Sound-absorbing or sound-insulating materials?

Myths and Legends

We will try to shed light on the concepts of sound absorbing materials and soundproofing materials and we will try to discredit myths and legends.

⁃ Sound absorbing materials: they absorb sound waves, preventing some of them from bouncing off surfaces and reflecting in the surrounding environment.

⁃ Soundproof Materials: they act as a barrier to sound waves, preventing them from spreading outside the affected environment.

These materials can, if mixed optimally, achieve a high-performance acoustic result that creates an acoustically "dry" room (ie without reverberation / echo) and at the same time an acoustically isolated environment from the rest of the house.

Issues

How many times have we happened to be in a well-sounding environment treated with well-placed speakers but to disturb the rooms next door?

This happens because our walls are not sufficient to contain sound waves.

In essence, it is easy to get confused between acoustic treatment and sound insulation. The difference is this:

• Acoustic treatment: it is the set of interventions, related to sound absorption and diffusion, which aim to obtain a precise and “soft” listening within an environment.

• Acoustic insulation: it represents the set of solutions designed to prevent sound waves from being transmitted outside of an environment.

So be careful to improperly use the term "soundproof" because you risk simplifying by overlapping and confusing these two concepts.

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