Nice DIY Acoustic Panels

[alohachris]

Aloha,

Good reminder - FR: 2016 Jake Stone thread RE: DIY Room Treatment for home recordists.

If you think you can achieve consistent & clear home recordings & also maximize any level of gear Not Using Room Treatment? Then you are crazy!

Anyway you do it - DIY or purchasing gobos, Using any material! - Get your space properly treated ASAP! Wanna improve your recordings? Get Treated! Or don't spend another dime on recording!

I'm a devoted fan of OC 703 rigid fiberglass. Never had any problem or health issue in making 22 4"x2'x4' broadband absorbers. When using building materials you must always use precautions like goggles, facemasks & long sleeves. And you don't ever handle any fiberglass material with bare skin. Common sense! Why use lesser material than the pro studio's do? Go with OC 703. I saved thousands of dollars in the longrun DIY.

Just do it!

alohachris

[Norberto]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

You can buy them at various places: ATS Acoustics, GIK Acoustics, Acoustimac etc. The come in various sizes and thicknesses, although thicker (4") is recommended, and "bass traps" (thicker but less dense material) in the corners.

I recently made my own similar to the ones in the video, and although they saved some money over commercially made, not as much as you might expect. If I took the difference in cost vs the time I spent making them, I hardly made minimum wage! DIY materials for a 24x48x4" panel (with OC703 material) was still around $60 each, vs $90 (after all taxes and shipping). I did use a nice fabric from ATS and could have saved $6-7 per panel by using burlap or something.

The cost in the original video is misleading. First, they are only 16" wide, so you would need to make more vs. 24" wide. Second, they use a fill (Safe'n'Sound) that is cheap but does not have the density to dampen sound as well as the proper material. And they are only 3" thick, not 4".

To do it right, you need a denser material that is not available at the local hardware store: Owens Corning 703, or Rockwool Rockboard 40 which you have to order from an insulation supply.

Thanks! I was looking here. Do you think these panels are good?

https://perfect-acoustic.com/termek/sound-panel/

Or do you suggest a membrane?

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by Norberto

Thanks! I was looking here. Do you think these panels are good?

https://perfect-acoustic.com/termek/sound-panel/

Or do you suggest a membrane?

Most studio panels use mineral wool or compressed fiberglass, without any membrane. The panels are covered with acousticallly transparent fabric.

This company is not in the USA where I am, but if they are using 90kg/m3 mineral wool like they say, it should be more than adequate. Typically, you want 10cm thick panels for walls, and thicker (15+ cm) for corners. Priority would be 2 corners, the wall behind you, and one panel to each side for first reflection points. The membrane panels probably aren't necessary. You'll get more out of having some bass absorbers in the corners.

[Norberto]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

Most studio panels use mineral wool or compressed fiberglass, without any membrane. The panels are covered with acousticallly transparent fabric.

This company is not in the USA where I am, but if they are using 90kg/m3 mineral wool like they say, it should be more than adequate. Typically, you want 10cm thick panels for walls, and thicker (15+ cm) for corners. Priority would be 2 corners, the wall behind you, and one panel to each side for first reflection points. The membrane panels probably aren't necessary. You'll get more out of having some bass absorbers in the corners.

Thank you, it was helpful!