What Are Soundproof Materials?
Soundproofing technology can seem complicated at first. It can be difficult to know what kind of sound dampening materials to use to help soundproof your home or studio. If you can do some minor redecorating, and you know what frequency of sound you wish to reduce, you can choose from a variety of soundproofing materials that will be effective in reducing your sound problems.
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Identification
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Soundproofing materials dampen the sound in a room, either by absorbing sound, or by preventing reverberation that increases sound in a room. A material's absorption of sound is measured in Sabin units per square foot. According to "Home Recording Studio" by Rod Gervais, "A sabin is a unit of acoustic absorption equivalent to the absorption by one square foot of a surface that absorbs all incident sound" (Gervais, 169). Sound materials can be sprayed on, stapled on, glued on, inserted, or built into the walls of a structure, depending on the type of sound reduction you need.
Materials by Frequency
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The type of sound-dampening material you should use depends on what kind of sound you need to reduce. If you need to stop outside sound from entering a room, and inside sound from leaving a room, you should use soundproofing fiberglass in the airspace between the walls to reduce the transfer of sound. High-frequency sounds are often treated with dampening materials inside the soundproofed room. Bass dampening must often be conducted at the construction level to reduce bassy noises such as passing cars and airplanes, or your neighbor's high-powered subwoofer.
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High Frequency Control
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High-frequency sounds are generally squeaky, squealy sounds which can be downright painful when they are loud. High frequency sound can be dampened fairly inexpensively with minor changes to a room or home.
According to "Home Recording Studio", high frequency sound is usually best reduced by employing early reflection control. Early reflection control stops higher-frequency sounds from echoing, which can increase a room's acoustic noise. Materials used to reduce high-frequency sound can be remembered by remembering the three F's: fiber, foam, or fabric.
Acoustic foam is often sprayed around the corners of a room to dampen reverberation. Fiberglass insulation can be placed between walls to reduce transferred reverb. Fabric is often applied to walls or hung as curtains to help dampen the sound.
Whether you are using fiber, foam, or fabric, thicker is better. Some types of foam or fabric are better for soundproofing than others, but thicker applications of good soundproofing foam will still reduce more sound than thinner foam. When using fabric or curtains, choose thick, heavy fabric which weighs over a pound per yard. In theatre, the curtain is made of sound dampening fabric. If you are not sure if your curtain is heavy enough, you can get a point of reference by studying the curtain in your local performing arts theatre.
Low Frequency Control
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Low frequency control can be tricky because lower frequencies (bass) can travel quite well through walls. According to "Home Recording Studio," reducing bass can require a device which you install in a room. Types of devices used to reduce bass include pressure devices, velocity devices, and hybrid devices. These devices, called "bass traps" or "low frequency control devices," are best used in a smaller room. Pressure traps are placed in the corner of a room to reduce the bass pressure. Often, pressure bass traps are just a bit of foam fit into a corner.
Sound-batt insulation
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Sound-batt insulation is also called Sound Attenuation Batts, or SABs. According to Owens-Corning, a fiberglass manufacturer, sound-batt insulation is a lightweight fiberglass sound-reduction option which is designed to be placed inside an inner partition to reduce the exchange of sound between the rooms that share the wall. SABs are best for use between two metal walls. In studio applications, you should use at least two inches of sound-batt type insulation to sufficiently dampen sound for recording.
Safety
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No matter what material you choose, make sure that the insulation method you choose is safe in the way you want to use it. ASTM is the American Society of Testing and Materials. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. Both organizations work to promote safety by helping to identify and reduce the burden of fire hazards on your quality of life. For a list of fire requirements for soundproof materials, see Resources for links to the fire testing associations' websites.
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