The first significant hurdle most producers must overcome when getting into mixing and audio production is the sound of their room. Most of us start in bedrooms and small corner niches of a home or apartment far from ideal for audio work. But when there are DAWs, synths, samples, hardware, and more bells and whistles to buy, correcting our room is usually low on the priorities list.
And the fact that the majority of usable room treatment – I say usable as a way to avoid even considering the angled foam pads commonly purchased on Amazon – costs an exorbitant amount doesn’t help the situation.
This is why, when we heard about the company Acoustical Solutions and its affordable and comprehensive room treatment kits, we had to find out if it was as good as it seems. Acoustical Solutions was kind enough to send us a pro bundle of their acoustic paneling for us to set up in the studio, and after using them in the studio for the last month, we found out about them.
Learn More About These Acoustic Paneling Bundles Here
What I Liked Most About The Acoustical Solutions Treatment Kit
Having had the acoustic paneling up in my studio for the last month, I’ve finally reached a point where my ears have adjusted to the difference the panels have made to the room. Throughout familiarizing myself with the kit, I’ve found much to like about Acoustical Solution’s offerings. Here are my favorite features of their AlphaSorb® Pro Acoustic Panel Room Kit.
It’s Affordable
A significant setback of many other acoustic treatment kits and paneling is that they will run you back thousands of dollars to treat even a small room. This has led to a small subculture of different DIY options showing you how to build and make your own for your studio, but the materials alone will still set you back a few hundred dollars.
But the Acoustical Solutions paneling’s price is entirely justifiable, if not on the lighter side of the acoustic treatment market.
The kits and bundles have small, medium, and extensive options for each, meaning that you can buy just the right amount of paneling you need for your room or studio. These kits cost $649.99, $949.99, and $1,399.99, respectively, which is still a pretty penny but seeing as the cost of materials for most of the DIY tutorials you’ll find on YouTube will cost $400 or more for a medium-sized room, the cost isn’t that bad.
And even at their price point, you get a lot of bang for your buck to the point where you might have a panel or two left over after all the prominent sonic problem areas have been dealt with.
It’s Incredibly Easy To Install
Installing these panels into the studio was a complete breeze, and I could hang up the entire kit entirely by myself (including the panels pinned to the ceiling). All it took was screwing in the brackets that came boxed in the kit, which had angled grips that would punch into the foam of the paneling, letting gravity do the rest of the heavy lifting to enhance the angled grips further on the phone.
If you can use a screwdriver or drill, you will have no issue installing these panels! That’s it. It is done and dusted.
Color Options Mean It Will Look Good In Your Studio
Everyone’s creative spaces will be slightly different, and Acoustical Solutions considered this by offering a myriad of colors that are sure to fit the vibe and aesthetic of your studio. We got our hands on the color Opal, but Deep Burgandy, Wedgewood, and standard were also contenders.
There isn’t much else to say on this front, but the breadth of color schemes was remarkable enough to note in this review.
What I Wasn’t Crazy About
I’m going, to be honest, and we don’t usually do this, but there aren’t many downsides to these kits. We usually try to save this section of my reviews for minor gripes and shortcomings from the studio gear and equipment we review.
These panels are affordable, effective, and aesthetically unique. It’s no wonder why we included these panels as some of our favorite pieces of production gear and studio equipment of last year.
Learn More About These Acoustic Paneling Bundles Here
The Importance Of Acoustic Treatment; Especially In Smaller Studios
Acoustic treatment is essential to creating a functional and practical music studio, especially in smaller spaces. Properly treating a room’s acoustics can significantly improve the sound quality of recordings and live performances, making it an essential consideration for any musician or producer.
One of the main issues in smaller music studios is the presence of unwanted reverberation, or echo, which can cause a room to sound “boomy” or “muddy.” This can be caused by hard surfaces such as concrete floors, walls, and ceilings. Reverberation can be reduced through sound-absorbing materials, such as acoustic panels or bass traps, specifically designed to absorb and reduce unwanted reflections of sound. This can help to create a more controlled and consistent sound environment, which is essential for accurate recording and mixing.
In addition to sound-absorbing materials, diffusers can also control sound reflections. Diffusers are designed to scatter sound in a room, which can help to create a more natural and pleasing sound environment. This can be especially useful in small studios where a lack of natural reflections can make the sound feel “dead” or uninspiring.
Overall, the proper acoustic treatment of a music studio is essential for creating a functional and practical recording environment. It can significantly improve the sound quality of recordings and live performances, making it an essential consideration for any musician or producer. With the help of suitable materials and techniques, it is possible to achieve a good sound even in smaller spaces. It’s important to understand that this process takes time and experimentation to achieve the best results.
It’s also worth mentioning that not all spaces are the same, and it’s essential to consult with an acoustic engineer or designer to ensure that suitable materials and techniques are used for the specific room and intended use.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
