Why Windows Are The Perfect Sound Absorbers - www.AcousticFields.com
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
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- In this video we're going to talk about why windows are (in theory) the perfect sound absorbers. Watch the video to find out more!
#acoustics #audiophile #producers
Thanks Dennis I feel like you made this for me as a summary of our conversation thank you very much it was nice talking to you
You are very welcome
I had this idea of L shape room 6m long walls and 3.5m width 4m ceiling with french doors at both short wall entries. Listening position 2m in front of corner 45 drgrees axes and speakers at both entries poointing to listening position so most sound just reflects itself out of room both sides. Corner absorption (foam) and diffusers at first reflection. There is just one poroblem with it. Bacground noise at 20-47peak-150Hz. Peak at 47Hz 40dB. Even with heavy curtains replacing totally opened french doors can't stop that. You think it is extremelly quiet until you measure (even iphone dB meter is enoug) and you see.
Curtains are not a barrier technology. They lack density which is a major component of all barriers no matter what the frequency.
I am a fan of the Open Window “absorber” trick… My neighbours, not so much. 😅🤷🏼♂️
Thanks for all the good info over the years, Dennis! Despite not having the finances to address my listening environment thoroughly, your generous videos have made a big impact on the enjoyment of my system(s). Learning from your perspective has been a welcome departure from what I used to think was the correct way to improve the sound of a typical room.
Many thanks and gratitude.
An open window is a perfect absorber. Sound leaves and never returns without requiring an energy transformation to heat. An open window would be the worse barrier material type and construction methodology for noise transmission issues.
I put pants up against my window and my monitors on the window side of my mix room. Sounds much better! Still no the most ideal room size but improving...
Stay will sound absorption technologies that are predicatable and consistent in their performance. Leave your pants for your legs.
Great video
Lets say someone lives in tropical climate. His windows are without glass. Simple wooden opening windows. Room is also from wood. Maybe later layer of clay will be added (natural building)
Its even better to have many windows because its hot all the time.
He can put two from the side walls (first reflections, left and right walls). Maybe then two in the back wall. Also few more on the right and left walls. Maybe make some behind monitors, so bass will also fly away
Lets say room is 14 feet tall. 16 long. And 10 feet wide (distance between right and left walls if you imagine a room schema looking at it directly from the above)
We put 2 windows on the front wall (behind and near speakers), then one on each left and right sides. Then one or two more further on each those left and right walls (so 2-3 on each left and right walls)
And 2 on the back wall
Will it be too much?
Size of windows lets say 6,5 foot high (half of wall height) and 3,2 foot wide. Similar like absorbing panels.
how not to overdo it? Since energy is lost forever as you say
How to find out the amount of windows, their position and size?
Place windows at the intersection of the walls and ceiling. This will let ambient light in and not disturb the three soundfields, front/rear wall, sidewall/sidewall, floor/ceiling. Glass must be out of those three soundfields in an ideal situation. If windows must be, then they can not move with pressure and must be covered with the proper treatment when music and voice resolution are in play.
@@AcousticFields hello
Thanks for the reply.
But why put windows there so high and not where absorbing panels would be? For example classically where first sidewalls reflection are, coming at a listener sitting after a desk.
Also, you recommended high ceiling (14 feet). It would be problematic to open/close windows then. Or maybe since in tropical climate I'd leave them open anyway all the time, then it's fine.
And whats size should such windows have then? Let's say my side wall is 14 feet. What's the height and lenght of the window should be? And where to place it exactly on the side wall? How many of them? Would I also need to put absorbing panel down there at that classical spot?
@@AcousticFields why not just put huge (5 feet high) window on the side wall where first reflections come at place? Sound will go out and never come back
@@AcousticFields I watched your other video about rooms with windows. And you also recommended to put windows high up, but u said to do so because of glass.
I think you misunderstood me. I wont have glass in my windows. I will be in tropical climate where windows are always opened
Thanks Dennis for all your Info Bro your the best the hell with all the rest as alwaye peace out Cincy Oh
Thyank you. The facts are always friendly.
Hi Dennis. Great as always. What is your opinion about small vocal booths - a 2x2 square meter vocal booth for instance? How should it be treated acoustically? Can we place absorbers on about 80% of the surface of each wall? How dead should it be? I am confused with some of the commercial vocal booths out there. Thanks.
Too small for male voice. Try and get an 3 m x 3 m minimum for male voice.
@@AcousticFields Thanks Dennis. But what if I have no other choice than a 2m x 2m? What then, How should I acoustically treat it?
Hi Dennis, thanks a lot for your thoughts and i have one question :
I played around with a tuning fork set on differnt materials, some gave louder sound, others less. But the tuning fork on glass was different, the sound was ugly distorted. Is that property of glass also an Issue for romm-acoustics? Some audiophi8le guys place (very expensive) Stickers on their Windows....
Glass has two issues. It has a hard reflective surface and it also goes "diaphrgmatic" which means that it moves with sound pressure exerted upon it.
Dennis, if glass is such a good sound absorber, can I use it within picture frames to absorb first reflection energy?
Glass is not a sound absorption material type. Glass produces reflections and sound takes on the characteristics of the surfcae area it strikes.
Very very good video. Very intriguing and outside the box, love it
Glad you enjoyed it
Lets say we are outside. No walls no ceiling. And we only get direct energy from speakers, pointing at us. But what for do we need a room then? For bass? Since bass isn’t hitting us directly like speakers do, which we literally point at our ears. If we need ceiling and walls, then how many and how big windows should be? How not to overdo it with windows?
You do not need a room for bass. You can feel the oscillations of pressure waves without a room. Ever been to a drag race? A room reinforces bass energy to the point of distortions.
@@AcousticFields thank you very much for reply
But why then did you say you shouldn't overdo it with windows. Or did you simply meant in general that too many windows in a room would look silly. Moreover with glass
But I live in tropics and people leave windows open. I'm also in a very friendly village so there is zero crime here (no house invasions for stealing)
Greetings,
The AF test results presented at 2:52, are you considering to provide actual data performed by an external accredited test laboratory?
Thanks.
The test results are shown on our web site. Spend your time looking at those.
@@AcousticFields But who performed the foam test?
@@AcousticFields Who performed the AF foam test shown at 2:52?
Thanks for the video!
You're welcome!
"lost forever". Man - if only more recording engineers could understand that . . .
This is the issue with over absorption. You should be very careful losing too much energy through the absorption process since you never ever get it back. It is gone forever.
💪
Thank you.