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Drop ceiling sound absorbtion products?

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apa

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Nov 19, 2009, 5:32:20 PM11/19/09
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Can anyone recommend a specific product that's designed to fit into a
suspended ceiling frame in order to get some sound absorption? I'm
trying to reduce the reverb time in a conference room and I'm looking
for something that will do the job without being too fancy (i.e.
expensive.) Ideally it would also have enough strength to support a
light load (like a hanging mic). Any pointer would be appreciated.

Thanks, Andy

Don Pearce

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Nov 19, 2009, 5:34:40 PM11/19/09
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On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:32:20 -0800 (PST), apa <taco...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

Have a look here for a start

http://www.ibp.fhg.de/akustik/ra/owa/index_e.html

German, but I'm sure similar is available where you are.

d

Don Pearce

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Nov 19, 2009, 5:36:24 PM11/19/09
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On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:32:20 -0800 (PST), apa <taco...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Can anyone recommend a specific product that's designed to fit into a

Sorry, actual products here

http://www.soundservice.co.uk/soundabsorber_ceilings.html

d

Scott Dorsey

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Nov 19, 2009, 6:39:59 PM11/19/09
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Acoustical tile is designed for just this. Now, there are two issues
here: first of all, the acoustical tile is only good for a fairly narrow
range of midrange frequencies. It's intended to improve voice intelligibility
and if you use a lot of it you get a room that is boomy and tizzy on top
and bottom since it does nothing about that.

The second serious problem is that people paint over the stuff. And then
after they paint over it, it ceases to be an effective absorber. There is
a restaurant I like to eat at where they have painted the ceiling blue, and
now it's much louder.

Call an acoustical tile supplier and they can give you plots of absorption
vs. frequency.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

William Sommerwerck

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Nov 19, 2009, 9:26:22 PM11/19/09
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> The second serious problem is that people paint over the stuff.
> And then after they paint over it, it ceases to be an effective
> absorber.

Isn't there a "non-bridging" paint that doesn't clog the holes?


Scott Dorsey

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Nov 20, 2009, 6:46:24 AM11/20/09
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There is, but it's expensive, and people don't know about it. So they use
latex or enamel. I've also seen "ceiling tile restorer" only in white and
black, no other colors.

Don Pearce

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Nov 20, 2009, 6:54:40 AM11/20/09
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On 20 Nov 2009 06:46:24 -0500, klu...@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>William Sommerwerck <grizzle...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>> The second serious problem is that people paint over the stuff.
>>> And then after they paint over it, it ceases to be an effective
>>> absorber.
>>
>>Isn't there a "non-bridging" paint that doesn't clog the holes?
>
>There is, but it's expensive, and people don't know about it. So they use
>latex or enamel. I've also seen "ceiling tile restorer" only in white and
>black, no other colors.
>--scott

I remember a local news item years ago about a historic cinema that
had its screen repainted. They managed to clog all the sound holes,
and ended up with about a hundred volunteers with small drills reaming
them open again.

d

GregS

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:06:49 AM11/20/09
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Automotive spray paint. Light coat.

greg

Arny Krueger

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:11:33 AM11/20/09
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"apa" <taco...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7c4779e5-87de-4b02...@p8g2000yqb.googlegroups.com

Check your local Armstrong Dealer's catalog. Their products with the highest
acoustical absorbtion rating amount to being 1" 705 with a perferated
plastic sheet on front for appearances sake.


William Sommerwerck

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:12:27 AM11/20/09
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> Ideally it would also have enough strength to
> support a light load (like a hanging mic).

The framing should be able to hold a mic. The problem would be isolating the
cable's weight.


Arny Krueger

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:15:50 AM11/20/09
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"Scott Dorsey" <klu...@panix.com> wrote in message
news:he4l0f$hem$1...@panix2.panix.com

> The second serious problem is that people paint over the
> stuff. And then after they paint over it, it ceases to
> be an effective absorber. There is
> a restaurant I like to eat at where they have painted the
> ceiling blue, and now it's much louder.

http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/pages/Reverberation%20Time%20Calculator.htm

One of the really instructive things is to see what happens the absorption
coefficients of raw coarse grained concrete block when you paint it over.

http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/pages/Coefficient%20Chart.htm

> Call an acoustical tile supplier and they can give you
> plots of absorption vs. frequency.

Or just surf the web.

http://www.whealy.com/acoustics/ControlRoom.html


Arny Krueger

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:16:34 AM11/20/09
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"William Sommerwerck" <grizzle...@comcast.net> wrote in
message news:he4uqk$156$1...@news.eternal-september.org

Thin stains.


Arny Krueger

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:29:14 AM11/20/09
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"William Sommerwerck" <grizzle...@comcast.net> wrote in
message news:he686h$9ep$1...@news.eternal-september.org

>> Ideally it would also have enough strength to
>> support a light load (like a hanging mic).
>
> The framing should be able to hold a mic.

Agreed.

> The problem would be isolating the cable's weight.

A single mic cable and a single hanging mic should be no challenge for any
reasonable drop ceiling grid.

However, just draping cable over the back of the tiles and grid is pretty
sloppy. Not that I haven't done it many times.


GregS

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Nov 20, 2009, 9:49:05 AM11/20/09
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Thin is the word. Even if you don't fill the holes, the paint will likely
make the covering stiffer.

greg

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