Question on heavy drapes

[RogerL.]

Most of the time we discuss the insulation behind a surface or baffles in different locations to control bass response or signal bounce. I was talking with a friend the other day and he was recommending using heavy drapes on each wall with a sort of billowing material covering the ceiling as a good sound treatment in my small studio. Thoughts?

 

[miroslav]

That would work on the upper mids/highs......not so much on the low end.

So do you want to hang drapes and billowing material all over your room, and have it look like a funeral parlor, or insead hang a few broadband traps and have it look like a studio?

 

[mjbphotos]

That would work on the upper mids/highs......not so much on the low end.

So do you want to hang drapes and billowing material all over your room, and have it look like a funeral parlor

and sound as dead - and still muddy?!

 

[RogerL.]

Thanks, I was thinking along those same lines, he was stating that the room could serve a double duty as the drapes could be drawn back. I live in AZ so the thought of having this billowing affair over head sounded like a real dust trap to me. I just wanted some different input incase I was thinking wrong

 

[Wish]

No highs and a potential fire trap.

 

[RogerL.]

+1 on the fire trap

 

[jhbrandt]

Roger,

Well, drapes are good for a few things... Acoustically, they are a MUCH more expensive absorption material. But if you need something that you can pull back now and again, heavy theater curtains fit the bill.

You are most likely best off building some traps that you can hang on the walls and ceiling. Use a rigid fiberglass or rock wool - not heavier than 4pcf or 60kg/m3. - That's pounds per cubic foot & kilograms per cubic meter.
I recommend a minimum thickness of 4" or 10 cm. & cover with a nice fabric that matches your decor.

Cheers,
John

 

[jim0385]

I use cheap grommet curtains It's a quick and inexpensive fix and i defiantly notice a difference, does the trick for me.

 

[Dogbreath]

I use cheap grommet curtains It's a quick and inexpensive fix and i defiantly notice a difference, does the trick for me.

I'd imagine it's just taking care of the highs and high mids. Most studios have a problem in the low's.
Those don't do anything for the lows.

 

[Jens Eklund]

I'd imagine it's just taking care of the highs and high mids. Most studios have a problem in the low's.
Those don't do anything for the lows.

+1