[sillywilly]

I am looking at using a non-traditional synthetic perforated material to conceal in ceiling speakers for Atmos and don't know if this would properly work --

The material is designed for acoustical purposes for sound absorption. I would use it for that but I was also wondering if I had the speakers behind it, could I also use it to conceal the speakers and pass sound out from the backside as well.

The material is has 300,000 perforations per square meter. Is that adequate for proper sound pass through?

If this is not the right place for this thread, I will move the discussion elsewhere as recommended.

 

[Ratman]

Have a link or more descriptive info about the "material"?

 

[sillywilly]

Yes, it is a PVC vinyl.

I am planning on putting in a stretch ceiling - The PVC sheets are cut, stretched, affixed and then heat shrunk until taut. There are many types but the one I will be using is translucent acoustic. This will allow me to have translucent LED backlighting overhead. Installations often have some cutouts made afterward for recessed lights, vents, speakers, etc. but I really want a very minimalist look overhead so I was hoping I could put the in-ceiling speakers for Atmos behind the translucent ceiling instead of having them exposed (I would have to use the translucent acoustic option for this to even work). The speakers will be a minimum of 4" away from the PVC material.

The particular company I will probably go with (USA Stretch Ceilings) says they have never had that question of whether speakers could be placed behind the acoustic material in the manner I want to use it... so I told him I would ask the professionals (AVS!)

 

[PrimeTime]

It's not difficult to evaluate.

Take a sample piece of the material. Put a swath over your Left speaker (or at least the HF section). Move the Left speaker next to the Right speaker.

Now, put your receiver/preamp in MONO mode and pan the Balance LeftRight. Whatever difference you hear, that's what the material is doing. (Even better, if an AVR, re-connect the Left speaker wires to the Right, "B" speaker output connections and use the Speaker A > B switch.)

If program material is not definitive enough, a good test signal is to tune your FM tuner (if you have one) to an interstation frequency (MUTE off), which is essentially white noise.

You'll likely hear a "dulling" of the high-frequency content (esp. with white noise), which might be compensatable with the Treble control or equivalent.

 

[sillywilly]

It's not difficult to evaluate.

Take a sample piece of the material. Put a swath over your Left speaker (or at least the HF section). Move the Left speaker next to the Right speaker.

Now, put your receiver/preamp in MONO mode and pan the Balance LeftRight. Whatever difference you hear, that's what the material is doing. (Even better, if an AVR, re-connect the Left speaker wires to the Right, "B" speaker output connections and use the Speaker A > B switch.)

If program material is not definitive enough, a good test signal is to tune your FM tuner (if you have one) to an interstation frequency (MUTE off), which is essentially white noise.

You'll likely hear a "dulling" of the high-frequency content (esp. with white noise), which might be compensatable with the Treble control or equivalent.

Thanks for the detail on how to check this.
I will report back my findings after I am able to test this