Acoustic panels for the home theater

October 26, 2004

soundsuedeIt used to be that if you wanted acoustic paneling for your home theater, you’d call a specialist and they would custom make them on site. Like anything else with time, mass production will step in and make things cheaper, but not necessarily easier for the do it your-selfer.

Now products such as SoundSuede and SonoFlat can be purchased ready made ahead of time and installed on site by the homeowner. SoundSuede is a fabric wrapped wall panel available in many colors, geared toward noise reduction, and reverberation control in a home theatre. Acoustic Solutions, makers of the SoundSuede product, maintain a section of their website called “Acoustic Education” that is worth a look if your interested in learning more about acoustics.

Alternatively the SonoFlat system is just that, a system approach to home theater acoustics consisting of wall panels, diffusers, collars, and columns. The Auralex site (parent company of SonoFlat) has a handy “Acoustics 101” section with useful knowledge about acoustics in general.

A word to the wise, adding absorption may not be best in all cases. It should only be used in a reverberant room where “deadening” the sound would be beneficial. Sound proofing on the other hand is an entirely different animal. Sound proofing materials should be used to block out sounds emitting from the theater itself, not necessarily to alter the sound in the room.



Posted by B.Greenway | | Filed Under Surround Sound


Comments

  • http://www.cross-spectrum.com/2004/10/27/ Cross-Spectrum.com

    Home Theater Blog

    If you have any interest at all in putting together or perfecting a home theater, you should be reading the Home Theater Blog (RSS). There?s a lot of great technical advice about audio/video products and system setup.

  • http://www.cross-spectrum.com/2004/10/27/ Cross-Spectrum.com

    Home Theater Blog

    If you have any interest at all in putting together or perfecting a home theater, you should be reading the Home Theater Blog (RSS). There?s a lot of great technical advice about audio/video products and system setup.

  • Dave Ingersoll

    Thanks for mentioning our SoundSuede Wall Panels. I would like to add that Acoustical Solutions has also introduced a line of designer wall panels called The Commonwealth Collection. With the introduction of these panels, we have given people the ability to add designer panels into their home theaters, thus offering choices to the “standard” square and rectangle panels. To view this collection, please visit http://www.acousticalsolutions.com/products/panels/commonwealth.asp Also feel free to contact me with any questions regarding your home theater design.

  • Dave Ingersoll

    Thanks for mentioning our SoundSuede Wall Panels. I would like to add that Acoustical Solutions has also introduced a line of designer wall panels called The Commonwealth Collection. With the introduction of these panels, we have given people the ability to add designer panels into their home theaters, thus offering choices to the “standard” square and rectangle panels. To view this collection, please visit http://www.acousticalsolutions.com/products/panels/commonwealth.asp Also feel free to contact me with any questions regarding your home theater design.