Acoustically Transparent Material for Cinema Walls?

Acoustically Transparent Material for Cinema Walls?

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Discussion

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,018 posts

105 months

Friday 1st November 2024
quotequote all
Cinema room is finally done but rather than decorating where I have been hacking the place to bits (previous owner did in wall speakers!), I fancy some of the track and acoustically transparent material to save me the effort.

Anyone done it? Did it work out well?

I can baton off all day long, just wondering about the finished result. Thanks.

OutInTheShed

10,799 posts

39 months

Sunday 3rd November 2024
quotequote all
Do you really mean 'transparent'? As in speaker cloth?

Or do you want to limit echoes and resonances?

In our lounge we have curtains which weigh a ton, they make a difference to the audio.
Fabric wall-hangings might be of interest to modify the acoustics?

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,018 posts

105 months

Monday 4th November 2024
quotequote all
OutInTheShed said:
Do you really mean 'transparent'? As in speaker cloth?

Or do you want to limit echoes and resonances?

In our lounge we have curtains which weigh a ton, they make a difference to the audio.
Fabric wall-hangings might be of interest to modify the acoustics?
Yes, transparent.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,018 posts

105 months

Monday 4th November 2024
quotequote all
nuyorican said:
Do you mean like black foam sheeting?

I was in the cinema the other evening leant up against the corner at the back, the entire wall was made of it. Kind of like what you get on the front of a large loudspeaker to protect the drivers.
It won't be black but yes, that's the stuff.

mgv8

1,651 posts

284 months

Tuesday 5th November 2024
quotequote all
I think there are some crossed wires. "transparent" is not what you are talking about, but rather absorbent so that the room is softer and has less reflective surfaces.
Are you happy to make them yourself or just ready-made? Do you need to stop bass reflection in the corners?

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,018 posts

105 months

Tuesday 5th November 2024
quotequote all
mgv8 said:
I think there are some crossed wires. "transparent" is not what you are talking about, but rather absorbent so that the room is softer and has less reflective surfaces.
Are you happy to make them yourself or just ready-made? Do you need to stop bass reflection in the corners?
No, I'm very much correct on what I'm asking.

It's fine if nobody has done it.

OutInTheShed

10,799 posts

39 months

Tuesday 5th November 2024
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
No, I'm very much correct on what I'm asking.

It's fine if nobody has done it.
Intrigued by what you're trying to achieve.

markiii

4,011 posts

207 months

Tuesday 5th November 2024
quotequote all
nothing by the sound of it

PhilboSE

5,057 posts

239 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
I have a Screen Excellence acoustically transparent screen, so that the image is projected onto it and the speakers are directly behind it. This maximised the screen size for my particular install.

It works very well, no impact on the image or sound quality.

Tony1963

5,587 posts

175 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
OutInTheShed said:
Intrigued by what you're trying to achieve.
I think it’s clear enough in the OP’s initial post and subsequent replies. Doesn’t fancy decorating, is hoping the covering walls with cloth material will be easier and won’t affect the sound.

CoolHands

20,469 posts

208 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
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It wasn’t ’clear enough’ and I can’t say his att comes across as very nice!

PhilboSE

5,057 posts

239 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
He used the key words “acoustically transparent” correctly. If you know, you know.

Just to add that decorating will be a lot cheaper!

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,018 posts

105 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
Thanks Tony and Phil. I was beginning to wonder if it was me.

TGCOTF-dewey

6,346 posts

68 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
Thanks Tony and Phil. I was beginning to wonder if it was me.
It wasn't you.

ATG

21,952 posts

285 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
TGCOTF-dewey said:
Baldchap said:
Thanks Tony and Phil. I was beginning to wonder if it was me.
It wasn't you.
Kind of was. In particular it isn't clear what "track" means in the original post.

And typically you don't want to put acoustically transparent material on a wall because that just gives you the acoustics of the wall, which for most rooms means it'll resonate at all of the room's harmonics. You generally want to stop that. It's much more common to try to stop walls from reflecting sound.

Tony1963

5,587 posts

175 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
ATG said:
Kind of was. In particular it isn't clear what "track" means in the original post.

And typically you don't want to put acoustically transparent material on a wall because that just gives you the acoustics of the wall, which for most rooms means it'll resonate at all of the room's harmonics. You generally want to stop that. It's much more common to try to stop walls from reflecting sound.
So what?
Few people ‘treat’ their room, and the OP asked a reasonable question.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,018 posts

105 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
ATG said:
TGCOTF-dewey said:
Baldchap said:
Thanks Tony and Phil. I was beginning to wonder if it was me.
It wasn't you.
Kind of was. In particular it isn't clear what "track" means in the original post.
It would if you had experience of what I'm asking about.

As an aside, it doesn't make someone else an idiot because you don't know the answer.

Cliov6dan

158 posts

137 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
Is spandex not acoustically transparent? I made my screen from it even tho I don’t have speakers behind but I’m sure I’d read that it was. Big in size and pretty easy to work with and any colour pattern you’d want. Also had movie pictures printed on speaker fabric at contrado for my panels.

FMOB

1,994 posts

25 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
Quite a confused thread, I assume the OP is looking for a material to cover walls that may or may not be acoustically treated but won't affect whatever is behind it.

i.e. just a cosmetic finish.

Assume the OP is after something like this.

https://smarthomesmadesimple.co.uk/product/blazer-...

PhilboSE

5,057 posts

239 months

Wednesday 6th November 2024
quotequote all
FMOB said:
Quite a confused thread, I assume the OP is looking for a material to cover walls that may or may not be acoustically treated but won't affect whatever is behind it.

i.e. just a cosmetic finish.

Assume the OP is after something like this.

https://smarthomesmadesimple.co.uk/product/blazer-...
Nope. For some reason everyone's running away with some idea of room treatment for sound reflection. It's nothing to do with that.

It's a screen for a projector to show an image on. The speakers go directly behind the screen, which is "acoustically transparent" so that the sound isn't affected. It's an installation option to hide the speakers, get a wider screen, and have a more "natural" source for the sound. Here's a picture of mine. The screen diagonal is about 3m.