Project Challenge

This 180㎡ independent podcast production studio in East Austin, Texas includes three dedicated recording booths, an open editing area and a small client lounge. Floor-to-ceiling glass partitions were chosen for natural light and visual openness, but they create significant sound leakage between booths and muddy vocal recordings. Background noise from editing stations also bleeds into recording spaces, compromising production quality. The studio prioritizes sustainable practices and low-VOC indoor air quality, so the solution had to use eco-friendly materials with matte finishes to avoid screen glare for editors.

Our Solution

We lined all three recording booths with 100% post-consumer recycled polyester fiber acoustic panels with a soft fabric face, NRC 0.85–0.95. The formaldehyde-free, ultra-low VOC formulation supports clean indoor air quality, while the matte warm-grey finish reduces light reflection and creates a neutral vocal recording environment. The panels absorb internal reflections to eliminate flutter echo and reduce sound transmission through glass gaps. In the open editing area and client lounge, we added matching polyester panels to feature walls and structural columns to bring down overall ambient reverb and improve call clarity for client reviews.

All panels carry ASTM E84 Class A fire certification, meeting US commercial studio safety requirements. Lightweight modular installation was completed on evenings and weekends over 8 days with zero disruption to active productions.

Project Results

Booth-to-booth sound leakage dropped by an estimated 42%, and vocal recording clarity improved dramatically with reduced room coloration. Editors report fewer audio cleanup hours per episode, and client satisfaction with production quality is up 34%. The studio now regularly books voice-over and audiobook projects it could not accept before the upgrade.