What Are Acoustic Panels Made Of?
Acoustic panels are made of a porous core, usually rigid fiberglass, mineral wool, open cell foam, or polyester (PET) felt, often in a wood frame under breathable fabric. Fiberglass and mineral wool absorb the most below 500 Hz, which is why studio panels use them. Primacoustic's Broadway panels are 6 pcf glass wool with an acoustically transparent polyester fabric face.
Core materials compared
Pick fiberglass or mineral wool. By these lab absorption coefficients (1.0 means full absorption), they're the best material for acoustic panels.
| Core | Example, thickness | 125 Hz | 250 Hz | 500 Hz | 1 kHz | NRC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiberglass board | Owens Corning 703, 2 in | 0.15 | 0.71 | 1.14 | 1.16 | 1.00 |
| Mineral wool | Rockwool Safe'n'Sound, 3 in | 0.52 | 0.96 | 1.18 | 1.07 | 1.05 |
| Glass wool panel | Primacoustic Broadway, 2 in | 0.45 | 0.83 | 1.07 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Polyurethane foam | Auralex Studiofoam Wedges, 2 in | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.63 | 0.97 | 0.75 |
| PET felt | Primacoustic ECOScapes, 0.95 in | 0.05 | 0.19 | 0.67 | 1.01 | 0.75 |
Fire
Rockwool lists Safe'n'Sound as non-combustible with a flame spread index of 0, unfaced 703 rates 5, and Broadway is Class A. Foam varies, so check its rating. See acoustic foam.
Thickness
Matters as much as material. 703 absorbs 0.15 at 125 Hz at 2 inches and 0.56 at 4 inches. See how thick acoustic panels should be.
Frame and fabric
In a DIY panel, the core goes in a wood frame wrapped in breathable fabric. Steps are in how to make acoustic panels, and fabric picks in what fabric to use for acoustic panels. If you'd rather buy, see the best acoustic panels for a home studio, and the home studio acoustic treatment guide for placement.
Related questions
What is the best material for acoustic panels?
Fiberglass board or mineral wool. At 2 to 3 inches they absorb 0.71 to 0.96 at 250 Hz in lab tests, against 0.24 for 2 inch foam.
Are polyester felt panels any good?
For highs, yes. Primacoustic's 1 inch PET felt panel absorbs 1.01 at 1 kHz but 0.19 at 250 Hz, so it treats flutter echo but leaves the low mids.
More answers: Home recording FAQ