From: johann@bach.nevada.edu (Jason Cathcart)
Subject: Re: Where to get sound deading material CHEAP/FREE!
Organization: University of Nevada System, Computing Services
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 20:54:01 GMT

In article <2935603532.0.p00258@psilink.com> "A.J. Janschewitz"  
<p00258@psilink.com> writes:
> >DATE:   8 Jan 1993 16:03:24 GMT
> >FROM:   ama@marley.East.Sun.COM
> 
> >So, we are looking for some cheap/free sound deadening material that  
we can
> >hang on his concrete walls to make the room a little more amenable to
> >loud music.  We would like to get some of that foam egg crate  
material
> >if possible, but it can get pretty expensive.  We've thought of  
hanging
> >old rugs from the rafters too, but I doubt that he would go for that.
> 
> Try inviting Al Gore to your sessions. Irregularly-shapen wooden  
objects 
> like him absorb sound well. If he is busy, cardboard egg crates (the 
> kind in which eggs are bulk-shipped) can probably be fetched at a good 
> price, or free, which is a very good price.
> 
> I have treated radio sound booths with the cardboard egg crate liners, 
> and they work well. Don't paint them (seriously); that livens them up  
by 
> hardening the cardboard.
> 
> ==a.j.==

************
Below is a response to my similar post last July.  Be advised that
things like cardboard eggcrates and bed-roll eggcrate foam only looks
like it would work (maybe rolls off some very high frequencies)...
Acoustic foam is very different than your basic foam rubber...so don't
waste money or aesthetics on it.
I got several responses suggesting Owens-Corning R-19 or 700 series
fiberglass (which must be covered by cloth to keep the little death
fibers inside).
[my old post reply]:
>>I have a small room (12'9"x14") with a tile floor and panelling.
>>I plan to get some industrial carpet (the exceedingly bland stuff
>>found in most govt & non-profit bldgs).
>>
>>I want something reasonably effective, low-cost, and aesthetically
>>pleasing.  Cork?  egg-crates?  carpet?  roadkills?

>You also might contact Owens Corning, American Excelsior, and (?) James
>Manville.  These companies make raw materials that are used for sound  
control
>products.  Owens Corning, for example, sells batts of fibreglas that  
are
>used for thermal insulation, but which also work very well as sound
>absorbers.  I once read some tech notes with data showing that a 1"  
thick
>fibreglas batt had better broadband absorption than Sonex.  I used to  
have
>a couple of 36x24x1" batts hanging in my living room. 

Owens Cornings' product is the 700 series, i.e. 703 is a 3 lb. density.  
It is a
rigid fiberglass board available in various thicknesses and densities.  
2" 703
is the best value for the dollar. The cheapest (because it is used for  
heating
and air ducts) has a aluminized coating on one side. This is OK if you  
keep the
coating against the wall. You should be able to get it for about .70/sq.  
ft..
Beware of uninformed salespeople wanting to sell you something less  
dense, like
the pink insulation for houses.

>One of the other companies that I mentioned above (can't remember  
which)
>makes a waffle foam product that is similar (if not identical) to  
Sonex.
>
>Julian Vrieslander

BTW, you can buy plain open-cell foam panels from many of the larger  
fabric
stores. Make sure it is open-cell! It works as well or better than Sonex  
of
equal thickness. Keep in mind that this foam, like untreated Sonex, is
considered a toxic-smoke hazard. Sonex offers treated, code-approved  
product
for more money.

Carpet on the wall is of little use unless gathered similar to drapery. 

Dave Jensen