Reducing the Echo and reverberation in a large indoor venue such as a gymnasium or concert arena can be quite a challenge. Doing so on a budget can be even more challenging. Generally in any large space such as a gymnasium or a large warehouse, the main concern is echo or reverberation. Most of these larger venues have all hard surfaces that need to be dealt with in order to reduce the reverb times within the room. Adding absorbent panels to the walls and ceiling areas can make a remarkable difference in commercial soundproofing like acoustics of a warehouse or gymnasium. Sound absorbing panels and baffles can be hung from the ceiling to intercept much of the reflective noises. Hanging baffles and panels are often referred to as “clouds”. Clouds can be very effective at reducing reverb times in a large room or hall. This is also true for Church Sanctuaries and large-space restaurant noise reduction.
How to Soundproof a Gym
For the best results reducing the noise in a large venue, you will need to cover a minimum 30% to 40% of the wall and ceiling areas. Clouds and baffles figure into this percentage.
One of the best and most effective absorptive materials is the bonded acoustical cotton panels. We refer to these panels as EcoVerb Panels. Essentially these are a 1 “or 2” thick bonded cotton fiber panel that is manufactured from recycled denim material, like the scrap from blue jean Manufacturers or even virgin denim right off of the roll. Cotton has been proven to be one of the best sound absorbing materials on the planet. It has a much higher NRC (noise reduction coefficient) than polyurethane pyramid or wedge panels and cost about the same. The EcoVerb panels are a very economical way to reduce the reverberation and echo in any room. The panels are applied to the walls using a 2 part adhesive. This insures that the panels will initially stick to the walls temporarily until the permanent adhesives cures.
These bonded cotton panels when applied to the walls and ceilings can reduce the reverb time in a gym or concert hall from 7 to 8 seconds down to less than 1 second. That would drastically change the acoustics in those areas and make any sporting even or concert much more enjoyable.
The bonded acoustical panels (or EcoVerb Panels panels) come in a variety of colors that will match most settings or decor. These panels are very economical and extremely effective at reducing the the reflective reverberation in any large venue or arena. Another product we offer that is great for absorbing as well as blocking sound is our BlocknZorbe Panel. These panels are also great in gymnasiums because they are very durable, a basketball won’t damage it at all.
The professionals at Soundproofing America ,Inc will work with you every step of the way to make sure that you get the right acoustic treatment and most echo and reverberation reduction possible in any application. Gymnasiums and large arena’s present their own set of challenges. We can arrange low cost shipping directly to the jobsite and you will have access to a professional technician throughout the entire installation process.
Thank you for reading about how to acoustically treat a large gymnasium or arena. If you want to learn more about acoustics and soundproofing, check out our soundproof booth article. Using the proper acoustical treatment panels is essential for getting the best results at the lowest possible cost. Remember that no job is too big or too small for the pro’s at Soundproofing America, Inc.
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