acoustic foam

[just-some-guy]

i'm thinkin of getting some of this. what are some good and some bad places to get it from ?

 

[WmAx]

i'm thinkin of getting some of this. what are some good and some bad places to get it from ?

Echobusters (very overpriced) and Auralex are known to have excellent measured performance vs. thickness. Most foam sources are questionable, though. You are better off just going with high density fiberglass/rockwool based acoustical treatments. At best, the absolute highest performing/costly foam ones will about equal(but maybe not quite) the high density fiberglass/rockwool based solutions.

-Chris

 

[just-some-guy]

i know foam is not a cure all, or even does much at all, unless its pretty thick.
i am going to combine it with something i know works. the foam is going to be mostly Aesthetic. i had some years ago, and i like the way it looks.

what is that high density fiberglass ?

 

[WmAx]

i know foam is not a cure all, or even does much at all, unless its pretty thick.
i am going to combine it with something i know works. the foam is going to be mostly Aesthetic. i had some years ago, and i like the way it looks.

what is that high density fiberglass ?

Owens Corning 705 fiberglass or 6-8# rockwool boards. The rockwook will be much cheaper and have equal performance.

How about using relatively thin foam(s) for the exterior cosmetics, and using the fiber panels underneath?

-Chris

 

[just-some-guy]

i am googling. is that like drop ceiling panels ?

 

[just-some-guy]

...................................

 

[just-some-guy]

i am looking at these products. just flat foam would work. but not that good looking.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Thick-Studio-Acoustic-Soundproofing-Foam-Tiles-72x68_W0QQitemZ260364663983QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item260364663983&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A4|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A200

this one here, is something along the lines of what i want. not exactly, but something like it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Thick-Studio-Acoustic-Soundproofing-Foam-Tiles-72x68_W0QQitemZ260364663983QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item260364663983&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A4|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A200

 

[Savant]

Personally (and there is some bias - I used to work for them), I would go with AudioTiles from Auralex if I were in the market for foam. Amazing concept and performance with ample aesthetic possibilities.

 

[just-some-guy]

Personally (and there is some bias - I used to work for them), I would go with AudioTiles from Auralex if I were in the market for foam. Amazing concept and performance with ample aesthetic possibilities.

that stuff is great. but i bet it cost a lot.

 

[avaserfi]

If you want foam with actual absorbant capabilities below the treble region it won't be cheap.

 

[jostenmeat]

just some guy, what/how are you going to use the stuff? As has been mentioned, you are going to have a hard time at best in finding "foam" to be broadband at all. Are you looking to only kill the highs?

here is another material that may or may not interest you, acoustical cotton.

http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/echo_eliminator/wall_panel.htm

 

[just-some-guy]

yeah, i know the foam is only good for the very high frequencys. its pretty much just for looks. i like the way the stuff looks. i have a flexicore ceiling, and the resulting slap echo. i used to have the firm type drop ceiling panels, mounted 2 rows 5 each = 8' wide x 10' long. with a 3" gap between them and the ceiling. that just KILLED the echo. i took them down hoping to sell the place and get a house, but that never panned out. so i want to put them back up, but with foam on them.

 

[bpape]

What it actually did was kill the upper mid and high frequency echo that you're more sensitive to. The bass through lower mids is still 'echoing' (called ringing, long decay times, etc.) and muddying things up.

By treating only the upper mids and highs, you're not only missing a more important piece of the problem. Most rooms have a reasonable amount of items in them that are already absorptive in the upper mids and highs (think padded furniture, carpet, curtains, etc.) but very little that is good at controlling the bottom few octaves. Using things like foam are only skewing it farther toward being too dead in the highs and too live in the lows (including dialog).

Bryan

 

[just-some-guy]

ok, so. what are some good lower freq solutions ? moreso, how do i test to see if i have a lower freq problem ?

 

[bpape]

If you don't have any low frequency treatment, you have a problem. Every room has this issue. While it may or may not be a frequency response problem, it's still a decay time problem.

To deal with the subwoofer range, you'll need porous absorbers 4+ inches thick and/or some sealed membrane type absorbers (narrower in focus and less efficient per unit area - but thinner for deep deep bass)

Bryan

 

[just-some-guy]

i will keep that in mind. right now, my major problem is things rattling = pictures, vents, whatever. after that is the slap echo. i probably will be doing diy subs this summer (if i am still employed). after this, i will do some trap treatments.

but, for now. i want my "somewhat" dedicated HT room (living room. its MY room, wife was no say. though she does like the watching movies. and i do listen if she has any input) to look "cool". and the foam will give me what i want.

 

[skers_54]

I'd follow WmAx's suggestion and get some rockwool. It works great and can be found cheaply from local insulation contractors. I got 4 sheets from a guy for free .

 

[just-some-guy]

i'm looking for some rockwool. you guys know best, so i will listen.

now, for the bass. where and how much, should i put this stuff ? i know this is a general question. so lets see if a general answer will do.

 

[bpape]

To deal with bass, you're looking at needing at least 4" thicknesses.

Placement in general:

- Room Corners
- Behind speakers to deal with boundary impacts if they're close to a wall
- Rear wall of room behind the seating to deal with nulls off the rear wall.

Which of these you use will depend on how close you're able to get frequency response via seating, sub, and speaker placement so you can concentrate more on just decay times.

Bryan

 

[just-some-guy]

is rockwool self supporting, or will i need to build a frame/whatever ? where can i see a buildup of some rockwool ?

thanx a ton.