How effective are egg cartons?

Luke Roberts

Hi guys,

WOW it's been a long time since I posted here LOL

Well I have been working hard over the past year on improving my skills as a voice over, and am now ready to make my demo - problem is to do that I have had to set-up a home studio.

Got all my kit, and my dad is helping me build the bootjh itself - the last hurdle is sound-proofing.

Now I have found a place that will supply me with sound-proof foam - but its a tad pricey (as I was warned it might be) £25 for 24, 12" by 12" tiles - this means I would probably have to fork out between £100 and £150 to fit out the inside of my booth (possibly more).

The other option I have been recommended to try is egg cartons - again I have found a place that can supply me with egg cartons - and enough to do my booth for about £15!!

However, how effective are egg cartons? Do they do the job? Or are there imperfections compared to soundproof foam?

If someone could please advise it would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

Luke

Doug Parks · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008, 16:33 (GMT) Post subject:

Sorry, but using egg cartons is not likely not give you much in the way of actual soundproofing. If money's an issue, try pinning up moving blankets or buy a few clothes racks, fill them with clothes and surround your recording area with them.

Erik Sheppard · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008, 16:41 (GMT) Post subject:

The egg carton thing has been talked about for years, the assumption being that the shape will diffuse sound waves. Unfortunately, they wont absorb any sound and will make little to no difference in the sound of the room and are useless for actual soundproofing.

Moving blankets or clothes are definitely your best bet on a budget.

Jacob Ekstroem · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008, 18:59 (GMT) Post subject:

What Doug & Erik said...

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008, 01:54 (GMT) Post subject:

Ah, egg cartons! The urban legend of garage bandology.

But what is this soundproofing foam of which you speak?

Foam does not stop sound waves from finding their way in from the outside. "Foam" is only good for absorbing soundwaves within your space. Only isolation construction keeps outside waves outside. Room within a room kind of thing. Very refrigeratory.

Hmm. Refigerator. Maybe that's where the egg carton myth came from....

John Weeks · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008, 03:19 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi Luke,
Here are some links that can explain "sound-proofing" vs "sound absorbing".
http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/channel.htm
Here's what I use:
http://www.gikacoustics.com/
http://www.johnlsayers.com/
http://www.realtraps.com/articles.htm
And build your own panels:
http://www.vocalimpactmedia.com/DIY.html
Hope this helps,
John

Todd Ethridge · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008, 03:22 (GMT) Post subject:

^ Trust John Weeks.

He knows his stuff, even if he is a weirdo. Wink

Luke Roberts · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008, 13:16 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the comments.

This is the stuff I was looking at:

http://www.efoam.co.uk/acoustic.html

I will have a small booth which I can stand in (and a bit of extra space for me to move my arms, etc) and was going to cover the inside with either egg cartons (which by the looks of it actually don't work) or with the above mentioned soundproof foam - just to stop sound reverberations within the box itself.

Outside the box is fine, we live in a quiet street in a quiet house, so I'm simply trying to block out the extra 'room noise' that you can get.

Clinton Nobles · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008, 18:52 (GMT) Post subject:

John Weeks · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008, 19:34 (GMT) Post subject:

I believe you'd be defeating the purpose if you covered the backside with foam. Fiberglass is a great sound absorber (much better than foam) and that's what you're trying to do with these type panels.
There's another site, which I can't find, that shows how to build them using a frame that's stuffed with insulation and covered with fabric. From what I've read, the best is Owens Corning 703 or Mineral Wool. It's not available at the big box stores but probably can be found through a building contractor.
Also, I've seen it for sale on Ebay
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=owens+corning+703&category0=
and some other sites.

Jacob Ekstroem · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008, 20:17 (GMT) Post subject:

Clinton Nobles · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008, 20:26 (GMT) Post subject:

John Weeks · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008, 21:01 (GMT) Post subject:

Clinton,
My understanding is that fiberglass is better for absorbing sound than foam. It absorbs a wider range of frequencies than foam does, so it doesn't kill the high end and takes care of the problem bass frequencies better.

Clinton Nobles · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008, 22:34 (GMT) Post subject:

Awesome. Thanks I have been reading those links you gave and I am starting to understand a little bit more. SO MUCH TO LEARN LOL

Deby Cedars · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008, 03:02 (GMT) Post subject:

I live in a house that is over $100 years old...It has no insulation. Although I use professional sound proofing for my recording room.....

Egg cartons do provide insulation to lower your heating bill!!! I use them in other rooms. strichauge

I might as well since the city of Derby will not recycle styrofoam!!!