The Importance of Placement of Auralex® Acoustical Products

www.auralex.com
Terry explains the methods of placement for absorption panels, bass traps and diffusors. He will also walk you through how to use the "mirror trick" to find first reflection points.
Products used:
Studiofoam® Wedges - 2'x2'x2"
LENRD® Bass Traps
T'Fusor Sound Diffusors

[@saadinhalf]

Him: Most important area is right behind your monitor Me: *sweats profusely looking at the window behind my monitor*

[@duckduckgoose8049]

Put a heavy curtain there instead!

[@NathanOakley1980]

Sad Can .. treat the window the same as you would treat dry wall.

[@ismaelz3454]

add a layered blanket (furniture/mover's blanket) or drape your windows with theater quality curtains (soundproof cotton curtains). you can also treat the glass on your windows with various insulation tools that can be found online, sometimes even in home improvement stores.

[@JukeboxAlley]

Hilarious

[@jDesir]

Lol SAMEEEEE

[@CrackaLackTV]

Very helpful video even today in 2017. Thanks for the upload. Currently pimping my studio out.

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Thanks for your comment! Even though this video is a little dated - the principles of Acoustics haven't changed!

[@PaulLucky100]

10 years ago and still relevant!!! Great work.

[@solobranch8394]

AuralexAcoustics Thank you for this CLEAR and informative video. This educated me further about how to properly place acoustic treatment.

[@NobleNobbler]

First, start by using a ray tracing diffusion algorithm to calculate the relative standing zones in your modeled listening area. Using these calculations, measure each piece of foamolex sonictech absorbotron exactly as pages 1 through 23 of your radiation histographic transform has described. *fast forward* *ENTIRE WALL IS FOAM* And that's why diffusion placement is important.

[@echno4727]

That was funny lol.

[@JJBGuitar]

This guy is REALLY good at presenting. The video is ultra informative. Thanks.

[@07BLUESTI]

These seem like a good addition to real Acoustic treatment.

[@mr_red13]

thanks for the tip on separating the acoustic squares. I've always seen youtubers put them next to each other. I only have 24 small squares so ill try to separate them. Thanks!

[@bensterol]

Hi Terry! Thank you very much for this fabulous video!

[@shaneburnamann7607]

this is exactly what I needed thank you!

[@rockngpa5094]

So glad I came across this video besides their products, it help me out a lot ... Thanks!

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Glad we could help you!

[@mrpositronia]

Thanks for the tips. Looking forward to trying this when I get home from work later.

[@Fre3flyOfficial]

I will definitely use these tips when building my studio!

[@bobodaddy6413]

so.. after 8 years u have studio?

[@Djtonydraper]

Great video. Thanks for posting.

[@RealKeithernet]

This helped me immensely! Thank you so much!

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi Keith - You're welcome! Thanks for your support!

[@AuralexAcoustics]

@seifs4 The rooms that require the most Studiofoam coverage are spaces such as recording booths. The more coverage in your room, the more dead your sound. To find out how much coverage you need, you can use our Interactive Kit Calculator (IKC) or fill out a Personalized Room Analysis (PRAF) for a detailed explanation from our Application Specialists.

[@KKTRLZ]

Thanks for the insight; much appreciated.

[@pixlfeed]

Great video and explanation, thank you!

[@viktororban5684]

Thanks for the mirror tip

[@SeanSkyler]

Extremely helpful, thank you!

[@amaiblu2652]

wow! really nicely made vid! helped me so much, thank you.

[@stevec7435]

Thanks for the information Terry. I put acoustic foam in my 16yo boys room cause he's always playing online late at night with his headset on and screaming all the time waking everyone up. I only used a cheap acoustic foam but the difference is remarkable 👌🏼👍🏼

[@papercuthappinnes4468]

You seem to be a nice dad. Of course if you are a serial killer or smth.

[@Abnxormal]

can u be my dad

[@larrytate1657]

This stuff rly helps. My toms aren't ringing for as long after treating the room.

