Hey audiosexuals!

Man, I haven't come in here for ages, been so busy renovating the house and studio :D very exciting.

Based on this post (thank you very much to everyone that responded), I am building some acoustic panels sporadically in the next few weeks, when I get some time. I am wondering what are good options for good fabric to cover the acoustic panels. I have heard about cotton, burlap and other materials; and also about the breathing through test. If you have had any experience building your own acoustic panels, what have you tried? I am going for something breathable and hopefully fire-retardant.

As always, thanks in advance.

- Demon

 

Hi Demon, long time no read, indeed.

The cheapest and most effective solution I could find was rockwool panels. I bought 1.20m x 0.60m panels that are 2" thick. Placed on a wall with a clearance of 2" will double its effectiveness and trap lower frequencies than the very same panels placed straight against the wall. You can stack up panels for thicker mass that can work as corner bass traps. If I'm not wrong, I paid $10.00 for each panel in my hometown. I put the panels in 2" pine frames and then wrapped them in breathable-through fabric. The whole thing amounted to around $20 bucks per panel. The panels need to be wrapped, for rockwool will release particles that can be breathed, not a thing you want to do to your lungs.

Best if all to you in your new studio adventure.

Peace.

 

BTW, rockwool is fire-retardant.

 

Hey mercurysoto. Yeah man, I've been all over the place in the last couple of months. I only come in here rarely.

Thanks for the advice. The panels I am using are called "Soundscreen". They are made for studios, home theaters, etc. It is just like rockwool, but without the itchiness. They seem pretty damn good. My question was based more on the fabric to cover them. I do know that the fabric has to be breathable, but I am wondering what are good options besides sisal/burlap. I am wondering if there are any other fabrics (they all have weird names) that anyone else has used. What did you use for yours?

Thanks again mate.

 

fun fun bro! must be lovin it right?
https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26540&p=237967

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/bas...m-etc/189197-what-kind-fabric-bass-traps.html
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/bass-traps-acoustic-panels-foam-etc/655120-bass-trap-fabric.html

 

Nice to see you, Demon!
https://acousticalsolutions.com/product-category/acoustic-fabrics/

 

I guess you should hold it to your ears and not your lips when testing, eh?

 

It's like picking up a 40 year old radio program on an AM radio.

 

You posted twice, links to the same website, which is from China.... I wonder how many of us would buy this kind of things from China given the post cost and the taxes... Btw, this sites does not show prices ....

 

It's like sitting down on a cushion and smelling a fart from the day before.

 

Hello Damon, we used a poplin material which breaths but also can be printed on. The panels with Lennon and the U47 plus the panel with Lennon, George H and George M is 4' X5' with 4" thick rock wool and a breathable poplin material that I have images of the Beatles at Abbey Road printed on. I also, use coffee bean sacks filled with 701 (stiff acoustic insulation). That I placed on doors to reduce reflections. The panels need to be 4" thick to work down into the lower midrange. You can spray the burlap coffee bags with a 3M fire retardant.

Acoustical Performance

1. 2-1⁄2” A 0.21 absorption at 125hz
   
   
2. 3-1⁄2” A 0.48 absorption at 125hz

When you fur out the panel from the wall and leave an air space then the absorption coefficient increases as the space increases and you can typically get upwards of .7 absorption down at 125hz.
From 250hz to 4khz the absorption is roughly 90% or .9.

Cheers, Dave Thomas
aamicrophones.com

 

Hey Dave, it's so very nice to have you stop in here and I hope that for all the member's at this site's sake that you do so often. Your deep and encyclopedic knowledge of everything and anything to do within the realm of audio, from this incarnation of creating some of the best professional microphones with AA Microphones, to being a founding member of Ocean Sound Studios in Vancouver as well as its Technical Designer and Director, and so based on your years of experience in the industry, would be a boon and a real gift to this place. Please, please please come by again when and where you feel you can contribute.

 

Hey Dave,

Thanks for your reply. It has been ages since the original post and I did make some acoustic panels. They work beautifully!

Thanks again for your input, it's really interesting.