Acoustic Treatment

Acoustically treating a room is necessary in audio production due to the fact that very few spaces have the physical qualities that make for accurate monitoring or desired recording. There are many things that can be done to a space before and during construction to optimize its acoustic behavior. These include the shape of the space, its isolation, and the surface materials. Once a room is already constructed, acoustic treatment mostly tends to consist of treating the surfaces. There are two primary elements to consider: absorption and diffusion. Acoustic foam is well suited to alleviate slap and flutter echo, the two most common problems in rooms not specifically designed for music recording and performance. In fact, foam can turn even the most cavernous warehouse or gymnasium into a suitable acoustic environment. Diffusion keeps sound waves from grouping, so there are no hot spots or nulls in a room. In conjunction with absorption, diffusion can effectively turn virtually any space into one that is appropriate and useful for the purpose of recording or monitoring sound with a high degree of accuracy.