“I bought acoustic panels, but I don’t know where to paste them.” “I tried pasting them all over the walls for the time being, but now the sound feels muffled and uncomfortable…”
Acoustic panels aren’t something where you should just blindly fill up the walls. “Paste them pinpoint in the necessary places.” This is the secret to getting the maximum acoustic effect while keeping costs down.
In this article, we’ll explain the “correct placement” of acoustic panels practiced even by professionals.
Top 3 Priority Places to Paste#
If you’re wondering where to start, prioritize the following three locations.
1. Behind Speakers/Instruments (Dead End)#
The wall immediately behind the sound source (speakers or instruments). Primary reflection sounds from here can interfere with the direct sound and cause muddying (such as low-end blooming). First, paste thick acoustic panels here.
2. Primary Reflection Surfaces (Mirror Points)#
When looking at the walls from your listening position (where you sit), these are the “points where speakers would be visible if you placed a mirror.” Reflection sounds from the side walls reach here the fastest. Cutting these will dramatically improve sound localization (stereo image).
3. Corners (Corners of the Room)#
The corners of a room are “bass traps” where low-end sounds tend to accumulate. By placing thick acoustic panels called “bass traps” or triangular sponges here, you can resolve the blurriness of the low-end throughout the room.
The Harm of “Over-pasting” and Moderate Scattering#
Is All-over Pasting a NO?#
If you paste sound-absorbing sponges all over the walls, only the high frequency range is absorbed, resulting in a room with a “muffled sound.” This is called a room that is “too dead.” Especially in musical instrument performance, if there is no moderate resonance (lingering sound), the environment becomes one where you can’t hear your own sound and it’s difficult to play.
Recommended Is “Checkerboard Pasting”#
This is a method where you don’t line up acoustic panels gaplessly, but instead “alternate placement of ‘acoustic panels’ and ‘walls (reflection surfaces)’ (creating a checkerboard pattern).” This allows for a good balance of sound absorption and reflection, leaving a natural resonance. The sense of visual enclosure is also reduced, and the cost can be halved.
Ceiling: A Hotbed for Flutter Echo#
Does it make a metallic “pinging” resonance when you clap your hands? This is “flutter echo,” which occurs when sound travels back and forth between facing parallel walls or between the floor and ceiling. If the floor is wooden, pasting acoustic panels on a part of the ceiling can effectively eliminate this unpleasant resonance.
Summary: Acoustic Panels Are an “Acoustic Device,” Not “Interior Decor”#
Acoustic panels are not wallpaper to make a room look stylish. They are devices to control sound.
Instead of pasting them all at once, we recommend “First, just behind the speakers” “Next, the left and right walls” Pasting them little by little and comparing the sound. Enjoying those changes is one of the real thrills of DIY soundproofing.
Related Articles#
- [Absorption and Insulation]: The Reason Why Soundproofing Cannot Be Done with Acoustic Panels Alone
- [Trumpet Soundproofing]: Creating an Environment That Won’t Tire You Out by Leaving Reflection Surfaces