Acoustic Panel Sizes For Different Rooms

If you are looking to customise your home or professional studio for music and audio production, acoustic panels are one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to go. Of course, there are a range of different acoustic panel sizes which are designed to suit a range of different rooms.

To help you find the right acoustic solution for your particular application, we have put together this handy guide to help you.

Understanding Acoustic Panels

First, let’s make sure we understand what exactly acoustic panels are.

These handy items are sound-absorbing structures designed to improve the acoustics of indoor spaces. How do they do this? By reducing noise, minimising reverberation, and decreasing the likelihood of echoes. Acoustic panels are crucial for creating a controlled audio environment, which of course is particularly important for DJs and music producers who need clear, precise sound feedback for their work.

Benefits for DJs and Music Producers

For DJs and music producers, acoustic panels offer several advantages:

1. Improved sound quality

Acoustic panels are made of a special foam or similar material that is designed to effectively absorb excess sound waves. Instead of allowing these soundwaves to bounce around uncontrolled, causing echo and reverberation distortions, the absorbing acoustic panels help create a cleaner, more accurate sound.

2. Enhance clarity

Well placed acoustic panels, by reducing echoes and reverberations, make it not just easier to produce higher sound quality but make it easier to distinguish individual sounds and instruments.

3. Easier music recording

In studio settings, home or otherwise, acoustic panels enable clearer recordings by minimising unwanted reflections. The better the quality of your recording, the better the listening experience for your fans.

4. Increased productivity

A well-treated room acoustically allows for not just higher quality audio, but higher quality work. With reduced ear fatigue, you can work and focus for longer.

Choosing the Right Acoustic Panel Size

Selecting the appropriate acoustic panel size is crucial for effective sound treatment. There are several factors to consider including room dimensions, ceiling height, furniture and equipment placement, specific acoustic issues and frequency ranges that need treatment.

Room Specifications

Your room’s size and shape should be considered carefully when drawing up an acoustic treatment plan. A large room will naturally require more acoustic panels or larger sized panels than a small one.

Focus on covering significant wall and ceiling areas to help reduce the overall number of panels needed, potentially saving you time and money. If you are working in a smaller room, smaller panels might be both practical and more aesthetically pleasing, or else you risk overwhelming the room’s aesthetics.

The ceiling height is important to consider, as high ceilings can exacerbate certain acoustic issues, such as reverberation. Prioritise larger panels on the ceiling if you have a limited number of panels.

Room Furnishings

Your existing furniture and equipment can play a significant role in how sound behaves within your studio space.

In addition to acoustic panels, try to use soft furnishings like couches, rugs, and curtains as they can absorb some sound. Hard surfaces like desks, monitors, and other equipment can enhance unwanted reflections. However, smaller acoustic panels can be used quite strategically to target these specific reflection points.

Specific Acoustic Issues

When finding the right acoustic panel sizes for your space, spend some time trying to identify the specific acoustic problems of your space/room.

Flutter echoes, i.e., rapid, distinct echoes, are often the result of parallel hard surfaces. Smaller panels can be used effectively here. Low frequency resonances, for example, might be best mitigated with larger, thicker panels or bass traps. Excessive reverberation, similarly, which can make the audio sound muddy and unclear, can also be reduced with larger panels, especially on the ceiling.

Frequency Range

Even the frequency range you’re targeting can and should influence your choice of acoustic panel size.

Lower frequencies have longer wavelengths, which require thicker and larger panels to ensure effective absorption. Bass traps, often mounted in the corner of the room, are typically larger than standard acoustic panels.

For mid and high frequencies, smaller, thinner panels are generally sufficient.

Acoustic Panel Sizing Guide

Please note that this is a general guide only. We’ve listed a step-by-step approach to help you work out the right size and quantity of panels for your particular application.

Small Home Studios (10-15 m²)

It is generally recommended that between 20-30% of the wall surface is covered. Acoustic panel sizes of 30×30 cm or 50×50 cm are ideal for this.

Medium Recording Room (20-30 m²)

For slightly larger rooms, opt for somewhere between 30-40% of the wall surface being covered and try the larger panel size: 50×50 cm or 60×60 cm.

Large Studio Space (40-60 m²)

If your room is larger, covering up to 50% of the wall space with panels ranging from 60×60 cm to 100×100 cm is most effective. You should also consider adding large-sized panels to your studio ceiling for even better acoustic management.

Tips for Choosing Your Panel Size

1. Start with a detailed plan: Draw a floor plan of your room and mark potential panel placement locations and determine dimensions.
2. Measure and calculate: Calculate the surface area of your walls and ceiling to determine the total panel surface area needed and what sort of sized panels are optimal.
3. Consider panel thickness: Bear in mind that panel thickness also plays a role in frequency absorption.
4. Test and adjust: Where possible, start with a smaller number of panels and test the results. It is always easy to add more panels as needed. And, yes, it is possible to over-do acoustic-proofing your room: Too many panels can make a room sound dead and lifeless.

Find the Perfect Acoustic Panel Sizes at DJ City

Do you need more help finding the right acoustic panel sizes for your home or professional studio? 

Whether you would like help from the experts or are ready to place your order for acoustic panels, DJ City is the premier supplier of DJ and audio production equipment and our team is always available to help you out.