Should I use those nifty sculpted foam absorbers instead of fibreglass panels?
No doubt about it, those sculpted foam absorber panels are way cooler looking than fibreglass, and they don’t make you itch, and don’t shed fibres, but dollar for dollar, you can’t beat rigid coated fibreglass ductliner, or rigid yellow fibreglass for sound absorption. 2″ thick black faced fibreglass ductliner is under $1/sq. ft., whereas the foam is much more expensive. Both materials achieve almost 99% absorption in their respective bandwidths, and the absorption bandwidths are related to thickness of the panels in both materials (1″ for 1000Hz+, 2″ for 500Hz+ and 4″ for 250Hz+). The fibreglass panels can be covered with an open weave fabric (test the fabric by breathing through it) to keep them itch-less and make them more attractive. The rigid coated ductliner costs more than rigid yellow fibreglass, but does not shed fibres as easily, it’s a good investment. If it’s absorption you need and don’t have a big budget, go fibreglass. If you want the cool looks, buy the foam. Keep in mi
