Sound Absorption
Cleaning Muddy Sound?
Charcoal has had a long and prosperous career in the radio and music industry. First, in amplifying sound in radio microphones, then telephones, and today in sophisticated sound systems. By now our readers all know activated charcoal is used to purify dirty air and clean dirty water. But did you know it is also used to clean dirty sound? What is dirty sound? It is that distracting, irritating background sound that muddies the clear crisp sounds we naturally listen to.
Diaphragmatic absorption is a sound absorbing technology that has been around for years and is used extensively in professional studio and home theater construction. A diaphragmatic absorber is a sealed box that has a surface that vibrates in sympathy to sound pressure waves. Inside that sealed box is placed building insulation type materials and even construction foam which assists in minimizing internal cabinet resonance but does nothing to actually make the absorber more powerful. One can increase the performance of a diaphragmatic absorber by using activated charcoal/carbon.
Most sound absorbing technologies in the market place use three major classes of materials to absorb sound energy with. Acoustic foams, Building insulation and Fabric. But now there is activated charcoal, and before long it will be the benchmark for middle and high frequency absorption, and even better for low frequency or bass absorption.
50 pounds or more of granular activated carbon can be used in a single acoustic sound absorber. Lab tests can show absorption down into 30 Hz.
Sound enters the charcoal pores and bounces around converting to heat and thus reducing its energy signature. The end result is a real, hard working, diaphragmatic low frequency sponge. No more exaggeration or boom.
For a quick simple illustration of what is happening between the charcoal and sound visit CarbonAir.com
John Dinsley
Born in British Columbia, Canada, John Dinsley has lived, and worked from South America to the North Pole, from Nova Scotia to Nepal. He is trained as a lifestyle counselor, teaches public health programs, home remedies workshops, and has operated a family care home. He and his wife Kimberly are the owners of Charcoal House LLC. They often travel together across the U.S. and internationally to conduct charcoal workshops. He is a carpenter by trade, has managed an organic market garden business, and volunteered in overseas development work. When he is not building, teaching or gardening, he enjoys writing.
