There are quite a few different methods you can try if you want to create an acoustically sound home studio. Acoustic products like cork sheet flooring, soundproof curtains, weather stripping, and acoustic caulking can help drown out many of the noises that enter your home studio.
But if you want to create a home studio that is perfectly quiet or doesn’t allow any sound to escape then you should consider acoustic panels for your walls. These panels adhere to the wall and reduce unwanted sounds and echoes in your home studio.
In this guide, we are going to help you find the best acoustic panels for home studios by comparing five of the top wall panels available on the market.
At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For The Best Acoustic Panels For Home Studio
- BEST OVERALL: Dekiru Acoustic Foam Panels
- RUNNER-UP: Fstop Labs Acoustic Foam Tiles
- ALTERNATIVE: Jber Acoustic Foam Wedges
- ALTERNATIVE: Xin&Log Soundproofing Foam Tiles
- ALTERNATIVE: Bubos Hexagon Acoustic Panels
The Studio Genie is dedicated to helping streamers and YouTubers or anyone looking to have their own home studio. The author, Felicity Martinez, have been helping out streamers and YouTubers for years.
The goal is to provide a free resource for anyone looking to build a quality home studio. The reviews below are a result of hours of research and analysis. We provided the pros and cons and ranked each product to help you make a quick decision.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Our Top Picks for Best Acoustic Panels For Home Studio
IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
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OUR TOP PICK ![]() | Dekiru Acoustic Foam Panels
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![]() | Fstop Labs Acoustic Foam Tiles
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![]() | Jber Acoustic Foam Wedges
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![]() | The Microsoft Surface Pro
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![]() | Bubos Hexagon Acoustic Panels
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The 5 Best Acoustic Panels for Home Studio
Because acoustic panels can vary in shape, design, and materials, the level of acoustic performance these products offer varies significantly. When you are shopping for quality acoustic panels, there are a couple of important factors to keep in mind.
- NRC Ratings – Noise Reduction Coefficient (NCR) ratings are used to indicate how much sound a product can absorb. The NRC rating scale ranges from 0 to 1. A product with a 0 NRC rating doesn’t absorb any sound at all while those with a higher NRC rating absorb more sound and offer more soundproofing qualities.
- Panel design – Another important feature is the design of the panel. In music studios, sound panels with a waved design are used because these textured surfaces help reduce the resonant frequency of walls and keep sound from echoing. Flat panels can also block out sound but won’t be as helpful with the vibrations created by a strong bass.
With these important factors in mind, it is time for us to take a look at some of the best soundproof panels you can add to your home studio walls or doors.
Benefits
The acoustic foam panels by Dekiru are our top pick because these products don’t just have a good NRC rating, they also look nice.
Unlike most soundproofing panels, the Dekiru panels can actually improve the overall look of your walls. They are manufactured in a beautiful hexagonal shape with a smooth surface. You can also get these panels in a wide variety of colors.
These panels have an NRC rating of 0.92 which means they can effectively block out most of the noises coming through your walls.
Another top feature of these panels is their construction. The panels are made of high-density 215kg/mg polyester fiber that is odorless and completely safe for home use. These eco-friendly panels are also flame retardant and they are very easy to install on any type of wall.
Drawbacks
The biggest drawback to these beautiful acoustic tiles is that they do not include adhesives. You will need to purchase additional adhesive like double-sided tape or durable glue to fix the panels to your walls.
Another aspect to keep in mind is the price. The panels are sold in a 12 pack and you can get good sound performance from an inconsistent broken pattern on your wall or ceiling. But if you want true soundproof results, you will need to bulk up your order and create a seamless wall installation which can be expensive.
Extra Features
One of the main reasons so many buyers prefer these tiles is due to their beautiful design and their wide array of colors. The foam tiles are highly decorative and perfect for creating an accent wall.
Each tile is 14 x 13 x 0.4 inches – a generous size for a wall tile. They also have an eco-friendly design as they won’t emit any toxic odors.
Buying Advice
It is advisable to get some type of adhesive when you buy these tiles. A single pack of 12 tiles should be sufficient for reducing echoes in your room, but if you want to block out all noises then it is recommended to order enough to cover the entire wall.
Technical Specifications
Materials: 100% Polyester fiber
Size: 14 x 13 x 0.4 Inches
Shape: Hexagonal smooth
Colors: 12 Color options
Rating: NRC 0.92
Benefits
The acoustic foam tiles by Fstop are our best runner-up product and it is a good option if you are trying to soundproof a music studio or recording studio.
These panels are better equipped for music or recording studios because the textured design on the tiles acts as bass traps and is more effective for eliminating vibrations caused by speakers with loud bass frequencies.
The foam tiles also have a great NRC rating of 0.92 which means they will make a huge difference in the noise pollution you hear coming through the walls.
Another benefit of these tiles is that they are available at a more affordable price compared to the Dekiru hexagonal tiles. This price range is ideal for those who want to line an entire wall with the acoustic product.
Drawbacks
There are a couple of things you should know about these panels before you buy them. First of all, the tiles do emit a chemical smell when you first open them up. This smell does fade after some time but isn’t too pleasant.
Another important thing you should know is that the tiles are shipped compressed. After opening your package, you will need to let the tiles sit for 24 hours so they can fully expand before you can proceed with the installation.
And finally, you need to remember to buy some sort of adhesive so you can install these tiles against the wall since adhesives are not included.
Extra Features
The foam tiles are made from high-density polyurethane foam and have a generous size of 12 x 12 x 2 inches. You can also get them in five different color varieties. Buyers can choose to install these panels sparingly on the walls to absorb some echoes but a uniform installation is recommended for sound-proofing.