[@hotcurry99]

Great info man thanks, I'm gonna check out some of your products too.

[@mattydesteno9523]

Hi I'm Matty. Thankyou. So. Much. Sir. You. Have helped. Me.

[@vBDKv]

Awesome guide!

[@stationhouser]

Great video.

[@lostdubs140]

shouldn't the first area you treat with acoustic foam be the first reflection points? ie. the side walls first then the ceiling etc..? Although bass travels out of the speakers from all directions, high frequencies are one direction. So wouldn't that mean that the wall facing you would be the last area you treat? Great video and very informative for beginners!

[@nehadwivedi7912]

love the video very helpful thank you so much

[@nueltube6815]

Thanks really for your best information.👍👍👍

[@jawads.1192]

Very helpful, thanks

[@AuralexAcoustics]

@seifs4 On our main web page there is a dealer tab in the navigation. From there you can access the entire list of Auralex Canadia dealers.

[@priyonjoni]

I read in another article from another acoustician that dampening the front wall is unnecessary simply because high frequencies project forward from the speakers, and 2 inch foam is practically useless for low frequencies. Instead it's best to use bass traps. I could be wrong but it did seem to make sense.

[@MusicEnt100]

Pri yon Joni that does make sense but remember the louder the speaker level and the size room will impact how the forward high frequency will bounce back and forth from the back wall so that might be when the front wall absorbers come into effect.

[@jacobevansarm]

Informative video thankyou

[@LizaLavolta]

So helpful. Thank u

[@its-a-mi]

Thank You!

[@NEOMASSO]

man you sound like Charlie Sheen. good video!

[@Underhills]

This is like Wall Street without the stocks.

[@hotdog7988]

That's the real reason he is putting up the acoustic panels. T o limit Alans voice from echoing.

[@teddyv6799]

Definitely Charlie! 😂🤣😄😅😆😃

[@K3KCT]

Nope, I’m getting his old dad, Martin Sheen, 100%

[@davidlogan8905]

@Rile Stream I'm convinced there's something to that. Very often when you hear someone who sounds like another, there's also a slight or even striking resemblance between the two. I dunno, might be something like a certain shape mouth, face, etc. contributes to the particular voice someone has.

[@geoffist]

In case you forgot who makes this product.... They'll remind you.

[@K3KCT]

Infuriating, isn’t it? I felt it ruined the presentation. #overkill

[@prodbytk2286]

I didnt notice it untill I saw your comment😂

[@tech4life884]

This product is the same as what's on Amazon for 1/10 the price and faster Free shipping.

[@saxyrep1]

Great very clear demo, but how much would it cost to have the installation that is seen at 1:21?

[@TheTomRevolution]

Hey mate, good video, Just a question, would the tiles work just as well if you place them on a roof that's curved?

[@amp1319]

Thank you much!

[@Simonewhitesim-1music]

Just what i was looking for! but I need larger panels!

[@AuralexAcoustics]

@drummingtrumpeteer69 It depends on the overall layout of the room. If you would like a Free Personalized Room Analysis, visit our Auralex.com to fill out a form along with a sketch of your room, and one of our Applications Specialists will be happy to provide treatment suggestions for your space.

[@djtim06]

much like if you've ever moved home and you've emptied everything out of your living room you'll notice that the room is reverberating, which it never did before. that is because there isn't as much stuff in the room to diffuse the sound waves. with it empty the waves can bounce of the walls and corners straight back into your ear, and even carry on going for a second or so. pads help by adding more randomness to the remaining large flat areas of the room

[@VFXProductions]

This video is very informative, but I couldn't help thinking, that usually studio monitors would be facing the engineer... at an angle to form a triangle, unlike the zero degree angle the monitors in your video are facing, so my question is, would it not be more effective to have two smaller pieces of foam behind each monitor, because the triangular angle will have the backs of both monitors angleing away from the foam if it were placed in the centre like 6:50?

