F.A.Q.
PROJECTS
What is a computational model of a room?
It is a 3D computational model of the room that can be used to predict several parameters related to the sound behaviour inside the space.
It is used in large rooms such as auditoriums or churches to predict the acoustics due to the complexity of these types of spaces.
It is a much more accurate and advanced prediction method than numerical formulas.
ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS
What software can I use to measure my studio or home cinema?
For acoustic measurements we recommend Room EQ Wizard, a shareware software that can be used both in MAC or PC.
Link: https://www.roomeqwizard.com/
SOUNDPROOFING
I want to isolate the sound coming from my neighbour and I heard that I can glue acoustical panels on my walls or ceiling to improve the sound insulation. It this true ?
No. Adding acoustic panels to the ceiling or wall does NOT improve sound insulation. It just makes the room “drier” in terms of sound.
You always have to build a false ceiling or wall with good acoustical soundproofing performance.
ACOUSTICAL TREATMENT
How can I evaluate the effectiveness of an acoustic panel in terms of absorption?
All acoustical panels have an absorption graph that shows the acoustical behaviour along the frequency where 1 represents 100% of sound absorption and 0 represents 0 % of sound absorption.
Some products also have a NRC coefficient (Noise Reduction Coefficient) that varies between 0 and 1 and represents the average absorption value of the octave bands values spanning from 250 to 2000 Hz.
Do pyramidal shaped foams perform better than flat shaped foams with the same thickness?
No. Contrary to popular belief, for the same thickness a flat shaped foam has greater absorption than a pyramidal shaped foam.
PRODUCTS
What is the difference between an acoustical panel with fabric and without fabric?
Acoustically there should be no difference. The fabric should be transparent to sound and does not alter the properties of the absorbent material.
The difference between the two cases is visual.
Why do some acoustical panels have absorption above 1?
Sound absorption varies between 0 and 1, ie 0% and 100% absorption.
Some materials when tested in the laboratory present absorption graphs with values in some octave bands above 1.
The reason for these high values has to do with measurement procedures.
What is an acoustical diffuser ?
Acoustical diffusers are panels that are used to spread sound and increase sound spatiality while maintaining the acoustics of the space but still eliminating echoes and other acoustical problems.
They usually have a complex geometries to break the sound into smaller reflections.
They are generally made of wood although more economical models are made of EPS.
They are fundamental elements in spaces dedicated for music such as recording studios, music practice rooms, auditoriums, theaters, etc …
What types of diffusers exists the market?
Acoustical diffusers can be separated into:
- spatial diffusers (a sound reflection is reflected by an angle greater than the angle of incidence eg poly-cylindrical) but without time delay
- time diffusers (a sound reflection is reflected in several reflections of less intensity and with small delays between them eg: QRD / Skyline)
They can also be separated into:
- diffusers that act only in one plane (example: QRD) – 1D diffuser
- diffusers acting on both planes: horizontal and vertical (example: Skyline) – 2 D diffuser