Because we’ve recently introduced a new collection of acoustic baffles, we thought we would tell you a bit about what exactly an acoustic baffle is and how it works in acoustic treatment.

First though, have a look at the baffles in our new collection.

Our Foam Baffle Collection

Sonex Rondo® Baffles offer design versatility and excellent sound absorption across all frequencies—preventing noise build-up that interferes with speech intelligibility. Sonex Rondo™ Baffles are made from melamine acoustic foam.

Available in lengths up to 24″ with 6″ or custom diameters, these baffles are offered in natural white or light grey.

Whisperwave® curved accent products allow you to unleash your creativity while reducing noise and reverberation. Made from Class 1 fire-rated acoustic foam, Whisperwave® Baffles are offered in standard and custom sizes and curve patterns.

Whisperwave® products are available in natural white and light grey.

Whisperwave® Ceiling Clouds are suspended on ceiling-mounted cables using corkscrew hangers. They differ from Whisperwave® Baffles in that the clouds are hung from four points while the baffles are hung from two points.

Sonex Rondo Sound Baffle

Sonex® Rondo Sound Baffle

How do Acoustic Baffles Help Treat Sound Reflections?

Acoustic baffles are free hanging sound absorption products that are often used to acoustically treat large rooms such as gymnasiums and lobbies.

By hanging from the ceiling, baffles reside in space where sound tends to get “stuck”. This is because there isn’t anything up that high to absorb or diffuse the sound waves.

Diagram of sound reflecting off a hard surface Sound reflects off of hard surfaces (walls, ceilings, floors) in rooms and continues to echo or reverberate often for long periods of time.

The lingering sound decreases speech intelligibility and generally makes communication difficult. As communication becomes more difficult, voices tend to rise, which only perpetuates the problem.

Diagram of sound reflecting off a hard surface with an acoustical panel installed

Acoustic wall panels are a great choice when trying to combat the problems described above (echo and reverberation). They absorb direct sound and, if placed correctly, sound that has bounced off other surfaces (walls, ceiling, floor).

This absorption greatly reduces reverberation and echo within rooms, which increases speech intelligibility and communication in general.

Diagram of sound reflecting off a hard surface with a ceiling baffle installed Generally, use acoustic baffles when wall space is limited or when the room is very large. Just like wall panels, they absorb both direct and reverberant sound.

The difference, however, is that all sides of a baffle are exposed and able to absorb sound. The increased surface area is one of the main reasons baffles are used in large spaces.

To learn more about how Acoustical Solutions can solve your noise control problems, use our contact form, call one of our Acoustical Sales Consultants at (800) 782-5742, or visit us on the web at acousticalsolutions.com.