What usually goes wrong
- Voices sound roomy on the recording.
- The hosts' microphones pick each other up.
- HVAC noise in the background.
The main noise sources are the hosts' voices. Sound bounces off hard walls, floors and ceilings, so it lingers and builds up. Absorbing panels soak up those reflections.
Where the panels go
- Behind each host, facing their microphone.
- On the walls between hosts.
- A cloud above the table.
- A branded print panel behind the camera shot.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating the room but leaving a hard table under the microphones.
- Forgetting the door and its gaps.
- Choosing panels for the camera only.
Fire rating and codes
Commercial studios usually need Class A interior finishes under the building code.
Blocking sound between rooms
Panels make a room sound better, but they don’t stop sound passing through a wall. For that you need a wall assembly rated around STC 50, to keep the corridor and HVAC out of the recording. Read about STC ratings and soundproofing.
Recommended
Panels that suit podcast rooms
Learning center
14 guides for podcast rooms
Acoustic panels for podcast rooms: the complete guideWhat makes podcast rooms noisy, which panels fix it, and how to plan treatment from start to finish.How many acoustic panels does a podcast studio need?A worked Sabine calculation for a typical podcast room, with panel counts for small, typical and large rooms.Where to put acoustic panels in a podcast studioWhere panels do the most good in podcast rooms, in priority order.Wall acoustics for podcast roomsHow walls behave acoustically in podcast rooms and how to treat them with panels.Ceiling acoustics for podcast roomsClouds, baffles and ceiling tiles for podcast rooms, and how much of the ceiling to cover.Choosing panel thickness for a podcast studio1, 2 or 4 inches: which thickness suits podcast rooms and why.Reverberation time targets for podcast roomsThe reverberation time to aim for in podcast rooms, and why it matters.What acoustic treatment costs for a podcast studioBudget estimates for treating a typical podcast room, and where the money goes.Fabrics, colors and shapes for podcast roomsFabric types, colors and shapes that work in podcast rooms.Fire ratings and code requirements for panels in podcast roomsFire ratings, occupancy rules and mounting requirements for panels in podcast rooms.Installing acoustic panels in a podcast studioTools, hardware and step-by-step installation for panels in podcast rooms.Common acoustic mistakes in podcast roomsThe errors we see most often in podcast rooms, and how to avoid them.Soundproofing and STC ratings for podcast roomsWhen podcast rooms need soundproofing, which STC rating to aim for, and how to get there.Podcast studio acoustics checklist and FAQA one-page checklist and answers to common questions about podcast room acoustics.