Acoustic Foam

[permanent hearing damage]

is this stuff really worth the $$$? should i just buy some mattress pads instead? i just need to take care of one wall (about 12' x 8' would do it).

i'd rather not have the ugly yellow stuff on the wall. is there anything cheaper than the auralex stuff?

thanks for your input

[Al]

Are you looking for acoustic deadning, or soundproofing?

I have acoustic tiles and soundproofing foam, agreed not cheap, but ordinary foam is far too dense and can tend to muffle things slightly, it only takes a small area of tile on a wall for vocals and such.

The soundproofing foam is very affective, there is other options like using old sleeping bags, i would say it's worth buying though.

Al

[junomat]

is this stuff really worth the $$$? should i just buy some mattress pads instead? i just need to take care of one wall (about 12' x 8' would do it).

i'd rather not have the ugly yellow stuff on the wall. is there anything cheaper than the auralex stuff?

thanks for your input

i am sure i will get plowed for this, so here goes!

i used the cheap ugly yellow stuff on the wall (and used carpet foam behind it, as well) and put up silk (you could probably use cotton) fabric over it - pick a pattern! ...it totally warms up the place... i dont like seeing that foam in any studio... that foam is quite ugly, in my opinion...

not too sure how the fabric effects the sound, if much at all...

just my 6cents.

mat

[Al]

i dont like seeing that foam in any studio... that foam is quite ugly, in my opinion...


That's because it makes it look like a padded cell for a loony!.
Good idea about the material covering, dont think it will harm anything, they'll still do the job, my ones are grey, very garish looking, but their not supposed to serve any cosmetic purpose, you can get the fancy coloured stuff, but that's way too expensive.

You can always improvise.

[chetatkinsdiet]

I don't work there or have any affiliations, but I've ordered a bunch of different foam products from www.foambymail.com and it's really cheap and very well made. Also, most importantly, these days, is that it's flame proof...or it meets fire codes. That's a better way to put it.
Anyway, I've ordered small batches to put on one side of gobos for a tad of absorption and really dug it. Also gotten the thicker stuff for the wall behind my monitors.
later,
m

[lsn110]

I second the foambymail.com place. They seem to have exactly the same line of foam products and colors as Auralex for much less money. They were very friendly and helpful the time I ordered from them.

[/b]

[junomat]

i dont like seeing that foam in any studio... that foam is quite ugly, in my opinion...


That's because it makes it look like a padded cell for a loony!.
Good idea about the material covering, dont think it will harm anything, they'll still do the job, my ones are grey, very garish looking, but their not supposed to serve any cosmetic purpose, you can get the fancy coloured stuff, but that's way too expensive.

You can always improvise.

i was talking about any foam

yeah, i never understood why more studios did use the fabric covering the acoustic foam to make it look more nice and interesting... so maybe it does have to do with quality... that or unstylish owners

[supafuzz]

wow foam by mail
I'm gonna get the 2" memory foam topper for my bed...
that stuff is great
thanks!!

[JES]

Acoustic foam is more absorptive than other kinds of foam and if you can afford the foambymail stuff, go for it. It will help. If you just want absorption, though, go for fiberglass. Check out the acoustics FAQ and the info at realtraps.com, who sell raw fiberglass for not much money.

Best,
--JES

[norton]

do the research before you spend any $ on foam... i had a bunch of it up and have recently replaced like 75% of it with bass traps and a big diffusor panel i made.

the diffusor made a huge noticeable difference, where the foam just looked like foam on the wall. and the bass traps have been a bit more subtle but way, way, way more effective than any foam could be. I'm just glad i got the foam at axeman and didn't have to pay much for it.

read up on andy hong's reports here and at his website....and at realtraps too. tons of great info.

[TapeOpAndy]

Biggest bang for the buck? Raw, rigid fiberglas (700-series Owens-Corning or equivalent) that you "face" yourself with fabric.

For the amount of foam you'd need to accomplish the same amount of absorption, the rigid fiberglas will be cheaper.

I used a mix of 700-series based products and foam in my studio. Foam made sense in some areas where construction and installation of the fiberglas components would have been prohibitively expensive (in terms of cash to pay someone else OR headache factor if I faced and installed it myself).

If you want premade 700-series products, go with MicroTraps from RealTraps and baffles and panels from Acoustical Solutions.

If you go the DIY route, you can order rigid fiberglas from a good lumber-yard. Or you can order 700-series from RealTraps.

And don't forget to treat for low end too. MiniTraps, also from RealTraps, are a great solution.

[Ethan Winer]

Andy,

Thanks for the plug. But for all: foam - even the so-called "fire treated" type - is not fireproof by any stretch. It still burns and smolders, and more important creates gobs of smoke which is the real danger.

--Ethan