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Acoustic Panels, Baffles and Bass Traps FAQ

Here is Acoustimac’s list of the most frequently asked questions regarding our acoustic panels and bass trap products.
If you have a question of your own, feel free to ask using our FAQ Contact page.


  • Q: What’s the difference between an Acoustimac acoustic panel and a bass trap?
  • A: Acoustimac bass traps are thicker and denser versions of our acoustic panels which are designed to absorb lower frequencies down to 40 Hz (bass frequencies). acoustic panels are designed mostly to absorb mid range and high frequencies with some bass absorption (from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz). Acoustimac bass traps absorb high frequencies just as well as standard acoustic panels, except they have the added advantage of being able to absorb much more of the lower frequencies.


  • Q: What’s the difference between an Acoustimac acoustic panel and an acoustic baffle?
  • A: Aside from the much lower price, Acoustimac Echo Block Baffles only come in one size which is 4’x2’x1”. Although they provide the same levels of absorption, the main differences between Acoustimac’s Echo Block Baffles and standard Acoustimac 4’x2’x1” acoustic panels are:
    • EchoBlock Baffles have no hard edges
    • Echoblock Baffles are finished from front and back.
    • Echoblock Baffles have three perforated grommets which allow for much easier installation on walls or suspension from ceilings
    • When suspended from a ceiling, EchoBlock Baffles provide dual sided absorption


  • Q: Can I use Acoustimac bass traps instead of acoustic panels or Baffles?
  • A: Absolutely! In fact Acoustimac’s PRO series room package deals only consist of bass traps. The more bass traps you use the better off you are, especially in smaller rooms where bass frequencies are always a problem.


  • Q: Are Acoustimac acoustic panels, bass traps or Baffles used for soundproofing?
  • A: No, they are not designed for that purpose. Please see our Soundproofing FAQ for details. Although they absorb sounds inside a room, they have no impact on the amount of sound transmitted through walls, windows and crevices. acoustic panels are used mainly to condition sound in the room and make it more pleasant by reducing echoes, slap, reverb and other unpleasant effects caused by reflection on hard surfaces and parallel walls. Visit our Soundproofing FAQ for more detailed information about Soundproofing.
  • Q: I will have a 9 x 10 foot office. I want to dampen the sound enough so that less is transmitted to the next room. I don't need to totally block sound. Will the panels help with that? -Susan
  • A:  Unfortunately no, Acoustic Treatment panels do not dampen sound, they only absorb certain frequencies to a certain degree. They will however knock out any echoes and reverb you get in your new office and make conversations much more clearly understood inside the office, but it will not really absorb enough of the overall sound to keep it from leaking out. Visit our Soundproofing FAQ for more details and possible solutions to your dilemma.

 

  • Q: How many Acoustimac panels and/or bass traps do I need to get rid of echoe and reverb?
  • A: It all depends on the total square footage of hard surfaces in a room. For optimum performance, the recommended minimum coverage is 25 to 30% of all hard surfaces. By providing us with the room’s measurements, we can calculate exactly how many panels you would need for your deployment scenario. Give Acoustimac a call and we’ll walk you through the process.


  • Q: How are Acoustimac panels and bass traps installed on walls?
  • A: Acoustimac provides installation hardware with all of it’s acoustic panel and bass trap products. We call the installation hardware Z-Clips. You attach two Z-Clips on the upper corners of the panel backing, about an inch or more from the edges using wood screws, be sure to orient the screw holes to the top. Then attach the remaining two Z-Clips to the wall with the screw holes oriented to the floor and be sure they are at the same level and are spaced the same as they are on the panel. Then you slide the clips on the panel over the clips on the wall and that’s it.

    View installation diagram below for standard acoustic panel or bass traps:



    View installation diagram below for corner cut bass traps:

  • Q: How do you install Acoustimac panels and bass traps on ceilings?
  • A: Z-Clip installations are designed mostly for walls, and can only be safely installed on angled ceilings, requiring eight Z-Clips per panel rather than four.

    The easiest installation method on most ceilings would be to suspend the panel by using eye hooks and nylon or wire lines. See diagram below:




  • Q: How do you install Acoustimac Acoustic Baffles on walls or ceilings?
  • A: For ceiling installations, the simplest way to do it would be to suspend the Baffles using nylon fishing line. Place eyehooks on the celing and 1” washers on the end of the lines after running them through the grommets. Hanging them by their grommets on hooks, nails or screws would be the easiest way to place them on walls.

