The real white acoustic panel thread

C

Chill

New member
Please keep the flamewar on the other thread. Please keep your comments about the use of white acoustic panels for acoustic treatments in this thread.

RICK FITZPATRICK said:
It depends on the manufacturer and model/type. I actually am using some of these tiles myself. However, they are the correct type which is a yellow rigid fiberglass with a vinyl layer on one face. I've peeled this off and stack them to make up to 4" thickness. If these are free, yellow fiberglass, and you have lots of them........WOO WOO!!! If they are the standard paper mache type with holes....forget it. :D
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How can you tell the difference between the paper type and the fiberglass type?

What are you using them for and how well to they work compared to, say 703?
 
the insulation will have one or two inches of fiberglass on the side that faces the ceiling. These are usefull if they are faced out. If it has no insulation, you are in trouble.
 
Chill said:
How can you tell the difference between the paper type and the fiberglass type?

What are you using them for and how well to they work compared to, say 703?
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Look at the edge, you can see the fiberglass.

They aren't as compressed as rigid fiberglass, at least the ones I've seen. Anyway, the acoustic performance data is generally avaiable from the manufacturer's site. Typically these panels--paper or fiberglass, will offer good, but not complete, absorption of high-mid to high frequencies, little mid, and no bass absorption. Either type is useful for building a floating cloud. I don't think I'd use them on walls.

Rick's stacked fiberglass panel approach will work if you can't source rigid fiberglass, or if the panels are cheaper.
 
mshilarious said:
Look at the edge, you can see the fiberglass.
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Does it look like the looser batt insulation fiberglass, or does it look denser than that? It looks like I have two kinds of tiles, both of which look "fibrous" and could be paper based or fiberglass based.
 
Chill said:
Does it look like the looser batt insulation fiberglass, or does it look denser than that? It looks like I have two kinds of tiles, both of which look "fibrous" and could be paper based or fiberglass based.
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A little denser. The paper stuff is like pressboard or some of it looks like drywall. The edges are usually the same material as the back.

Can you post a picture?
 
Most of the white acoustic panels your referring to are used to break up echos and waves of speach in schools, offices or conference rooms.
 
mshilarious said:
Can you post a picture?
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Here's a pic of each kind I have. One has some wood planking glued onto it, but you can see a bit of the fibers in the pic, the other has a whitish covering to it which was not as easy as I thought it would be to tear off the corner.
 

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Chill said:
Here's a pic of each kind I have. One has some wood planking glued onto it, but you can see a bit of the fibers in the pic, the other has a whitish covering to it which was not as easy as I thought it would be to tear off the corner.
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Hmm, kind of blurry. #2 looks like fiberglass and #1 does not. I'm not sure though.

On second look at #2, maybe not. That facing would peel off fiberglass and just take a bit with it.
 
Hello Chill. Well, I looked at your pictures. #1 is definitely NOT rigid fiberglass.
#2 kinda looks like it, but then again its NOT what I have. And btw, I do believe these panels I have(about 25) are Owens Corning 703, although since I have never bought any I can't be sure. I found these panels in the shed out back when I bought the house. There was a box with them that had the Owens Corning lable on them and the panels are definitely yellow rigid fiberglass. They have a vinyl face on one side that peels off real easy. I am planning on purchasing some 4" in about two weeks, so I'll know for sure then.
fitZ

ps. I see you are in Portland. I'm in Coos Bay. Howdy neighbor!! :D
 
I'd take better pics if I could, but my camera is old and has trouble with in-focus closeup shots of small areas....

The front face did not peel off very easily, it was well-attached to the material and took some of the material with it. Sounds like they may be paper. :( But at least I'll be able to break up echoes from speech at schools and offices. :cool:

PS: small world, eh Rick? I'm always surprised at how many people and things are in OR and SW WA.
 
RICK FITZPATRICK said:
There was a box with them that had the Owens Corning lable on them and the panels are definitely yellow rigid fiberglass. They have a vinyl face on one side that peels off real easy. I am planning on purchasing some 4" in about two weeks, so I'll know for sure then.
fitZ
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The tiles I've seen are a little less dense than 703. What is the lighter version, 701? Anyway, let us know what you find.
 
I have not done lab tests but...

I've done an FFT analyisis of a 12'x12' room.... A drop ceiling seems to help tame the high end ring a bit. The ceiling was that white acoustic tile dropped about 10" or so from a wooden ceiling. I'm guessing with insulation behind this stuff it would do OK.

The 12x12 had a carpeted floor, a corner closet jutting out, a drumset, and a large computer desk, but left a @5db cut at multiples of 1k.

The response in there was pretty flat, but the mids/mid-lows were still swampy. Untreated corners too :(


Just very quick testing. Probably indeed designed for mild attenuation of voice frequencies. I'd guess could be used as a bass trap system if designed and baffled properly...

I know I'm going to go with a drop ceiling in my own drum room now. The tiles are going to be laid in a slight \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ pattern for diffusion.
 
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