ATS Acoustics

One of our super-friendly sales reps, Matt, wrote this up in response to interest from our customers:

We often receive questions about the difference between QuietGlue Pro and Green Glue sound isolation compounds. Due to a real difference in cost, many customers wonder if the more expensive Green Glue really outperforms the competition. Both Green Glue and QuietGlue Pro have conducted third-party tests comparing the two products head to head, and both companies claim that their product is superior based on those test results.

After reviewing the results, we conclude that their performance is too close to crown a true winner. When it comes to sound isolation, the STC rating is what’s really important, and the STC of QuietGlue Pro and Green Glue are almost identical. So close in fact that choosing one over the other based on performance doesn’t make sense.

Since they are tied on performance, it makes sense to choose on price, and at least for now QuietGlue Pro wins the price battle hands down.

We are pleased to announce that ATS Acoustics was honored on Inc. magazine’s 2011 list of fasting growing businesses in America. We ranked at position 3058 this year. We also made the list in 2010, making ATS Acoustics one of America’s fastest growing businesses two years running.

Thanks to all our employees and customers that have made our incredible growth possible. We have a lot of great plans and products rolling out this year. We’re working hard and setting our sights on a threepeat in 2012.

OSI GreenSeries Draft & Acoustical Sound Sealant is a latex-based sealant specially designed to reduce sound transmissions and drafts in all types of wall systems where a sound-rated assembly is required. Its primary function is to achieve and maintain the specific STC (Sound Transmission Class) value of the system designed. This paintable sealant remains flexible and adheres firmly to wood, metal studs, concrete, gypsum board and most other common building materials.

This sealant can be used in office buildings, hotels, apartment complexes and other types of commercial and residential construction. Use it to seal perimeter joints, floor and ceiling runners, cutouts in gypsum board, veneer plaster systems and other areas where a sound rated assembly is required. This sealant can also be applied or buttered around all electrical boxes and outlets, cold air returns, heating and air conditioning ducts and other equipment penetrating wall surfaces for increased acoustical performance. Works well for sealing sill and base plates in residential construction.  OSI SC-175 is a more affordable alternative to Green Glue Noiseproofing Sealant.

QuietCoat is a sprayable compound used for noise and vibration damping on steel, aluminum, brass, copper, alloys, plastics, PVC, and other nonporous materials.  It can be applied with a brush, roller, or sprayer in single coats of 1.0 mm thickness.  Multiple coats will enhance the damping properties.

QuietCoat is the highest performing damping coating on the market today and is less expensive and versatile than older technologies.  It can be used on automobiles, consumer electronics, appliances, HVAC systems, industrial equipment, and much more.

ATS Acoustic panels with art or photo prints transforms a standard sound absorption panel into a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork limited only by your imagination. Company logos, family pictures, art prints, landscapes, and much more can be printed on panels as large as 48″x 96″.

We can take an image file that you choose or provide to us, and make a high quality, full-color print on fabric. Then we use that printed fabric in our standard acoustic panel manufacturing process.  So you end up with an effective acoustic treatment for your space, that reflex your personality and looks great.

To go along with our quality acoustic panels, ATS Acoustics is now offering acoustic baffles. Instead of attaching to a wall, like panels, baffles are designed to suspend from high ceilings. Because both sides absorb sound, baffles are more efficient than wall panels, which makes them an ideal choice for auditoriums, gyms, sports arenas, commercial/industrial buildings, and other large spaces.

ATS Acoustic Baffles are made with a solid aluminum frame that not only makes them much more durable than most baffles on the market today, but it also gives them clean, crisp lines that won’t sag or dent over time. The 6 lb per cubic foot mineral wool core material gives the baffles an impressive Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) rating of 1.52.  With 18 colors to choose from, ATS Acoustic Baffles are an attractive and effective acoustical treatment for any large open space.

Two of the most common acoustical problems found in home theaters today are comb filtering and flutter echo. Comb filtering occurs when sound from a speaker first travels directly to your ears. Then, a few milliseconds later, reflections of that same sound arrive to your ears after they have bounced off the side walls and ceiling. This effect can significantly reduce the clarity of dialogue in a movie, which can make it very difficult at times to understand what is being said. Flutter echo is a similar problem caused by two opposing reflective surfaces of a room (parallel wall to parallel wall or floor to ceiling). These repetitive reflections can produce a perception of a pitch and a reduction in the speech intelligibility within the room.

Luckily both of these problems are easily fixed with acoustic panels. Simply placing panels at the first reflection points of the room will reduce the sound waves from bouncing around so you can focus on one clear copy of the sound. Our free online acoustical calculator can help you determine the amount of panels your room will need to sound its best.

ATS Acoustics introduces Roxul Rockboard 80 to its line of DIY Mineral Wool Batts and Boards.  Rockboard-80 has a density of 8 lbs/cf which gives it superior low-end frequency performance.  Rockboard can be wrapped with one of our DIY Fabrics to create an attractive, low cost acoustic panel.

Here’s a process that works well:

• Apply spray adhesive such as 3M Super 77 or Ram-Tack High Tack Spray to the fabric and to the surface of the Rockboard.
• Use plenty of adhesive, spray a lot on and you’ll get a better bond.
• Press the fabric onto the Rockboard smoothly and allow to dry for at least an hour.
• Use Rotofast Insulation Board Anchors to securely attach the panel to a wall.

ATS Acoustics has just reduced the regular price of Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound. Green Glue is an easy to use and effective noise-proofing compound.  Independent lab tests prove that just one layer of Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound between two layers of drywall or other similar building material dissipates up to 90 percent of noise.  You can check-out all our Green Glue products, as well as the new QuietGlue Pro compound, on our sound isolation page.

On almost a daily basis, we have customers asking about the difference between acoustic panels made from Owens Corning 703 and panels made from mineral wool (rock wool). Many of them have visited different acoustic/AV forums and have heard “OC703 purists” saying that nothing works as well as 703/705. However, acoustical lab tests show that even though Owens Corning 703 and 705 are great products, their performance is nearly identical to mineral wool.

This makes sense, because when the thickness, fiber structure, and density of two materials are the same, the sound absorption will be the same too.

You can take a look at test results for the different types of acoustic material we sell on our selecting the right acoustic material page. You can see from the test data that Roxul AFB (mineral wool) is very comparable to Owens Corning 703, as Roxul Rockboard 60 is to Owens Corning 705.

To match the low frequency performance of Owens Corning 703 4″, simply stack two pieces of Roxul Rockboard 60 together to create a 4″ thick panel.