[@pawanakaponchi]

Thank you very much man ❤

[@michaelbertram3307]

Hi, what if where you put that first acoustic foam (behind the speakers) there is a wall that is part of my desk. It has compartments there too that hold picture frames, and other stuff. Where do you suggest I put the acoustic foam. I have limited space and foam tiles. It’s in a bedroom that also has 2 doors, one to the bathroom and one to the hallway. The room is not in a square shape. I also want to do the best I can of making sure people outside my room here as less noise as possible. Thanks!

[@RobertThomassilenticon]

Thanks for this Vid!!!

[@DeanHynd]

If you have enough foam can you cover the whole side walls just like the back wall?

[@AlCopelandMusic]

This is super helpful. In the room I want to build my recording studio in, one wall is curved so the corners aren't a perfect 90 degree angle. To make matters worse, the corners of the two straight walls on both sides of the curvy wall jut out a bit and don't even meet exactly where the curvy part of the wall starts. Any suggestions? Also, I'm new to this so I don't know much about this stuff. What happens if you cover all of the walls and ceiling with acoustic treatment?

[@AuralexAcoustics]

@AlCopelandMusic to answer your first question, curved walls are always tricky in a smaller space, especially for a studio. One thing you could try is using shims on the curved wall to offset your treatment so they are in line and appear to lay across a flat surface. For instance, if a shim would be placed in the middle of the curve, another would be placed to it's right or left. The middle piece would be slightly longer to line with the piece set further out, that way the panel could be installed straight across the curve. For the second question, there is such a thing as over treating a room. If you were to cover all surfaces completely with our standard to 2" Studiofoam, it would take a lot of your high-end out, and feel very dry and dead. Same with bass trapping. You can over treat the low-end and again make the room sound dead, depending on your room size and layout. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us at [e-mail]. Hope you found this helpful!

[@basarat]

What was the name of the company again?

[@sufisafavi5531]

Nice, thanx!

[@ministerman6226]

mirror method just blew my brain into pieces

[@LoginFailed77]

Would these methods work if im creating a drum studio? or would i need to compensate for the loundness/high frequencies of a drum set?

[@seifs4]

how would it sound, using auralex foam for the entire recording area?

[@relativ6192]

what if you can't put your mixing/mastering desk and computer to the center of the first quarter of your room? is it still okay to place it slightly to the right of the room near the wall? i'm having quit a problem because of my bed size. so i'm not sure if that should affect my placement of acoustic foam panels. I could you could help me out, @Auralex Acoustics Thanks!

[@Ballermhcdj]

thanks for the info

[@PsychopathUltimate]

Does it make a difference if the flat side or pyramid side of the foam is facing the wall?

[@mrdenson3101]

What if I can afford to get enough panel to cover most of the side walls. Can I do that ? My little studio has a V-shaped ceiling. So, I need to get as much absorption as possible. Can I cover most of the wall or do I need to leave gaps ?

[@RobinLabadie]

Hey, thanks for this vid, but did you think about the importance of monitor's placement ? :p 60° !!!

[@InnerveyKosmos]

whats better to cover the wall behind my back? im in another position now, monitors are pointed to my face,but experiencing a lil reverb behind me, because my back is almost against a wall, im thinkin bout the wedge or pyramid panels?

[@ATLtoDC]

Wondering if foam panels work for me. I do video work. I need a plane wall behind me and my desk faces a window. Most of the noise I want to eliminate comes from the street. The windows are directly in front of my desk and I live in an apartment. Would panels work and if so, where would I stick them?

[@chrisradici3370]

I just built an aquarium in a cabinet, complete closed in with doors. With the doors closed, the aquarium equipment is making too much noise. I want to reduce the amount of noise coming out of the cabinet...any suggestions? I thought about buying the studio foam (one with ridges or egg crate) and lining the inside of the cabinet. Will this be a good solution? Thank you.

[@Tazmanian_Ninja]

4:36 Diffusors or... Transformers?? 😄 "Autobots! Diffuse the room!"

