Placement matters almost as much as quantity. A panel in the right spot removes a strong reflection; the same panel in a corner nobody hears may do very little. In home studios, start here:
- at the mirror points on side walls
- a cloud above the mix position
- 4 in traps in every corner you can reach
- on the wall behind the listening position
Spread them out
Absorption works best spread across several surfaces rather than all on one wall. Treating two facing walls stops sound bouncing between them (flutter echo). If you only treat one of a pair of parallel walls, alternate panels on each so no strip of bare wall faces another.
Height
Mount wall panels so their center is roughly at the height of the people in the room: about 48 in for seated rooms and 57 in for standing rooms. Higher placement is fine where furniture or impact is a concern.
Wall or ceiling?
For home studios we suggest roughly 75% of the treatment on walls and 25% on the ceiling. Walls are where reflections reach listeners first, so they get most of the treatment.
Try the 3D layout builder to arrange panels on your wall before you order.