DIY Portable Acoustic Panels

[mrbowes]

First time poster in this forum...

I'm looking into making 2-4 portable acoustic panels for location recording of guitars/vocalists, and would like your opinion.

I have a couple 20' wide by 35' tall 1/2" think plywood covered in a thin black carpet-like material. I was thinking of layering some Owens 703 fiberglass on top of that and then covering the whole thing with a thin piece of fabric. Good idea?

I want these to be easy to transport and light enough to be able to be used with a typical mic stand.

Any suggestions? Is plywood + fiberglass good for this application? Alternatives?

I'm just trying to control the reflections of sound so as to mitigate the troubles of awkward rooms.

Thanks in advance for thoughtful replies.

[Barnabas]

Do you really mean 20 feet wide by 30 feet tall? I'm guessing you meant inches.

Do you have a used office furniture store near you? If so look for panels from an office cubicle system. If the store has odd colored panels that don't fit a set, or panels with small rips, they should let you have them cheap. These panels are designed to keep sound from one office space from another, so should work well for what you are doing.

If you are trying to create a barrier to keep sound from going from one side to another (keeping instruments separated), you need mass. This can be sheetrock, particle board, or anything that is heavy for it’s size.

If you are trying to cut down on reflections, then the soft insulation you mentioned will be good.

The office cubicle panels should do both jobs.

[Steve Smith]

Good tip!

Option 2 would be to use the OC703 "FSK" ( foil backed) and paint the edges with marine varnish ( spraycan) for rigidity. then cover first with thin (think 4 mil) plastic ad then the fabric of your choice.. Instant micro gobo, great for building isolation huts over amps and the like..