[@andy8423]

What sort of adhesive would you recommend to fix foam panels to a wall?

[@alexpyngrope12]

Double sided tape

[@greg0716]

what if my monitors are turned inwards a bit more? do i put treatment between or behind each one?

[@drummingtrumpeteer69]

hey Im moving, and the room i have chosen for my studio has windows... would setting up infront of the windows be a bad idea for the acoustic treatment process?

[@michaelgorczyca]

is it a good or bad idea to put foam on the wall directly behind the monitors?

[@JevonsLiu]

if i want to soundproof a room, do i just put those all across the wall? no space in between?

[@DjNonie]

HI! How much foam panels & bass traps needed to treat a really small room....Room size (length 9ft, width 5ft, height 9ft)...reply would be really helpful thanks.

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi DJ Nonie - Thanks for your question! The answer is it depends on what type of room you are treating and what you would like it to sound like. But with a smaller room like that, our most simple recommendation would be the Alpha-DST Roominator Kit. www.auralex.com/product/alpha-dst/ This kit has (4) LENRD Bass Traps and (64) 1'x1' DST Studiofoam Panels & adhesive. Please let me know if you have other questions.

[@gavdjdaddymac9266]

Great video.. helpfull ta.. ( from uk..) :)

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@Baillie1210]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but, when you do the mirror trick, what loudspeaker are you looking for? Say if your friend is going across the right wall, would it be same side speaker or the left speaker? Help would be great ASAP as I am putting them up I today.

[@FigureInDots]

You prolly allready figured it out. But just to let anyone else that might be interested in this information. If you place the mirror on the right wall - you are looking for the center of the cone on the left monitor - same goes for the other side. Thats the first point of reflection and the critical spot! - Some people then go further and look for leftside / leftside aswell. Remember: Before you do the mirror trick, you need to be in the triangle of your listening position and the monitors. Hope this helps a little.

[@yanike]

Thank You

[@james26695]

My music area is tight and I have the monitors close in the corners on an angle facing me, should I treat right behind where the back of the speaker faces the wall?

[@SrinathKanugovi]

simple n super 👌

[@cinemaarts8795]

Probably a dumb question but is the foam reusable if you take them down and store them?

[@Evenmarea]

How could I treat a window? Would it work if I block the window by hanging a panel of its size?

[@danikoce]

Thanks!

[@navigator8222]

What if you are on one side of a large room. Wall to the left, behind and in front of monitor, but a big open space to your right? I feel that giant space will mess with anything I put up on the walls I do have access to.

[@DustyRaider]

As for the “mirror trick” this seems directed to if you were sitting on the couch listening to speakers, what if you’re standing in front of a mic doing audio recordings? Like voice over and whatnot

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi Dusty - Thanks for your question. The "Mirror Trick" method works for any listening position. All you need to do is sit or stand in that location and have friend move the mirror along the wall, treat where you can see the reflection of the monitors.

[@RobertSmith-ue2mn]

I take a very large stocking and climb into it and sing!

[@chancenobra]

Thank you for the informative video but I feel like you left out a lot of information and advice that could vital to proper installation as well as customer satisfaction. For instance I just bought my treatment kit from Auralex for Christmas and the only thing that I found in 4 boxes containing diffusers, Bass Traps, and Foam was one sheet of double sided mounting tape which isn't even enough to mount all the foam that was provided. Thank you again for the helpful video but when Auralex doesn't provide Instructions or any reading material with the product packages they force us to use other means of education that may not be tailored to the product causing issues or forcing some of us to put off an install until we can speak to a rep. I will definitely be using your advice once I start installing but until I watched this video I thought the diffusers were to be hung from the ceiling some how(lol) Anyways my point is there is a lot of room for improvement in these videos and there should be one that includes this information along with everything need for a full install

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi Chance - I apologize your Auralex out-of-box experience was less than ideal. There should have been an installation guide in the box, was it missing? Please send an email to [e-mail] letting us know the type of kit and we will be sure to get you the info you need!

