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This is a serious question that deserves your attention. What rate and level of absorption do you need for your room musical usage? All acoustic foams have different rates and levels of absorption and you must choose the one that will accomplish your absorption goals.

What Problem Are You Looking To Solve With Your Acoustic Foam?

Are you absorbing reflected energy to minimize reflections from the side walls at the listening or monitoring position? Are you using absorption on the ceiling to lower reverberation times and manage ceiling reflections? Maybe you should be using diffusion. Maybe you should be using absorption and diffusion in some type of ratio of absorption to diffusion. Foams are good lightweight and cost effective solutions but you must know what you need and match the acoustic foam absorption rates and levels to your needs.

Vocals and instruments require different absorption treatments. There is a frequency range from 100 Hz. – 800 Hz. that must be effectively managed if both music and vocals are to be heard in their entirety. This frequency range is the heart of the human vocal range for both male and female vocals. Too much absorption used in this area will suppress the timbre and tonal qualities that are inherent in every vocal. Instruments must have the correct rate and level of absorption to allow for the attack and decay of every note to shine through and not be stepped on by other frequencies.

So in this video I explore what I believe to be the most important factors you need to consider when thinking about the use of acoustic foam.

I trust this post has been helpful. You can gain access to more exclusive in depth video training and tutorials on room acoustics by signing up to our mailing list here.

Thanks and speak soon
Dennis

Dennis Foley

I am an acoustic engineer with over 30 years’ experience in the business. My technology has been used in Electric Lady Land Studios, Sony Music of New York, Cello Music and Films founded by Mark Levinson, and Saltmines Studios in Mesa, Arizona, along with hundreds of others.

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