Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Q. Will this kit stop sound from leaving or entering my room?
A: No. Acoustical treatment is not designed to stop sound. A construction process is needed to block sound from travelling from one space to another. Universal Room kits will improve the quality of the sound within the room, but will not block it from leaving. For sound proofing requirements Universal Acoustics supply Sonic Shield Barrier Matt and Rock Fiber Mineral Wool designed to add mass and reduce noise transmission between walls, floors and ceilings.

Q: What should I expect to hear after the Mercury-6 Kit is installed?
A: You should expect a more accurate sound - more consistent low frequency response, less reflected energy. Your recordings should sound more controlled and professional and your mixes should translate better to other systems.

Q: I like what I hear. Is there anything else I can do to improve my setup?
A: Yes. The next step would be to place additional Mercury Bass Traps to the vertical and horizontal corners of the room. You cannot have too many bass traps in a small room, so adding bass traps will only improve your low frequency response. If you desire more control, additional Mercury Wedges could be added as well. Also, it would be beneficial to install Universal Acoustics Vibro-Pads - specially formulated anti-compression pads designed to improve the accuracy of your near field monitors by isolating and de-coupling them from the surface they are resting on.

Q: Universal Acoustic foam products come in a choice of colours but none of them suit my room. Can I cover them in fabric?

A: Yes as long as the fabric will allow sound to pass through (test it by blowing through it) and it meets any applicable fire safety regulations.

Q: The spray adhesive used to fix these panels looks somewhat permanent. How else can I fix up the panels so that they can be removed without damaging the walls?

A: You can hang the flat panels on the wall much like picture frames. Using the spray glue, you can stick a thin strip of wood (or even an old CD) to the back of the panel, near the top edge, then simply hang this on a picture hook. The bass corner traps are heavier so the best non-permanent solution would be to screw some thin plywood, hardboard or MDF to the wall where the traps need to be glued. You can then glue the traps directly to the plywood. When you come to remove them, you’ll only be left with the screw holes needed to secure the panels. Ceiling panels can be suspended from chains or nylon cord. A simple and tidy way to do this is to make a wooden frame for the panel, (leaving the top and bottom surfaces exposed), then use this to fix the necessary hooks. The foam is so light that conventional drywall fixings can be used in the ceiling.

Q: What benefits am I likely to notice after installing acoustic treatment?

A: Whether you’re treating a media room or a recording space, you will notice that the sound seems more focus and the bass tighter, more even and more punchy. The stereo image will be much improved with centre-panned sounds appearing to come from the space between the speakers and noticeably better definition for sounds coming from the extreme left and right. In short, your audio equipment will now deliver the best results of which it is capable rather than being hamstrung by the limitations of your room

Q: I would need to cut some of the panels to fit around window openings and wooden mouldings. What’s the best way to do this neatly?

A: Professional installers often use a woodworkers’ bandsaw as these make a beautiful job of cutting the foam, but for DIY installation, an electric carving knife gives excellent results. Though you can use a sharp knife to cut the foam, it is more difficult to keep the cuts straight and tidy.

Q: You said that spacing the foam from the wall improves its efficiency. How can I do this?

A: It is tempting to stick the foam panel to a board and then space that off the wall but that would lose all the acoustic benefits unless the board was heavily perforated. Instead, use some spacer blocks made from furniture foam or bass trap offcuts and stick them to the rear corners and centre of the panels to use as spacers.

Q: If this acoustic foam is so effective, wouldn’t it be better simply to cover all the walls in it?

A: No, you still need some high frequency reflection to keep the sound balanced across the audio spectrum. Normally you’d need to treat no more than 25 to 30% of the wall surfaces and often you can make a significant improvement with much less.