Sponge vs foam ? Bass trap ?

[corElement]

I know foam isnt the best material but can soemone tell me why foam isnt good? I've used foam to sometimes dampen sound, its not bad.. But I've heard they only damp highs and not lows? is that true? And what about sponge..

cant I just buy a roll of sponge/foam and roll it into a tube and place it in a corner of a room? Is it even possible to buy thick sheets of them?

 

[mandeep]

I know foam isnt the best material but can soemone tell me why foam isnt good? I've used foam to sometimes dampen sound, its not bad.. But I've heard they only damp highs and not lows? is that true? And what about sponge..

cant I just buy a roll of sponge/foam and roll it into a tube and place it in a corner of a room? Is it even possible to buy thick sheets of them?

Absorption low in the frequency band is mainly a function of material thickness in case of foam.So use at least 6" thick foam.Thin treatments do nothing to control low frequency reverb or reflections, and hand claps won't reveal that.

The unique advantage of foam is that you don't have to build a frame to hold it in place or cover it with cloth, you just stick it to the wall.

cheers

 

[shaizada]

Search google for plans for bass traps. Read and learn and then get a local kaarigar to build them. Don't randomly put foam in the corner of a room as that will really do nothing. You need to know what frequencies a certain kind of bass trap construction will address.

Even a crappy room can be made to sound very good if you really know what needs to be done in terms of room treatments. Please research and learn about different room treatments etc. Good luck!

 

[santhosh]

Absorption low in the frequency band is mainly a function of material thickness in case of foam.So use at least 6" thick foam.Thin treatments do nothing to control low frequency reverb or reflections, and hand claps won't reveal that.

The unique advantage of foam is that you don't have to build a frame to hold it in place or cover it with cloth, you just stick it to the wall.

cheers

True mandeep, apart from thickness, density also plays a key role. For bass traps, you should look at material which is of higher density.

In foam, there are two types - open cell and closed cell. Open Cell foams with an even cell size are better for acoustic applications. Commonly available that is used in upholstery (sofa, beds etc) is open cell but cell size is irregular. This will work but not as effective as Acoustic Foam.

In India, I am yet to come across anyone manufacturing or supplying Acoustic Foam. I use high density fibre glass wool in my bass traps in my HT. I do not have corner traps yet, will add them as and when the need arises.

 

[corElement]

hmm, after my bed was moved into the room the reflections stopped. I suppose I could contruct a small trap for the door, minor reflection on that end.