[@Unplugged704]

Great tutorial! I have a 11x11 room that I want to do some recording. I want to install these sound proofing panels. There is a window and 2 French doors. The room is not square. The French doors are at installed diagonally. Question - What should I do about the window and doors? Do they need the panels?

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi YakMan - Thanks for reaching out to us! I can give you a quick commentary on your windows and doors - we generally recommend using Portable Treatment (Stand-mounted Panels) to cover windows as they can cause unwanted reflection. If you also think the doors are a problem, you can either adhere Panels to them or again, simply use Portable Treatment to cover them. If you want a more in-depth analysis, we would be happy to provide with a great solution for your specific room! Please fill out our FREE Personalized Room Analysis Form (PRAF), and we can give you a diagram/drawing of your room with acoustic treatment panels placed in the locations that will help the most in your space. It can be found here: www.auralex.com/praf/ Please let us know if you have any other questions! - Auralex

[@Unplugged704]

Thanks for the response. Also, in my room I have chair-rail moulding that is 3 ft from the floor (not sure why I installed this so high).. but behind my desk/monitors..I have Rokit KRK 5s... and the top side of chair-rail sits almost to the top of the monitors. So I would have to put the foams right above the chair-rails. In the video the guy says start about 1.5 foot above the floor. Would my setup not be as effective to reduce echo in the room?

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi YakMan - Every room is different and each one presents its unique challenges - we usually recommend starting your treatment about 1.5-3 feet off the ground. This helps to make sure you are wasting treatment down low or way up high where it most likely will be less noticeable when in a seated or standing position. The biggest concern in the room is making sure you are treating the first reflection points. .i.e. all places in the room where the speakers hit first. The back wall, from wall (behind monitors), side walls, and even ceiling are the first place you need to consider. In your case 3' off the ground shouldn't be a problem. I would still recommend you fill out a Personalized Room Analysis (PRAF) auralex.com/praf/ so we can make some better suggestions for you specifically. Let me know if you have further questions, Thanks! Auralex

[@cisko3000]

@zaigex well I guess you would have to take care of the wall accross the monitors first.

[@pawa101]

What would you do if you have window lets say to the right of the desk in video. how do you go about dealing with the windows

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi Koios - There are a number of different ways to help control windows in a critical listening space. The first thing we recommend for windows is to get a thick, theater style curtain. We don't produce, but we usually like to suggest Rose Brand: www.rosebrand.com/ Our usual go-to method is to use a Portable Treatment option like ProMAX or a ProGO to create a "false wall" and cover the glass with absorption. The last way is the most difficult, but perhaps the best - to build a Window "Plug." Use some acoustic material cut to the exact measurement and shape of the window, and then use absorption material like Studiofoam or Fiberglass on the outside layer. Hope that is helpful! If you would like a more customized plan of action for your particular room remember to submit a FREE Personalized Room Analysis on Auralex.com!

[@hansknapp]

If i only use bass traps, this should dramatically lower the noise for my neighbours, right ? regards

[@Mr2koo4skoo]

Would it be bad to cover an entire room with foam? Or would this way be better?

[@frankwilliams977]

How thick should the foam panels be in your home studio?

[@KingHisKnights]

1:56 Is there any reason why the bass trap wasn't put all the way in the corner to touch the ceiling? Or was it just because he couldn't reach it?

[@rsolsjo]

He probably didn't want it to touch the trim. For whatever reason.

[@chaddonal4331]

2 concerns up front. The first thing is NOT to put a single 1" foam panel on the front wall! What is true is what he says about the speaker-boundary reflection interference. Rather, the "1st thing" that should be done is to reduce that problem by pulling the speakers away from the front wall! No cost. Huge improvement! 2nd thing to do is to recognize that the speaker pressure interference cannot be solved by 1" foam! 1" foam works for tweeters (i.e. high energy), which is directional. Notice the tweeters and high energy is facing the room/mix position. So, 1" will be largely unhelpful here to solve that issue. It will be worthwhile for reducing "flutter echoes" if the rear wall is untreated. But to solve his mentioned problem of omnidirectional lower frequencies that DO bounce off the wall and reflect back to the mix position delayed, causing smearing, will require mass, depth, and low energy pressure treatment. Foam can be great for mid to high frequency issues though.

