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  1. #1
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    Foam Factory acoustic foam...?

    Anyone heard of Foam Factory acoustic foam on ebay? The prices/nrc ratings seem a little too good to be true.

  2. #2
    Forum Regular Woochifer's Avatar
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    Intersting. The NRC ratings look very comparable to the Auralex studio foam products, and the prices are close to half of what Auralex charges. The difference is that Auralex is a proven commodity, while I'm not sure how this Foam Factory outfit fares in comparison. If the foam has these absorption characteristics and is Class B fire rated, then the prices are pretty good for what you get. It's the usual caveat associated with buying anything off of eBay that you can't try out beforehand.

  3. #3
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    Yeah, my dream is to 'fix' the vaulted ceiling in my living (listening) with a combination of Auralex t'fusors and foam, but until I run into some disposable income, I'm using the old "ceiling tile on the wall" method of absorbtion to eliminate some of the nasty echo.

    Anyway, this foam factory stuff would just be for my newest little project: turning my 'office' into a podcasting studio! I suppose I can take the chance in there.

  4. #4
    Forum Regular Woochifer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bacchanal
    Yeah, my dream is to 'fix' the vaulted ceiling in my living (listening) with a combination of Auralex t'fusors and foam, but until I run into some disposable income, I'm using the old "ceiling tile on the wall" method of absorbtion to eliminate some of the nasty echo.

    Anyway, this foam factory stuff would just be for my newest little project: turning my 'office' into a podcasting studio! I suppose I can take the chance in there.
    How is the ceiling tile approach working for you?

    I suspend five 2'x4' acoustic ceiling panels (three along the front wall and two along the back wall) in my room and they do a reasonably good job of reducing the echoes (obviously, the rugs and furniture contribute as well). I actually had better results when I lined up five panels along the front wall behind the main and center speakers. The difference with the bare wall was startling, with big improvements in the overall coherency and tightness of the imaging, and a noticeably smoother sound. But, that was just too unsightly and when I went to the molding hook suspension setup that I currently use, my wife put the brakes on how many panels would get lined up. So, this leaves some gaps in between the panels. Still better than a bare wall, but not quite as good as it sounded before.

    I have not done anything with the ceiling, and I'm curious as to how much a high mounted absorber might improve the sound quality.

    I'm thinking about going with the corner absorbers that Eighth Nerve sells. I know from doing SPL measurements, that I'm getting a fairly substantial horn effect up in the upper corners of my room. Some absorption up there might help tighten up the sound on my system even further.

  5. #5
    Galactic Patrol Lensman's Avatar
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    Be aware that you're probably getting what you pay for from these guys. According to the ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials), the organization that sets NRC measurement standards, proper NRC ratings must be stated in multiples of .05. As ratings of Foam Factory's materials don't conform to their standards (compare their ratings to the previously mentioned Auralex: http://www.auralex.com/testdata/), their testing methods must be considered suspect. Still, they're very cheap. So if you're not fighting localized acoustic problems, they could be a great bargain choice. Just don't assume they'll equal the performance of products from Auralex, Sonex, etc.

  6. #6
    Forum Regular N. Abstentia's Avatar
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    Not sure about those other panels, but I love my Auralex

    I recently added pictures of my Auralex panels so far in my new room...link below. The panels are at the very bottom.

  7. #7
    RGA
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    Quote Originally Posted by bacchanal
    Anyone heard of Foam Factory acoustic foam on ebay? The prices/nrc ratings seem a little too good to be true.
    I am pretty sure this is what i am using -- I bought these panels off of Corwin99 who posts here as he bought a large shipment and had extra so I bought them up to try and am still experimenting.

    Still there is a considerable improvement to the slap echo I was having and my room is significantly damped -- but it is nice to handle the first reflection. Yes it works.

  8. #8
    Forum Regular paul_pci's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by N. Abstentia
    Not sure about those other panels, but I love my Auralex

    I recently added pictures of my Auralex panels so far in my new room...link below. The panels are at the very bottom.

    Great pictures; keep 'em coming. Gotta get a picture of you sleeping after overdosing on a marathon of after-school specials DVDs.

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    Whadda think of this?

    I am building a new house... One decision I have to consider is how I finish my "basement" ceiling, which is actually a patio level with access to the lake. Thus, is has to be done fairly well. Options include: Sheetrock. Drop-in. Something else.