Buying Advice
We recommend you keep the tile size in mind if you want to cover an entire wall in foam panels. You should also remember to order these tiles in advance since they do take 24 to 48 hours to expand before you can start with installation.
Technical Specifications
Materials: Polyurethane foam
Size: 2 x 12 x 12 Inches
Shape: Square textured
Colors: 5 Color options
Rating: NRC 0.92
Benefits
The Jber acoustic foam wedges are a good option for those who want to buy in bulk. These tiles are sold in large packs of 24 tiles so you can cover a larger area.
Each tile has a generous size of 12 x 12 x 2 inches and is made from 100% polyurethane foam.
The 3D textured surface of the tiles is ideal for eliminating echoes, absorbing vibrations, and blocking sound waves.
We also like that these tiles are available in different colors and that you can install the wave pattern vertically and horizontally for a more unique look.
These foam panels can also be cut to size so you can easily fit them into tiny spaces.
Drawbacks
The tiles are made of polyurethane foam but the NRC rating isn’t indicated which means we are not 100% sure of the level of acoustic performance that these tiles offer.
Another important thing buyers should keep in mind is that these tiles can take up to a week to fully decompress. They are shipped in highly compressed form in vacuum-sealed packages and they do take longer to fully expand.
These tiles also don’t include adhesives so you will need to get your own spray adhesive for installation.
Extra Features
Unlike many other soundproofing materials, the foam sheets don’t emit any chemical smell when you open them. The foam fabric is nice and dense but is still soft enough so you can easily cut the tiles to size.
Buying Advice
It is best to buy these tiles in advance because they take a while to expand. You will also need to get an additional spray adhesive or silicone adhesive so you can glue the tiles to your wall. The tiles offer decent performance but aren’t made of professional-grade acoustic foam that is usually used in professional recording studios or vocal booths. They are a great affordable option for home studios but might not be as effective as a professional studio.
Technical Specifications
Materials: 100% Polyurethane foam
Size: 2 x 12 x 12 Inches
Shape: Square textured
Colors: 3 Color options
Rating: Unspecified
Benefits
The 12-pack tiles by Xin & Log are also a good option for home music studios, home recording studios, or home cinemas.
These tiles are made of polyurethane foam and offer an NRC rating of 0.65 which is effective for drowning out most of the unwanted noise that might be coming into your home. The tiles are ideal for backing behind your TV set or sound systems because their waved pattern will dampen the noise and will absorb some of the vibrations that these speakers can emit.
With their generous size of 12 x 12 inches, these tiles can cover quite a large wall surface and they are available at a very good price considering the size and NRC rating of the tiles.
You can also get these wall wedges in different colors including fun hues that are great for creating an accent wall.
Drawbacks
These tiles are designed to decompress much quicker but a little bit of acoustic performance is sacrificed in the process. Where the Fstop panels on our list have an NCR rating of 0.92, these panels only have a rating of 0.65 and won’t block out as much of the noise.
Extra Features
The acoustical treatment tiles are shipped in a vacuum-sealed package but they do expand faster than most tiles. These tiles can be ready to install on your walls within 6 – 12 hours.
It is also important to realize that no adhesives are included with these panels and buyers should keep in mind that some of the color can start to fade after about 2 years of use, especially if these panels are exposed to direct sunlight.
Buying Advice
This is a good acoustic panel type to consider if you want to dampen some of the sounds coming from outside or if you want to reduce the noises your family makes. It is a good acoustic treatment for nurseries, bedrooms, and home studios. The price is affordable but you won’t get the same high-end soundproofing results as some of the other materials we included on our list.
Technical Specifications
Materials: Polyurethane foam
Size: 2 x 12 x 12 Inches
Shape: Square textured
Colors: 5 Color options
Rating: NRC 0.65
Benefits
Last, but not least, we have some more hexagonal acoustic panels from Bubos.
These panels look fantastic. Their generous size of 14 x 13 inches also offers good wall coverage if you want to enhance sound quality in a home studio.
The tiles are available in a variety of colors – including a couple of mixed colors and unique prints that are perfect for those who want to create an accent wall or use the panels for decorative purposes.
The panels are recommended for family use because they are made from eco-friendly materials, they are flame-retardant and the materials used for making these acoustic foam panels are Greenguard rated which means they are pet and children safe.
The acoustic panels are an effective option for creating a quiet home studio since they also offer good sound-absorption qualities.
Drawbacks
The NRC rating of these panels is not clear. A lot of buyers find them highly effective but they don’t seem to be professionally tested or acoustically rated.
The tiles also don’t include adhesives. You will need to buy your own gorilla glue or double-sided tape to fix these products on the walls.
They do come at a hefty price, especially if you want to cover an entire wall in these panels.
Extra Features
These tiles are very easy to install on your wall and the unique hexagonal shape of the acoustic foam panel offers a very beautiful overall look once installed. This honeycomb design is perfect for those who want to install just a couple of panels on the wall but you can also create a more acoustically sound environment by installing them from floor to ceiling.
Buying Advice
The products are ideal for families because they don’t have any odors or toxins. But you should also keep toxins in mind when buying adhesives since these tiles do not have a peel and stick design.
Technical Specifications
Materials: 100% Polyester fiber
Size: 14 x 13 x 0.4 Inches
Shape: Hexagonal smooth
Colors: 14 Color options
Rating: Greenguard rated
Bottom Line
With the best acoustic panels for home studios, you can certainly muffle most of the noises you make in your studio. We hope that this guide helped you find the right soundproofing materials for your walls and doors.
If you are looking for other accessories or gear for your home studio then we welcome you to have a look at some of the other guides we have on The Studio Genie. Our buying guides and tips will lead you toward all the best products so you can create the perfect home studio setup regardless of your needs.