6 Best Soundproof Pads (Buying Guide)

If you are bothered by traffic noise or loud neighbors in your daily life, then one of the solutions is to soundproof your home. The best way to do this is to install soundproof pads. However, you should know that it’s not an easy task to find good-quality soundproof pads. The biggest challenge in all of this is finding the right model that will suit your needs. Therefore, to save you time, we have put together a list of the best models that you can buy. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this topic. So, let’s start!

What Are Acoustic Soundproofing Panels?

Before we start explaining what soundproofing panels are, we must first understand what “soundproofing” means. Soundproof materials from which these pads are made must completely block all sound that enters or leaves the room.

When thinking about how we can make our room soundproof, we should know that not every type of soundproofing pad will block the sound in the same way. In most cases, pads will significantly reduce the passage of sound waves.

The material from which acoustic panels are made is usually foam or fiberglass. The reason is that this material, compared to ordinary hard surfaces, does not vibrate in contact with sound and does not repel it with such intensity. These panels can significantly reduce room reverb and sound leakage.

However, soundproof rooms will have much better quality the more panels are installed. If you want to use soundproofing panels to make a room completely soundproof, it is recommended to place them on the ceiling, floor, and all the walls.

But if you want to fix the room’s acoustics by reducing the echo, it is enough to arrange the panels only on the walls and leave some free reflective space.

If you want to improve the sound insulation in your home, be sure to check out the Top 7 Best Soundproof Insulation Materials.

Things to Look For When Buying Soundproof Pads

The first step before you start searching for soundproof pads is to know what features to look for. In this product category, there are many soundproof pads on the market that look the same at first glance, and that’s why you need to have a good plan to find the right ones that exactly suit your needs. Here are the things that are crucial to a successful purchase that you need to consider. Therefore, be sure to keep an eye on:

• The thickness of the pads
• What pattern to choose
• Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)
• The quantity of soundproof pad
• Soundproof pad size

Thickness

Each pad has a different level of thickness when it comes to soundproof pads. Obviously, the thicker soundproof pads are much more efficient when it comes to sound reduction. If you want pads to absorb frequencies from the middle to high range, buying 2-inch pads is recommended. For this, a thicker pad is required to reduce the sounds with low frequency.

So, before you buy pads that are thicker, you have to consider where you will install them. Thicker pads for soundproofing are a better choice when you want to put them in a bigger room and do not care about the look of it. However, when it comes to a smaller room, then you’ll need to choose the slimmer version of soundproof pads.

Patterns

Most soundproof pads used in homes have wedges or pyramid shapes. However, if you want unique soundproof pads on your walls, there is an option for that. When picking a pattern, let imagination be your guide and put some creative side on the loose. Patterns do not affect functionality when it comes to soundproof pads. Because of that, when choosing a pattern, you only need to keep in mind aesthetics and how pads will affect the style of the room.

Noise Reduction Coefficient                           

NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) is a rating indicator that shows how much sound can a soundproof pad reduce. These pads that have a higher NRC rating will reduce soundwaves more than lower NRC soundproof pads. NRC rating when it comes to soundproofing pads can be found in the description of the product. You just have to remember that a higher rating means greater sound absorption.

Quantity of Pad

Soundproof pads typically come on the store shelves in packs. The number of pads in every pack varies depending on the brand. Usually, one pack contains 6, 12, or 24 pads. When it comes to calculating how many packs you need, you can expect that one soundproof pad covers around 2 sq ft or has 2×4 feet dimensions. For better soundproofing, the size of the pads does not matter all that much. However, note that it will affect the workload and time needed for installation.

Related Article: How to Soundproof a Tent? 7 Effective Ways

6 Best Soundproof Pads

The first thing you must do is measure the walls you are planning to soundproof. This will give you approximately the number and size of pads you need to buy. When you have done that, the next thing is to decide which model to choose for your wall. Here are the six soundproof pads from our list that we recommend:

Best Soundproof Pads	Soundproof Efficiency:	Installation Cost:
1. Mybecca Acoustic Foam Panels	6/10	Middle cost
2. Foamily Pyramid Crate Panels	8/10	Middle cost
3. Foamily Decorative Foam Panels	7/10	Low cost
4. Mybecca Decorative Foam Panels	5/10	Low cost
5. Gator Acoustic Pyramid Panels	8/10	Middle cost
6. Auralex Wave Cave Royale	8/10	Middle cost

1. Mybecca Acoustic Foam Wedge Panels

The Mybecca is a very popular panel on the market. It can be found at 1 to 2 inches in thickness which is awesome when covering larger areas. When you install thinner panels on a bigger wall, it will reduce sound distortion and muffling. Also, its wedge shape is a big help when it comes to noise trapping and, at the same time, softens flutter echo.

