Acoustic Panels
                  After reading about everything I could get my hands regarding room acoustics, I decided to take the knowledge I had gathered and put it to good use. I decided to build my own acoustic panels to tame my room’s reflective issues.  My first step was deciding where to place these panels. After consulting several publications and forums I went with the tried and true (and easiest) method for panel placement. The “mirror trick”. This is where you slide a mirror along the sidewall and have a friend sit in the listening position. When the seated person sees the speaker(s) in the mirror this indicates that this location needs acoustical treatment. After marking all the locations necessary for treatments it was time to start building. I decided to use three panels on each sidewall of the front half of the theater. I came to this conclusion by applying the live end / dead end theory. Which goes along with having the front half of the theater being dead (acoustical absorbent) and the rear end live (reflective). The panels I constructed below are each 48.5” X 24” x 1.5”.
   

The following steps take you through the construction process of the acoustic panels I used in my theater.

Construction Materials;

¼” Masonite sheet   (Back of acoustic panels)

¾” MDF stock         (borders of acoustic panels)

12”x12”x1” Foam Acoustic Pieces

Wood Glue

Pneumatic Nail or Staple Guns
   
Step 1:  Cut Masonite sheet to desired finished size (Mine: 48.5”x24”)
 
Step 2: Cut down ¾” MDF to 1 ¼” strips for the panel’s borders.
   
Step 3: Attach ¾” MDF to borders of ¼” Masonite with glue and pneumatic staple     gun or nail gun
   

Step 4: Next, I like to use a ½” round over bit to take the sharp edge off the edges of panels. This way the grill cloth will wrap around the edges of the panels nicely.

   
Pic Coming!!!

Step 5: I don’t show a picture of it, but what I did next to save myself work later when mounting the panels is to take the panels down to the theater and hold them in place. I did this by resting the panel up against the wall and letting the panel sit on a MDF spacer on the floor. After leveling the panel, I drilled four holes (through the panel into the drywall) with a 1/8” drill bit in each of the panel’s corners about two inches in from the edge. Next, I removed the panel and put drywall anchors in wall at these locations. Then I put a screw in each one of the anchors. This way after the panel is finished and wrapped in grill cloth, all I have to do is hang it on the wall!!! Very slick!!
   
  Step 6: I like to paint the edges and border of the panel so when the panel is wrapped in grill cloth the raw MDF wood color does not show.
   

Step 7: Attaching the foam acoustic squares. I purchased my foam pieces from a company on Ebay called Foam Factory. Very fast shipping and great prices. I also used high strength spray adhesive to attach the foam. It is important to dry fit all your pieces to insure that no cutting is involved. REMEMBER!!! Spray both the foam generously and the panel!! Once dry, install each square.
   
Pic Coming!!!

Step 8: Wrap the entire panel in grill cloth and attach to the backside with an upholstery stapler
   
Pic Coming!!! Step 9: Your finished!!!!  Now your ready to install your panel.
   
 

This of course will not take care of all your room’s acoustical problems, but it will help with those annoying first order reflections. With simple acoustic treatments, proper speaker placement, and correct equipment set-up, you can have a very good sounding theater.
   
 

Thanks for checking this out,

Shawn Keeler

   
   

 This article only covers a limited amount of acoustical theory, and by no means should be treated as fact. For further information please consult such publications as: “The Master Handbook of Acoustics” or a local professional.