Ask HN: What's the best way to reduce echo in a space?

2 pointstherealwardo2y ago8 comments

Those acoustic foam panels are not cool, but even if I bought them, where should I put them and why?

What looks good, improves a space's acoustics, and isn't too expensive?

8 comments

t3122272y ago

hello,

echo = reflections of sound-waves from hard surfaces

you have to hinder those reflections and try to absorb sound-waves in your room ...

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_%28acoustics%29

if there is nothing in a room even "direct" noise is disturbing - especially if everybody is in a different video-chat and some people tend to speak louder than others.

cheap and good looking?

* hang thick/fluffy carpets onto the walls

* cover other hard/flat surfaces with something fluffy ;)

* put (fluffy) stuff into the room ... from plants to large stuffed animals - whatever floats your boat ;)

* https://www.snoringsource.com/sound-absorbing-materials/

"professional" alternatives

* sound absorbing panels

* acoustic-foam material (some look like egg-boxes, but out of a black foamed synthetic material)

imho this problem - echos and noise in general - is the main reason for avoiding open-plan offices like the plague ... at all costs, these are such an annoyance to everyone!!

especially if you follow a "clean desk" policy, w/o "personalized" spaces and therefore w/o stuff on the desks ... ;))

just my 0.02 €

jacknobody2y ago

In New Zealand our eggs come in trays made of pulped newspaper. Here's a link to a photo: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d1/2d/25/d12d25728bff56b50396... I've seen people cover their walls with such egg trays, which they said helped a lot.

ofalkaed2y ago

Heavy drapes over those ugly panels, hides the utilitarian and adds some dampening as well.

Edit: forgot the where to put them part of the question which is ultimately unanswerable without know what you are doing and the details of the space including what is in the room.

therealwardoOP2y ago

thanks. it's a loft space that we have just desks and a table and chairs in. lots of flat surfaces.

is there any reference material you'd recommend reading?

ofalkaed2y ago

It is all essentially guess and check unless you want to learn acoustics, short of that the best you can do is search for what people have done in a similar situation. Dimensions of the room and what you are recording play a big role, reducing echos for recording a full drum kit is a very different thing than reducing echos for a single person recording narration for their youtube videos, for the former you will likely need full room treatment, for the latter just treating the wall you face or even rearranging the room may be enough. Changing mics could also do it, a highly directional dynamic pointed right at the source and up close will pick up less of the room than an omni condenser. Are you even recording or are you just trying to make you living space quieter?

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8 comments

t3122272y ago

hello,

echo = reflections of sound-waves from hard surfaces

you have to hinder those reflections and try to absorb sound-waves in your room ...

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_%28acoustics%29

if there is nothing in a room even "direct" noise is disturbing - especially if everybody is in a different video-chat and some people tend to speak louder than others.

cheap and good looking?

* hang thick/fluffy carpets onto the walls

* cover other hard/flat surfaces with something fluffy ;)

* put (fluffy) stuff into the room ... from plants to large stuffed animals - whatever floats your boat ;)

* https://www.snoringsource.com/sound-absorbing-materials/

"professional" alternatives

* sound absorbing panels

* acoustic-foam material (some look like egg-boxes, but out of a black foamed synthetic material)

imho this problem - echos and noise in general - is the main reason for avoiding open-plan offices like the plague ... at all costs, these are such an annoyance to everyone!!

especially if you follow a "clean desk" policy, w/o "personalized" spaces and therefore w/o stuff on the desks ... ;))

just my 0.02 €

jacknobody2y ago

ofalkaed2y ago

Heavy drapes over those ugly panels, hides the utilitarian and adds some dampening as well.

Edit: forgot the where to put them part of the question which is ultimately unanswerable without know what you are doing and the details of the space including what is in the room.

therealwardoOP2y ago

thanks. it's a loft space that we have just desks and a table and chairs in. lots of flat surfaces.

is there any reference material you'd recommend reading?

ofalkaed2y ago

1 more reply

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