>> Buy Mybecca Acoustic Foam Panels HERE <<

The great advantage of these panels is that they can be used when it comes to the spot-treating of vocal booths, practice rooms, production studios, and control rooms. Extra bonus is that there is no need for panic when it comes to foam wedges falling apart or deteriorating.

Pros:

• Awesome sound absorption
• Long-lasting
• 12 pack is available
• Can be bought in a different range of colors

Cons:

• Do not have flame retardant

2. Foamily Pyramid Crate Panels

Foamily panels are usually designed in a pyramid shape, which helps in providing great control for sound over ceilings and walls. This model is used when you want to deaden high sounds. The Foamily Pyramid Crate Panels will alleviate the noise and echo in your environment.

>> Buy Foamily Pyramid Crate Panels HERE <<

If your project is studio soundproofing, you should place them right beside your speakers and exactly behind the listener or microphone for the best performance.

Pros:

• Available in a pack of 1, 2 or 4
• 2.5 inches thick
• Very quick to install
• High level of NRC

Cons:

• Extremely flammable

3. Foamily Decorative Acoustic Foam Panels

This panel model is also a great choice when it comes to soundproofing. They are stylish, decorative, and very functional! When we compare surfaces, they look like big waves. This feature makes them a great choice if you want to lift up décor in your room.

>> Buy Foamily Decorative Foam Panels HERE <<

When you buy Foamily panels, you are getting not just soundproofing panels but also a breeze of appealing modern design.

Pros:

• 6 pack available
• Mid-range sound reduction
• Thickness of 2 inches
• Appealing wave design

Cons:

• The colors that come with the pack are not consistent

4. Mybecca Decorative Foam Panels

For this model, you can choose panels that are between 2 and 3 inches of foam when it comes to thickness. Also, these panels are different from others because of their pattern. When it comes to their design, you have a choice between wedge-shaped and tile-shaped foam. Another great thing is that you can combine those two types into one.

>> Buy Mybecca Decorative Foam Panels HERE <<

Mybecca panels have a high-efficiency rate and can be applied in areas for entertainment, such as recording rooms, vocal booths, and theaters. They are most often used as part of professional settings, but you can also utilize them in your living or gaming room and other similar places.

Pros:

• Available in 2-pack size
• Application on walls and doors
• Extra sound quality improvement
• 3 inches thick
• Special wedge shape

Cons:

• Low quality

5. Gator Acoustic Pyramid Panels

Gator Frameworks acoustic pyramid panels are the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions soundproofing panels. This panel is made of pliable, soft foam, which is extremely lightweight. These panels can be mounted anywhere without studs.

>> Buy Gator Acoustic Pyramid Panels HERE <<

Our trial Gator panel came with attractive burgundy color in the finish, but you also have as choice charcoal and bright red. We had 8 packs of panels to sample at our disposal, so we decided to set up two on each wall. When it comes to living room noise, the conclusion is that these panels are helping to reduce echo, but not to the extent of some better, premium panels.

6. Auralex Wave Cave Royale

Manufacturer Auralex has great soundproofing technology, which can be seen in Wave Cave Royale panels. They are designed to have air pockets in the very center, and that feature improves overall sound attenuation. These panels come in numerous different sizes.

>> Buy Auralex Wave Cave Royale HERE <<

The first thing we noticed is that panels are a bit trickier, making them a bit more challenging to mount than flat-back standard foam panels. The Wave Cave Royale design gives you less surface area that is needed for adhesive. Over time this can cause the panels to fall down.

This Auralex product, like all others, made us happy with its sound performance. While acoustic recording, we discovered that one panel on every wall cuts down more noise in the room than in the case of Gator panels. But we should note that this was expected because each of these panels was 2 square feet, as opposed to panels Gator Pyramid which is only 1 square foot. In conclusion, we ended up with nice reverb and no harsh echo.

If you still have some doubts about which acoustical panel to choose, then watch this YouTube video.

For those who want to learn more, be sure to read How To Soundproof A Bedroom In 8 Steps.

FAQ: People Also Ask

Final Thoughts

It is essential to control the sound in a room where you intend to play loud music. That’s because reducing sound bleed from the room will keep you in a good relationship with your neighbors and your roommates. Also, you will be able to do better-sounding recordings or guitar performances of higher quality.

In the end, we can say that these pads are a very good choice for those who are looking to take up acoustic control in their space without too much effort. If you have a tighter budget for this project, Gator Acoustic Pyramid pads are a good choice. They will help you improve recordings in that one special room without overspending.