A good place to start is a clap test to see if you have an echo. You can tame the echo by using what you suggested above with the foam & 1/8" boards. Try to locate them near the 1st dispersion bounce points which would be the surfaces closest to where theoretically the tweeter & mid-range meet a surface (wall, ceiling, floor). That would be 180 degrees for a dome tweeter. If you have bass issues, maybe a pair of bass traps in the corners behind the speakers. Also, I use triangle corner tunes in the upper corners of the room. I would also get your ProAc's out into the room so that the speakers are 1/3 out from the rear wall, 1/3 from your listening chair and the chair 1/3 from the rear wall.
How to "mount" acoustic foam ?
My main system is in my partially unfinished basement.
While I have finished the ceiling and have nice floors / rugs - I do like the industrial / rough look of the concrete walls....I just finished painting them but don't want to install any sheetrock / finishing material.
Instead I want to buy acoustic foam (2inch depth squares) and mount them to the walls - front / back and sides
And here are my questions:
1. Should I just use glue and apply the foam squares directly to the wall ?
- IF YES - what glue should I use? I know there is the special construction glue for laying floors etc..... I now they sell it also for concrete and stone application - sold in caulk like tubes
2. Should I first apply the foam to a plywood / wood and anchor that to the floors ?
- IF YES - I would imagine a few concerns:
- Will that wooden structure bring about sound resonance that I am actually trying to control ? (Wood isn't as bad as concrete but still....)
- Will I have to add a layer of caulk or similar filler between the wall and the wooden panel? Obviously the concrete walls are not super smooth so the wood panels will not be in perfect and uniform contact. They will be held rigid with the specialty screws drilled into the walls....but still
- What type of panels should I use....I was thinking anything from very thin cardboard like materials (to minimize any resonance from wood) to 1/2 inch plywood for rigidity.
IN SUMMARY:
I am leaning for the 1/8inch thick boards - In my mind it would provide smooth surface to mount the foam onto, retain the acoustic profile of the foam, and then just hold it all in place up on the wall with 4 bolts (each corner)
Anyhow....Any other tips and advice about proper installation would be appreciated.
Thank you!!
While I have finished the ceiling and have nice floors / rugs - I do like the industrial / rough look of the concrete walls....I just finished painting them but don't want to install any sheetrock / finishing material.
Instead I want to buy acoustic foam (2inch depth squares) and mount them to the walls - front / back and sides
And here are my questions:
1. Should I just use glue and apply the foam squares directly to the wall ?
- IF YES - what glue should I use? I know there is the special construction glue for laying floors etc..... I now they sell it also for concrete and stone application - sold in caulk like tubes
2. Should I first apply the foam to a plywood / wood and anchor that to the floors ?
- IF YES - I would imagine a few concerns:
- Will that wooden structure bring about sound resonance that I am actually trying to control ? (Wood isn't as bad as concrete but still....)
- Will I have to add a layer of caulk or similar filler between the wall and the wooden panel? Obviously the concrete walls are not super smooth so the wood panels will not be in perfect and uniform contact. They will be held rigid with the specialty screws drilled into the walls....but still
- What type of panels should I use....I was thinking anything from very thin cardboard like materials (to minimize any resonance from wood) to 1/2 inch plywood for rigidity.
IN SUMMARY:
I am leaning for the 1/8inch thick boards - In my mind it would provide smooth surface to mount the foam onto, retain the acoustic profile of the foam, and then just hold it all in place up on the wall with 4 bolts (each corner)
Anyhow....Any other tips and advice about proper installation would be appreciated.
Thank you!!