If your primary concern is the tone and clarity of your sound, the quality of the bass traps you choose is paramount.
Whether you’re starting with a blank sheet and setting up your own studio or mixing music in your home studio, you’re probably going to end up with a sizable (and expensive) vest: a monitor speaker cabinet or a controller.
A good choice of bass traps will help to eliminate any lingering stage or low frequency reflections that turn up in your meter readings but do your ears a disservice by making your music sound dull and lifeless.
Thus, to get the greatest benefit, it’s vital to install bass traps in each of the key listening areas, including the corners near the control room sound desk, behind the lead vocalist and on any other critical listening areas.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| HERCULES MS533B Hideaway Boom Stand | Best Overall |  |
| Pro Studio Acoustics | Budget Pick |  |
| Auralex LENPUR LENRD Bass Traps in Purple 8 | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. HERCULES MS533B Hideaway Boom Stand
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Stable, well-built stand
- Effective for live/recorded music
- Affordable
This is a sturdy, easy-to-use, and efficient stand for small to mid-sized cabinets. The HercMS533B is a great option for live or recorded music, and comes with premium features like telescopic height adjustability for the perforated steel grill, heavy-duty steel construction, and maximum capacity of 33 pounds.
If you want a simple yet effective and good-looking stand for your studio or live setup, the MS533B is one of the best in the price range. It also has an extra storage compartment for keeping cables and other peripherals in place.
2. Auralex Acoustics Studiofoam Wedgies Acoustic Absorption Foam
Pros:
- Conveniently packaged in a sturdy cardboard box
- Multiple thickness and size options
- Multiple color options
- Smooth and easy to target specific areas of the room
- Easily blends into the room
- Simple and convenient to install
- Attractive design
Cons:
- Claims to be effective in mid- and high-frequency absorption, but does not live up to those assertions
- Ineffective in isolating background noise
- Ineffective in minimizing echo
- Not very robust
If you are searching for the best bass traps for your home studio, you want one that is inexpensive yet efficient. The Auralex panels are designed to work either on their own as single pieces or in combination with other pieces.
Auralex is a well-known name in the studio world and makes quality products. You can find different grades of absorbency, depending on how much (or how little) absorption you need for your room, your size constraints, and your budget.
3. Pro Studio Acoustics
Pros:
- Double sided acoustic foam wedge – each pack comes with 4 wedges
- Ideal for studios with at least one window for ventilation
- Very easy to install and remove
- Affordable, yet very well-made acoustic foam soundproofing tiles
- Can check out most of the best bass traps in the next section of this book!
4. Auralex LENPUR LENRD Bass Traps in Purple 8
Pros:
- Easy to cut to size
- Simple flat surface
- Cheap
- New purple color is attractive
Cons:
- Flat surface
- Print will rub off over time
The Auralex design team has developed a pair of crowd-funded, easy-to-install, low-profile foam bass traps, which is perfect for small, medium, and large rooms. This is the best values one that you can obtain.
Auralex’s LENPUR LENRD series are affordable, moldable, and easy to install. This means you can deploy a full assortment of LENRDs right out of the box. You can then easily cut them with a pair of scissors or a hobby knife. The price also makes the LENRDs an excellent cost-to-performance choice. While there are some issues in the design like lack of bass absorption, it’s quite a good product for first-time DIY owners.
5. Foamily 12 Pack
Pros:
- Available in packs of 4, 9, or 24
- Cut into various sizes for custom applications
- Features a high-quality dense acoustical foam core
Foamily is an established manufacturer of high-quality acoustic foam wedges. Their acoustic foam wedges 1”x 12”x 12” features a high-quality high-density acoustic foam core for maximum absorption and sound deadening power.
The wedge offers a more flexible size variety, meaning you get the option to choose the right size for your studio or home studio needs. The Wedge is available in 3 sizes – 12”, 24”, and 48” in length. Each wedge also comes with a protective covering for added safety and protection. It also features a removable adhesive coating on the backside of the wedge for easy mounting. The wedge’s black color will blend well with almost any studio design.
