Sound. Home owners, apartment tenants, businesses, theaters and schools struggle to control it. From blocking the neighbor’s stereo to avoiding echoes in the classroom, sound creates tough problems many people assume any type of soundproofing material will solve. But “soundproofing” is a general term. “Sound absorption” and “sound blocking” are more specific and address particular needs. In order to choose the right method for your situation, it’s important to understand the difference.
SOUND BLOCKING with sound insulation material stops sound from entering or leaving a room. Sound insulation material such as Audimute Peacemaker is perfect for blocking loud music, voices, traffic, and many other distractions. Look for sound blocking materials with a high Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating. This number, the higher the better, indicates how effective a certain sound insulation material is at sound blocking. For instance, sound insulation material with a 25 STC would allow normal speech to be understood through a wall while material with a rating of 60 would render most sounds inaudible.
SOUND ABSORPTION on the other hand improves the sound quality in a room but does not block sound transmission through walls. Sound absorption is accomplished with sound absorption materials such as Audimute Acoustic Panels and Audimute Sound Absorption Sheets. These sound absorption products prevent bounce, echoes and unwanted noise. Absorbing excess sound deadens music frequencies to create a cleaner, less cluttered sound perfect for lecture halls or home stereos. Sound absorption materials enhance the listening experience for those in the room by preventing sounds from glancing off walls and mixing with each other. Sound absorption materials are distinguished by a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC). The NRC rating is a decimal number between 0 and 1 that indicates the material’s effectiveness at absorbing sound.
To prevent sound from entering or leaving a room we suggest a sound blocking product made from sound proofing material. If the sound within a room is wanted but needs to be tamed, a sound absorption product is the answer. Because sound absorption materials and soundproofing materials have completely different effects on sound it is often wise to use them together based on your own unique application.
Click below to hear Mitch Zlotnik, President of Audimute Soundproofing explain the difference between soundproofing (sound insulation) and sound absorption.