This article features a number of articles aimed at helping you understand the basics of room acoustics and how acoustic treatment works to improve the response and overall sound quality of a recording studio environment. If you are dissatisfied with the sound of your studio take the first steps in improving the acoustic properties of your studio by checking out these articles.

Understanding How Sound Works

The basics of room acoustics can be quite complicated and difficult to get your head around. Sound, after all, is an invisible energy. We cannot see how sound works in a room, which isn’t very helpful for those new to audio production wanting to understand the basics of room acoustics. 

Check out the following posts which include a fun yet informative video presented by John Calder of Acoustic Geometry in which he demonstrates how sound works in a room by showing the differences between direct sound (sound that arrives at a listener’s ear first) and reflected sound (sound that arrives later reflected off room surfaces such as walls). We’ve also included an interview with acoustics guru Andy Munro who provides excellent advice and insight into the world of acoustics.

Building Your Own Acoustic Treatment Panels

It is no secret, a key component in any recording or mix environment is acoustic treatment. Studios generally sound too reverberant, making them challenging places to record and mix in without some level of absorption positioned at first reflection points.

Whlie foam is considered a helpful material in acoustic treatment it shouldn't be considered as the only line of defence against poor room acoustics. Generic off-the-shelf foam is typically quite thin and isn't usually that dense either. Such products generally perform quite poorly in critical mid to low frequency areas within a room. This is where acoustic panels do much better, but many off the shelf options can cost upwards of $100 per panel. Factor in multiple panels for treating an entire studio sufficiently and you’ll end up with quite a sizeable bill.

Luckily, broadband acoustic panels can be made by hand for a fraction of the cost with some basic materials and hand tools as you can see in our article Acoustic Panels - Learn How To Build Your Own For Under £50

Opting For Off-The-Shelf Acoustic Treatment

Although some feel confident undertaking DIY acoustic treatment builds we recognise it isn’t for everyone. It is not possible to demo or test a full solution in your studio before buying which makes choosing the right off-the-shelf acoustic treatment quite challenging. We put together a list of top brands that provide great sounding low cost off the shelf acoustic panels and treatment solutions to help those currently looking at investing in acoustic treatment find the best solutions for their budget.

How To Address Poor Acoustics On Tight Budgets

Off-the-shelf acoustic treatment can add up fast to eye-watering amounts which may not be economical for recording enthusiasts. Luckily, there are a fair few affordable acoustic treatment solutions available for home recording studio guys on a budget.