6. Set of 4
Pros:
- Great for large room sizes
- Holds up well on corners
- Sound absorption is excellent
- Padding isn't too excessive
Cons:
- Material can easily be pulled off
- White color is easily stained
- Odd size means you'll have to buy multiple pieces if the room is really big
Many speakers are L- or T-shaped so you’ll need multiple panels on the corner to get a good sound absorption. If you’ve got a big room, then you may need to buy multiple pieces to cover the whole wall. Overall, this soundproofing divider is pretty good for its price as it’s made of thick and dense foam and holds up really well on the corner, even when you have other heavy things resting on it.
In terms of design, this acoustic foam has a simple gray color and pattern that is similar to the more elegant and expensive brands. There are also several sizes to choose from (6.5 x 12 x 12, 12 x 12 x 12, 18.25 x 12 x 12 inches), depending on the size of the room.
7. (12 Pk) Blue/Charcoal acoustic foam tiles soundproofing foam panels sound insulation soundproof foam padding sound dampening Studio sound proof padding 1" x 12" x 12"
Pros:
- Good bang for the buck
- Easy to install and cut to size
- Easily available in online stores and at local hardware stores
- Available in multiple sizes if you need a lot of coverage
- Very effective at dampening low-frequency sounds
Cons:
- Might seem expensive for some, but it’s likely cheaper than other options
- Might require more than one layer for optimal results
The Foam Factory has been so kind as to produce these 12 acoustic foam tiles, which are part of their foamfx soundproofing foam panels line. It’s easy to understand why they’re a highly reviewed product because they’re fundamentally effective at keeping sounds from escaping your home.
It’s perfect for musicians, recording studios, and various kinds of offices with musicians. When you install a layer of these acoustic soundproofing panels behind your walls, it will not only soundproof your studio but also add to the acoustic quality of the room.
You should, however, note that these acoustic foam tiles might not work as well for high-frequency noises, so you might need something for that like a layer of corkboard behind them.
8. Owens Corning 703 Rigid Fiberglass Board 2" Qty 6
Pros:
- Recycled
- Very absorbing
- Quite versatile
- Flexible and easy to install
- Very affordable
- Can be sanded to a finer texture in the desired area
- Can also be used in the walls
- Can be painted on both sides
Cons:
- Can chip under heavy use
- Some customers have complained about sending a broken one
- May crack under the weight of heavier products
- Supports only 44 pounds
The 3 inch thick OwensCorning 703 fiberglass stands out for its ability to absorb a lot of sound without absorbing it into the environment. However it still lets the sound dissipate into the room, which means it won’t make the room “dead”. With a high noise-to-material ratio, it proves to be an excellent acoustic absorbing material. This means that the sound absorption it provides won’t be compromised by noise that dissipates in to the environment.
The Owens-Corning 703 is a material that is highly flexible and versatile, not to mention very affordable. It comes in cardboard rolls and can be cut up according to the measurements that need to be padded.
9. Acoustic Foam Bass Traps
Pros:
- Extremely easy to install
- Highly effective in blocking out low frequencies
- Perfect for use in a recording studio
- Great for home theater systems to keep the bass under control
- Absorbs and reduces the sound waves caused by resonances in your room
Cons:
- Expensive
- The mounting hardware is not included in the package
(3 PACK)
This is a package of four bass traps that you can place in your room in order to eliminate the excessive low-frequency sounds that cause unwanted echoes. They are made of rigid, dense acoustic foam that’s been cut to an ideal size of 12 inches by 12 inches by 24 inches in size. You can place it against the rear wall of the room.
The traps are easy to mount using a variety of different methods. They’re not too heavy (only 6.36 pounds per panel) making them easy to set up.