    As far as "something else", I did find this.

    http://www.owenscorning.com/around/s.../solserene.asp

    At first, I thought no way. Doing more digging, it seems this is actually a viable product, and a novel one at that. The big advantage seems to be noise abatement. From the design, it looks like it woud do a darn good job at that. You guys are always building HT's in basements. Maybe this is an approach that might improve sound and make for an inexpensive finished look. I would do this over drop-in anyday. ???.

    jocko

    We are going to sheetrock, drop-in in the garage.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Woochifer
    How is the ceiling tile approach working for you?
    That is kind of a loaded question. It's a different issue than what I'd use this foam for. My room is about 17.5' by 18' with a vaulted ceiling and carpeted floors. The slap echo in this room is insane! With bare walls a clap will give you an echo that sounds something like a laser gun from a cheap sci-fi movie. I used the 2'x4' panels (covered in burlap for looks) in a relatively evenly spaced, semi-strategic pattern. They are hung (picture style) at about verticle center on the walls. I have 8 panels in all. My goal was simply to tone down the first reflections and to just make the room less active in general. The result is pretty good. A clap still give a pretty nasty echo, but the echo dissipates much more quickly now that the panels are up. Unfortunately my sound still gets pretty muddy and fatiguing at higher volumes.

    I'm actually attending a workshop on acoustic design for studios (sponsored by sweetwater.com and auralex) next Tuesday, so hopefully I'll pick up some knowledge when I'm there. I have plenty of friends in the music industry, and I know a sound engineer or two. The thing that I hear the most is that I need diffusion as well as absorbtion. I'm just not sure how to go about merging good acoustic design, my budget, and living room aesthetics.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    As far as "something else", I did find this.

    http://www.owenscorning.com/around/s.../solserene.asp
    That might be the ticket for my living room problem, and I could probably still resell the house too!

  12. #12
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Woochifer
    How is the ceiling tile approach working for you?

    I suspend five 2'x4' acoustic ceiling panels (three along the front wall and two along the back wall) in my room and they do a reasonably good job of reducing the echoes (obviously, the rugs and furniture contribute as well). I actually had better results when I lined up five panels along the front wall behind the main and center speakers. The difference with the bare wall was startling, with big improvements in the overall coherency and tightness of the imaging, and a noticeably smoother sound. But, that was just too unsightly and when I went to the molding hook suspension setup that I currently use, my wife put the brakes on how many panels would get lined up. So, this leaves some gaps in between the panels. Still better than a bare wall, but not quite as good as it sounded before.

    I have not done anything with the ceiling, and I'm curious as to how much a high mounted absorber might improve the sound quality.

    I'm thinking about going with the corner absorbers that Eighth Nerve sells. I know from doing SPL measurements, that I'm getting a fairly substantial horn effect up in the upper corners of my room. Some absorption up there might help tighten up the sound on my system even further.


    Hi Woochifer,

    Putting some treatments up in the corners is certainly a good idea. I've got an arragement of DIY and eighth nerve both.

    HAve you read Ethan Winer's Build a better bass trap and his Acoustic FAQs. A good read...of course, if you follow all the included links...you've got a lot to read

    I believe the 2'x4' acoustical ceiling panels don't contribute "all" to much until you get 3" thick. *I think it's the equivalent of Owens 701 or 1lb. high densitity fiberglass. Also...you'll get a bit better response (for reflections) if you space the fiberglass panels an inch away from the wall with some spacers.

    You can also use Owens 703 or 705 (or Knauf 3lb or 6lb) for better results. For the first reflection points 2" of 703 FSK backed spaced 1" off the wall is a good reflection panel. The 2"fsk could also be used in the ceiling/wall corners or in the tri-corners as well.

    For the bass traps you'll want at least 4" thick. What I found out with the Knauf fiberglass is that they don't want to make the 4" unless you order large quantities. So you can save money by ordering one case of 2"fsk backed and one case of plain. Then use some spray adhesive to bond the 2 panels together.

    A couple of places you can purchase the high density fiberglass is from sensible sound solutions and amerisafe (You'd be better off giving them a call (630)862-2650 and ask for Daniel Ruszkowski.

    The foam on ebay? I know the quality varies from different companies...If I were to place an order, I think I would place a small order to verify the quality (and desity) of the foam. Then, if it's what you're looking for...place the rest of the order.


    happy listening

    dan
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  13. #13
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    Just a little tidbit...
    I went to that sweetwater workshop the other night. The speaker, Russ Berger , talked a little about a product he helped develop with auralex called a space coupler. The product's actual use is a little complicated. It involves coupling the room with an additional space to create a slowly diminishing decay to make the space sound larger than it is. However, he also mentioned that the coupler works as an absorber if placed a few inches out from a wall as you would a traditional foam panel. It basically bounces the sound around enough to significantly reduce it by 8db or so before it bounces back out into the room. You could also put foam behind it to enhance absorbtion.

