Hiya Movie Nuts,
Home theaters are all the rage these days. As the technology gets cheaper and cheaper, consumers are renovating basements, spare rooms, and garages into spectacular home theater environments. At Ceilume Ceiling Tiles, we are constantly getting requests for tile that works well in the theater environment.
The main characteristic so regularly asked about is the sound absorption, or the general acoustics of a tile. For general knowledge regarding the three main types of sound ratings, check out my previous post on acoustics.
Color and design of a ceiling tile can also play a major role, as many people will try to match the look of old style ornate theater ceilings, and others may simply be looking for a darker colored tile that doesn’t reflect a lot of light. It is also widely accepted that the mood that is created by the decor in a theater room can change how you experience the movie. A nice, subtle theme can keep focus on the movie and not on the decoration of the room.
Your standard home theater is generally going to have a carpet floor, several plush seats and/or couches, and an audience (at least during showings). All of these things are going do a significant amount to lessen the reverberations and echo from a surround sound system. For this reason, many people like to go with a ceiling tile that is not extremely sound absorbent. A “live” ceiling will allow the sound from the speakers to develop a bit, and sound a bit more pleasing to the ears.
On the flip side, a home theater with some hard surfaces and reflective elements in the design will need a bit more sound absorption built into the ceiling. This will absorb a lot of the reflections coming from a hardwood floor or glass doors, and keep the stereo system sounding like it should.
In my travels through the online ceiling tile universe, I’ve come across many tiles that are great for home theaters. Here are a few of the best:
Ceilume Ceiling Tiles - **Warning: Shameless Self Promotion!** At Ceilume, we have many customers that use our tiles in their home theaters. The Ceilume line does not offer much in the realm of sound absorption, so these are best used in carpeted theaters with plush furniture. The light weight tiles are easy to install, and will keep the room from sounding too “dead”. Also available in black, Ceilume tiles can really make a home theater look good.
Silent Source - Silent Source offers many sound control solutions, including some great ceiling tiles. Most of their tiles offer very high Noise Reduction Coefficients, and are great for really soaking up sound in a theater. There is a higher cost associated with tiles like these, so they are generally used when sound is a particular concern. Their contemporary design options make for a cool looking theater!
Acoustical Solutions - AlphaMidnight Tiles from Acoustical Solutions are great for home theaters, as they are highly sound absorbent, and offered in a flat black finish. Cost may be an issue, but for the level of sound control you will get, they may be worth it. Acoustical Solutions also offers a wide range of other ceiling tiles and sound control products that are specifically suited to the home theater environment.
Acoustical Ceiling Tiles - ACT offers exactly what you’d think: acoustical ceiling tiles. Their selection is mainly, but not limited to, simple designs and lots of noise reduction. If you’d prefer your ceiling to disappear, then these are the folks to talk to. Their Commercial Plus and Tufcore lines are both available in black, and most of their lines offer NRC ratings of 1.0.
If you are renovating your home and adding a theater, or would simply like to upgrade your existing home theater, you might also want to check out the AVS Forum. This is where audiophiles of the net meet and exchange info. There is a lot about home theaters here, and while some is for the elite hobbyist or professional, there is also a LOT of digestible info here for the consumer, AND a lot of experience among members who are MORE than welcome to answer any questions you might have. Forums like these are very helpful in that they can usually supply unbiased consumer info before you buy equipment or furnishings for your home theater.
Good luck with that theater, and make sure to invite me when you premier your first flick!
Benny C
