Do you need to know how acoustic foam works? It is used by most audio studios and professional and amateur musicians. Get the details on why you should use acoustic foam for your music room. Check out what material is used for this foam, by reading this article.
Acoustic foam is used to control the echo of sound by breaking the direction of the sound waves and causing them to go in consistently different directions until the sound waves stop. Through this action, the effect of the echo is reduced. In addition to controlling the echo, the sound waves are also absorbed by the acoustic foams.
The foam panels seen inside any music or recording studio are not exactly to let the music in or out of the room. Rather, they are installed to make the music sound natural and neutral as possible.
To effectively prevent unnecessary noise from entering or exiting a home studio or home theatre, use objects with mass. Sound absorption objects are essential to dampen the sound waves and suspend their transmission. Examples of objects used are heavy curtains, fabrics like wool, installing a second wall or soundproof windows. There are even acoustic blankets attached to the walls to achieve the same effect.
The acoustic foam works best in absorbing high and mid frequency sound waves. The low frequency sounds are harder to absorb. Acoustic products are rated according to the lowest frequency they can absorb, and the range is based on the thickness of foam.
Thicker foams are more absorbent and more efficient for a wider range of sound waves.
The thickness of the foam can range from one to four inches. Thicker foam works better with lower frequencies. This basic specification is important in buying the foam.
Also, the price of foam is affected by its thickness mainly because of the material used and the production costs. There are different materials used in making acoustic foam, however, the most common are polyurethane, melamine and fiberglass.
The compressed fiberglass is commonly used by professionals. It has a class 1 rating for fire safety. The higher the safety rating of the materials, the more expensive is the product. But if you can afford the best quality products, then go for them. They are worth your peace of mind.
The cheapest material is polyurethane. However, most products made from polyurethane have the lowest rating for fire safety like a class 3 rating. In some areas in the United States, products made of polyurethane fail the safety inspections. If you use this material, you have to ensure that you have sufficient fire exits. Better yet, you can save your money and wait until you can afford to buy better acoustic products.
Acoustic products are sound absorbers. They are used to wrap sound waves into the insulation. The foam used in soundproofing is porous to help absorb the sound waves. The more porous the foam is, the more efficient it is for sound absorption.
Depending on the products, acoustic foam can be used in a several ways. The most common and easiest is to use foam in sheet form. The foam sheets can be cut into the size you need using scissors. Some products can be sprayed or blown in between, ceiling tiles, flooring or walls.
Acoustic foam is rated for fire safety. Some materials are not fireproof; worse yet, they can impair the health of people around during a fire incident. These materials emit hazardous chemicals which are more dangerous than the chemicals emitted from the fire itself.