in a similar fashion, but my frames were at a depth to lay the rockwool inside of the frame, and then use some sort of fabric to cover it.

Yeah the YouTube video suggests adding a shell of hardboard around the wooden frame and then dropping the insulation into there. But HD wouldn't cut hardboard for me, and I didn't have a good way to do it at home, so... I just said screw it and ditched the shell, and the staples and cloth hold all the weight of the insulation lol. It's not too heavy, and I used quite a few of them, so I think it's OK this way.

s

 

[mbsmike]

That is really cool. How did you decide how many panels you needed for the size of your room?

 

[spantini]

Your panels are definitely nicer looking than mine from 7 years back. Good project.

CLICK THIS TO EXPAND ↓

Post in thread 'My first attempt at controlling room acoustics'

Dec 2, 2017

Now remember... you guys MADE me do this!
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1. See previous post. I cut cardboard moving box into 3" strips, then duct taped them into 6 (wobbly) 46" x 30" x 3" rectangular frames.



2. 1-Pkg Roxul: 12-pieces 15.25" x 47" x 3" : First piece in frame.



3. Second piece of Roxul inserted into frame.



4. Taped across corners to square them up.




5. Wrapped fabric around - folded and taped like a gift package. Then ran a single strip of tape around the...

• spantini

 

[shmaller]

That is really cool. How did you decide how many panels you needed for the size of your room?

Well, the room sounded awful and echoey before, so I just wanted as much coverage as possible. Measured the walls, and anything that could fit a ~2.5 ft wide panel got one. Wound up with six panels overall.

Your panels are definitely nicer looking than mine from 7 years back. Good project.

CLICK THIS ↓

Thread 'My first attempt at controlling room acoustics'

Oct 29, 2017

I have a small budget and need to build some portable panels for use in my small efficiency.

I've seen lots of posts here about rock wool and fiberglass insulation usage for controlling acoustics in reflective spaces. Further reading mentions dust problems with wool and, of course, fiberglass strands (I'm painfully aware of the latter).

Recent posts and articles have stated kraft faced R30 fiberglass works better at controlling room reflectivity; better than rock wool. This would seem to offer some advantages: better acoustical properties; less loose material (if handled properly)...

• spantini
• Replies: 39
• Forum: Studio Building & Acoustic Treatment

These look a lot easier to construct than mine! Between Home Depot, the fabric store, the lumber work, and the final assembly, it probably took me five full afternoons (over like a couple of months). I was sore for days after hunching over with a staple gun for 2 hours lol.

Are you still using these?

s

 

[spantini]

Are you still using these?

No. I left them behind when I moved. I'm getting by with a single panel, newly constructed to fill a single window opening.

 

[shmaller]

No. I left them behind when I moved. I'm getting by with a single panel, newly constructed to fill a single window opening.

The most reflective surface in my recording room is the window, but I can't bring myself to do anything about it because it would be so depressing and dingy in there if I covered it up haha.

 

[spantini]

The most reflective surface in my recording room is the window, but I can't bring myself to do anything about it because it would be so depressing and dingy in there if I covered it up haha.

I hear ya. I cannot stand overhead lighting of any kind, so I have LED lamps scattered about the room. Plugging my window with the Roxul panel completely cuts off all daylight and is extremely depressing.