    The key is to have it positioned so the sound hits it at a shallow angle. Obviously if the sound goes straight in, it isn't going to do much.

    Anyway, it's a pretty neat idea that I hadn't really seen before as an absorber (although it looks similar to some diffusers i've seen), and it looks like it would be pretty easy as a DIY project.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Auralex pArtScience Space Coupler

    Quantity: 2 per box (=8 ft²)

    Size 23 5/8” x 23 5/8” x 3”

    Finish Natural Wood

    For audio professionals who seek to provide a small room acoustical environment supportive of a wide range of performance and recording styles, the pArtScience™ SpaceCoupler™ is an acoustical treatment that creates a natural “large sound” within a small room footprint. Unlike current alternatives which involve custom design and remodeling, the SpaceCoupler works within the current room footprint for a fraction of the cost.

    • Loosely Couples Spaces: Creates a natural “large sound” in an otherwise small room.

    • Waveguide Design: Redirection of sound energy offers an attractive alternative to traditional absorptive and diffusive surface treatments.

    • Modular: 2’ by 2’ panels used in a variety of applications and placement options, including “T-Bar” grids.

    • Beautiful Solid Wood Construction: Widely used for musical instruments and decorative finishes for over 1000 years, Paulownia wood has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any wood in the world.

  14. #14
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Large sound in a small footprint...

    reflecting waves so they bounce around the room...


    described as being a little complicated...


    Sounds like your trying to replicate a Bose system. A large sound in a small room by reflecting waves around to create a larger (room filling I would guess) sound.

    I'm sure it does work and give the desired effect...It's just a question if creating a large WaveRadio is your desire

    Those workshops could be fun though. It keeps you exposed to new or unknown products.


    take care,
    dan
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by gonefishin
    reflecting waves so they bounce around the room...
    is called diffusion.

    Quote Originally Posted by gonefishin
    I'm sure it does work and give the desired effect...It's just a question if creating a large WaveRadio is your desire
    Well I don't think that's exactly the effect. It's a product designed to give less than ideal spaces better acoustic properties. The rule of thumb is that a good listening environment should not be smaller than 2500ft^3. If you're forced to use a smaller space than that, say for a project studio, you have to improvise. The idea of a space coupler is to keep the acoustic energy in the room, but creating a gradual decay to give the room some 'atmosphere', instead of just deadening it. The idea may be similar to the one used to make a $300 clock radio sound bigger, but it has a use other than just creating cash flow. It is not meant to be used exclusively, but with other acoustical treatments.

    Creating the best possible acoustic space with the area and budget I have to work with is my desire. But what do I know, I'm just an audio enthusiast with an engineering degree.

    I should also mention that the workshop wasn't just the typical ramblimg about a specific product workshop. It was about planning for and managing studio design with specific ideas for small budgets and spaces.

    Maybe you're right though. After all, you do own a bigger, more expensive system than me !

    Sorry, you just got a rise out of me with that bose comment!
    peace,
    -bach
    Last edited by bacchanal; 11-18-2005 at 09:55 AM.

  16. #16
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Sorry for the rise bach. It was just that they seemed to lay the marketing on a bit heavy in the description. That...coupled with the "wave" technology...I couldn't resist.

    It must be nice to be an engineer. Congrats! I'm a public servant???

    I'm certainly not an acoustic engineer (or any other type, like yourself...congrats!). So I'd recommend that you seek advice out where acoustic designers and engineers do post. Such as the Rives forum, Audio Circle's acoustics circle, recording.org and others.

    But what I read in the marketing is that " Redirection of sound energy offers an attractive alternative to traditional absorptive and diffusive surface treatments." Where convential diffusers are used in conjunction with abosorptive panels and traps within a room. Not alone...such as the SpaceCoupler, which gives you a large sound in a small room. Instead of as an alternative to...I would think that in conjunction with would be better. Unless your goal is to bounce the waves around with no absorbtion.

    I wasn't trying to say that diffusers are bad...espeically in a normal square room with a flat ceiling. But using them by themselves, simply to throw the reflections around without eliminating them would be what I would think...similar to a Bose Wave radio. I'm sorry about the Bose comments (again...darn it).

    Again...I'm just saying that I'd do a little more reading and questioning, in regards to setting up your room, before spending your money.

    dan
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  17. #17
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    This site has some test data for auralex and for foam by mail. A quick glance makes me think for half the price of Auralex, you get half the quality. But it probably works a whole lot better than most folks' efforts with curtains and rugs.
    http://www.realtraps.com/data.htm

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