Archive for Recording

sound-diffusion-wallSound deadening foam has many uses that determine how sound moves around a room, and how it fills the space in that room. Using different foam panels, you can redirect sound, eliminate white noise for a crisper recording, dampen bass and more. It’s all about learning which panels are best for diffusion, and which are best for absorption.

Diffusion

When you diffuse sound, you spread it throughout the space. Diffusion is good when you need to hear something in a larger space. It helps reduce echo, while filling the room with sound. These types of acoustic foam panels tend to have sharp edges to them. The sound just bounces off those edges at it travels through space.

Diffusing foam panels include:

  • Pyramid panels
  • Wedge panels
  • Spade panels (while they absorb sound, they also help clarify it)

Deadening

Deadening the sound in a room helps to remove echo, reduce white noise exposure and create an excellent space for recording. Sound deadening can also be useful in apartments, where loud music systems can cause problems with neighbors. In general deadening panels tend to be much flatter than diffusal panels.

Deadening acoustic foam includes:

  • Eggcrate panels (especially effective when used with soundproofing cloth)
  • Grid panels
  • Wave panels

Final Thoughts

Appearance also plays a role, which is why eggcrate is the least expensive option for sound deadening. If you’re trying to build a professional recording studio, grid or wave panels are going to be your first choice. They look nice, do the job well, and provide the best absorption for the cost. You may also want corner bass absorbers, which help to remove echo that the acoustic foam can’t catch in the corners of the room.


The Foam Factory, Inc. carries a variety of sound deadening foam panels for use in the home, or at a professional recording studio.

acoustic-triangleIf you’re looking into sound deadening foam, you’ll quickly realize you have more than a few options to choose from. These foam products fulfill different needs, and work at different ranges. This guide will discuss the three major varieties of soundproofing foam, but there are many to choose from. Of the many, people seem to usually go for wedge, pyramid or egg crate foam patterns.

Wedge Foam

So called “wedge” acoustic foam has wedges cut into it, which are usually about one to four inches in thickness. It functions best at the mid-high frequency range and has much stronger absorption as the frequency is raised.

Pyramid Foam

Pyramid acoustic foam panels are better at diffusing sound than absorbing it. That’s because the pyramid wedges are cut with 4 sides that meet at a point. This provides a great deal of surface area to work with, and ultimately a slightly higher rate of absorption than wedge.

Egg Crate

Similar to what you might find in people’s beds, egg crate foam is an excellent choice for those who desire sound deadening without the money to build a professional sound studio. If you pair this type of foam with acoustic cloth, you’ll see an immediate improvement in recording quality on a rather shoestring budget. It’s excellent for home studios.

Final Thoughts

You can buy foam in sheets as thick as four inches, depending on what you need. Those foam sheets should help to either diffuse or deaden the sound. As a general rule, you want to diffuse sound to control acoustics, such that someone can stand anywhere in the room and hear clearly, and deaden sound to reduce background noise.


The Foam Factory, Inc. distributes foam products across the United States and Canada, including mattresses, acoustic foam, and packaging solutions.