    Horizontal Installation



    Vertical Installation


  • Q: How are acoustimac panels rated?
  • A: At acoustimac we rate our panels with NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) and our bass traps with Sabins (unit of measure of sound absorption in the inch-pound system). All of acoustimac bass traps and panels are independently tested by Riverbank Acoustics. The higher the absorption # the better the panel is. This is important because it’s a very effective way to gage panel performance when compared to other vendors or similar products in different thicknesses from the same vendor. Acoustimac panels and bass traps have some the best absorption coefficient in the industry.


  • Q: What is the difference between the core materials? (owens corning, mineral wool and ecoustimac eco friendly insulation)
  • A: They all provide excellent absorption, but we offer our customers the choice for different reasons. Here are the main varying features to each of our insulation types:
    • Owens Corning 703 and 705 - Acoustimac offers this insulation as a choice mostly because of popular demand. For decades, OC fiberglass insulation has been the mainstay of the industry.
    • Mineral Wool 1260 and 1280 (Rockwool) - This insulation is our primary production insulation for several reasons: It outperforms Owens Corning equivalents for acoustic purposes, it is easier to handle than Owens Corning Insulation.
    • Ecoustimac Eco Friendly Insulation (4Lb) this insulation is the best we have to offer in terms of performance. It outperforms them both and is much more durable and does not irritate skin like fiberglass does. Not to mention it’s made of 100% recycled materials and is completely biodegradable.

 

 

 

  • Q: Can Acoustimac use any other fabric other than the ones you offer?
  • A: Sure thing, however the panel will cost the same as a DMD panel and you need to send us the needed fabric before production can begin. Also we advise you to use a breathable fabric for acoustic transparency.

 

  • Q: Can Acoustimac make custom size panels and bass traps?
  • A: Of course, we can make panels in a number of sizes and shapes not listed in our catalog. As long as the shapes are rectangles, trapezoids and parallelograms with angles of 90 and 45 degrees.

  • Q: Do all Acoustimac panels have bevelled edges?
  • A: Yes they all include 45 degree bevelled edges, at no extra charge (unlike many of our competitors)

Ecoustimac Eco Friendly Acoustics FAQ.

Our New line of Eco Friendly products offer better performance than our standard fiberglass based products:

  • Q :What is the difference between an ecoustimac product and a standard fiberglass based panel?
  • A: Aesthetically, they are identical in appearance. However, in terms of performance, the Eco friendly insulation performs better for bass absorption.


  • Q: Is Acoustimac’s ecoustimac insulation as effective as fiberglass?
  • A: Every bit as good, and even better when it comes to bass absorption. Our bass traps loaded with ecoustimac insulation absorb much than their fiberglass brethren.


  • Q: Are there any other benefits over fiberglass insulation?
  • A: Several:
    • Practical: ecoustimac insulation doesn’t irritate your skin like fiberglass, making it much much easier and comfortable to handle.
    • Structural: Ecoustimac insulation is more sturdy and stable than fiberglass cores.
    • Environmental: Ecoustimac cores are 100% biodegradable and made of 100% recycled paper.


  • Q: Can Ecoustimac insulation be used in any of your product sizes and custom products?
  • A: Absolutely, all of our products and room package deals offer Ecoustimac Insulation as an option for only a few dollars more. The extra money is well worth it.

  • Q: Is Acoustimac Ecoustimac insulation as durable as fiberglass?
  • A: No, it’s stronger! Fiberglass has the consistency of cotton candy which flakes and breaks apart very easily. Ecoustimac has the consistency of a sponge which stays together and requires a lot more force to break.

  • Q: Why is it more expensive than fiberglass if it’s recycled?
  • A: Mostly Economics and the Supply/Demand Cycle. There is not as much demand for it yet. Once production grows prices will be on par with fiberglass.
    At the moment, Ecoustimac insulation is a bit more costly, however, with the increase in demand for eco friendly building products, we’ve seen the cost of this material drop significantly in the last five years, enough so that now we are able to offer it as a viable and high performance alternative to fiberglass. Soon it will be in such demand that it’s price will drop enough for us to phase out fiberglass alltogether. We greatly look forward to that day! (So does our production crew, they can’t wait to say goodbye to itchy fiberglass)

  • Q: Are there any Disadvantages over fiberglass?
  • A: Other than fiberglass being slightly cheaper, there are no other advantages we can think of.

  • Q: This stuff is awesome! Why doesn’t everybody just use this core material instead?
  • A: Patience young Jedi! The industry is changing every day, more and more people are using cellulose based insulation in their large scale builds, and the cost of these materials will keep dropping as demand increases.
 

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