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Acoustic treatments come in two types: reflectors and diffusers. Reflectors disperse early reflections while diffusers scatter sound waves. The materials of a space affect sound behavior. Choosing the right treatment depends on the space’s purpose and understanding of sound waves.
While there are variations of each, there are two basic types of acoustic treatments: reflectors and diffusers. Each of these acoustic treatments has a specific purpose for various applications in residential, commercial and industrial environments. To understand the distinction between reflectors and diffusers, it is important to first understand acoustics and how sound works in different environments.
Sound is nothing but vibrations at different frequencies that are picked up and translated by our ears or by recording devices. While the study of sound waves and acoustics can be complex, the easiest way to understand acoustic behavior is to think of it as how sound interacts with its environment. The study of acoustics simply describes how a sound reacts due to the size, shape and materials of the space between the sound source and its destination.
Reflector acoustic treatments help disperse early reflections, the reverberation that reaches your ears milliseconds after a sound is played. Reflectors are usually made of curved plywood or foam and are specially designed to absorb and redirect mid- and high-frequency sounds. Reflectors are usually installed on the back wall of a space, capturing high-frequency sounds and redirecting them before the sound waves have a chance to be sent back to your ears.
The speakers act as an agent to disperse the audio, helping to achieve a more neutral sound space. A diffuser is usually, but not always, made of foam. Most diffusers are designed with an aggregate surface area to allow for absorption and surface dispersion, much like a radiator diffuses and disperses heat. The speakers scatter sound waves so there is no high concentration of a particular frequency, leaving the listener with a more evenly balanced acoustic space.
The materials in a room or space have a big effect on how sound is heard. If you took two rooms that were identical in shape and size but differed in building material, you’d notice huge changes in how sound behaved in each. A room made of metal walls would be very reflective, meaning sound would reverberate off the walls before reaching your ears. A room made of thick foam would sound boring, because the sound would have nothing to reflect on.
When choosing acoustic treatments it is important to understand your needs. Those needs will vary based on what you are building and whether it is a performance area such as a theater or television studio. Different situations require different treatments and understanding this will go a long way in deciding which treatment to use. A basic understanding of sound waves will also help you get the most out of your space and acoustic treatments.
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