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi Craig - Thanks for your comment. You are ABSOLUTELY correct about moving the desk away from the wall being a great first step to address speaker boundary interference issues. It would have obviously been better if Terry had mentioned that in this video, and explained that due to the setup of this particular room (a very small office here at our HQ) that placing the monitors and the desk any further back would block the entrance to the room. To address your first comment about the panels used in this room - they are 2" Studiofoam Wedges Panels - if you look at the chart on this page: www.auralex.com/product/studiofoam-wedges/ you will see that 2" has significantly better mid-high, and mid-range performance than 1" Wedges. Studiofoam is a turn-key, small, easy-to-install, cost-effective, and reasonably broadband absorber that is great for controlling slap-back echo, flutter echo, and first reflection points (especially in small rooms and project studios). You are also exactly right about needing more mass and depth to combat lower-mid and low frequencies. These frequencies tend to congregate in the corners of the room, so that is where we tend to concentrate our deeper and larger LENRD Bass Traps. More info on them, including testing data here: www.auralex.com/product/lenrd-bass-traps/ I hope that helps to explain our philosophy and please let us know if you'd like to discuss anything further or have other questions. Thanks! ~ Auralex

[@georgexydous2891]

and one last thing. i have treated the front wall and the side reflections. i will take care at the bass traps, fo;;owing yours instructions. Next should i go for the upper cealing or should i go for my back wall? the upper wall is 2m behind my mixing potition.

[@AuralexAcoustics]

@GeorgeXydous It is a little unclear of what products you want to treat your space with and where. Please email [e-mail] and we can discuss this further in more detail to get you the best solution for your space!

[@mikeclough2611]

So if there is a few windows will this still help or is it just a waste of money?

[@MadayMaday]

Does your product offer slight standoff from the wall?

[@AuralexAcoustics]

Hi Joe - Thanks for your question! Although we don't necessarily have a ready out of the box solution, our Studiofoam could be mounted offset from the wall very easily. The easiest way is to glue/mount the Studiofoam to a rigid, light backing like cardboard, fiberboard, or old CD-Rs and then use something adhered to the wall to attach to the backing like brackets or hardware for picture frames or curtain rods. We do have another kind of acoustical panel, called ProPanels, that are made from rigid fiberglass. These can be purchased with offset impaling clips that easily install these panels standing off the wall for extra absorption. You may be able to use impaling clips for Studiofoam too, although they are probably a little overkill for lightweight Studiofoam panels. Hope that answers your question!

[@iAmAlby]

Could I place something over them? Example would be a simple frame picture. Either it cover the whole foam or fit within the foam. I'm asking to see if it's possible to reduce sound travel and still make the room look good. This would be used for an apartment complex living room.

[@MelissaTimea99]

It's been 7 years. I assume they are still finding a solution for you.

[@AuralexAcoustics]

@VerseIsStyle Treatment suggestions may vary depending upon the intended application of the room. We offer a Free Personalized Room Analysis that can help with treatment suggestions for many types of rooms. Visit Auralex.com and click on Free Personalized Room Analysis for more information.

[@javierquesada798]

what kind of glue do you use. is they take me off all the time thanks

[@kieranaudsley1310]

If I covered the whole room completely in these panels, would it sound awful?

[@SabrinaReacts33]

Can you use just the foam for the entire room?

[@timothytapsell]

I bought the strongest most expensive double sided tape in the hardware store and it still falls off. Any other tips for putting up the bass traps?

[@jimn1968]

When did Emilio Estevez get into acoustic treatments?

[@AuralexAcoustics]

:) He hears Charlie Sheen a lot, as well.

[@silentstormstudios]

@@AuralexAcoustics Not Charlie, Martin.