10. Ultimate Acoustics UA-BTBG Bass Trap Professional Acoustic Foam
Pros:
- Most effective bass trap for the price
- It is easy to cut and can be custom-cut for a specific height
- Environmentally responsible as it is made of recycled wool
- Simple yet elegant design
- May be used for other types of acoustic treatment
Cons:
- Does not provide a deep bass reduction in midranges
- Works better for professional studios than home installs
Per Box, 24"x48"x1".
Bass traps are easily the most important type of acoustic treatment inside of a studio. The fact is, it's possible to improve the sound in many rooms without installing any acoustic panels at all, but bass traps are a must. It's very difficult to set up proper bass trapping without using bass traps.
This product is one of the best bass traps – and even acoustic panels – that money can buy. It is an affordable and effective bass trap that you can use inside of your studio. It is a thin layer of recycled wool that sits behind your wall or under the carpet. As you might expect, it absorbs bass frequencies.
11. RESON8 Acoustic Foam
Pros:
- Made from 100-percent recycled content
- Designed to provide a comfortable and cozy living space
- Incredibly efficient at reducing noise transmission
- Can be easily installed with no mess or fuss
Cons:
- Foam panels are only partially resistant to fire
- They do not block out 100% of airborne sound
- Made from a thin layer of density, thus not being completely soundproof
- They are not aesthetically pleasing in a home setting
Our top pick for the best bass trap is the RESON8 Acoustic Foam. These acoustic panels can be easily installed without any difficulty.
They are designed to provide you with a comfy and cozy living space. These panels are indestructible, and are therefore very durable. They are easy to stack in your desired configuration.
The panels are not aesthetically pleasing in a home setting, but they are essential for music studios. They are made from a thin layer of density. Thus, making them not soundproof completely.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the best bass traps?
Certain rooms tend to show lower mid-range frequencies less than others. For this reason, if you are looking for a good bass trap, you need to find one that is suited to your bass response needs. It should be heavy enough to act as a good isolation bass trap but lightweight enough to be portable for most musicians.
They’re not designed specifically for low-frequency absorption so if you are looking for a bass trap for low frequencies then you should look into acoustic foam.
Bass traps are great for home studios, bedroom studios, and anywhere else that you require low frequency reduction. Anyone who is in need of a bass trap should be on the lookout for ones that are designed to reduce frequencies up to 160Hz.
Typically, bass traps are made of fiberglass and plywood or even concrete and are then covered with leather or felt in order to provide an even look.
How effective are bass traps?
Bass traps respond to low frequencies by absorbing them. This absorption occurs inside sealed panels, filling the empty space inside the panels with air, turning it to pressurized air. When this occurs, the air and the frequencies that resonate into it are absorbed into the walls of the panels, removing the frequencies from the environment. As a result, these panels can be placed in rooms with little impact on the space. There are a few different types of bass traps out in the market, so it’s important to choose the type that is perfect for your space. Here are some of the best bass traps in the industry:
How many bass traps do I need?
Most rooms and studios require anywhere from 2-4 bass traps to achieve a good frequency balance. It all depends on the size of the room and the frequencies that it isn't absorbing properly. There is not a set standard to follow for room size and number of traps because every room is different.
The layout of your room, the materials the walls and infrastructure are made of, and the amount of activity that takes place in the room can all affect the number of vents that are needed.
For example, the more activity that happens in the room like drums, group practices, instrument learning and teaching lessons, and casual jam sessions will add to the amount of reverb in the room. To combat and absorb this reverb, you'll want to use more bass traps.
Do you need bass traps in every corner?
Bass traps, also known as acoustic absorbers, are a highly beneficial part of a monitoring and soundproofing your mixing space.
The more bass traps you have, the more control and coverage you will have over your room. However, if you were to add too many, it would be impractical for studios that have less square footage.
This is why I prefer the MondoTraps design over its competitors because it features flexible parts that you can combine into larger absorbers.
In smaller studios, the Corner Traps can be spaced every 2-3 feet while the larger ones can be placed in the middle of large areas like the live room or recording room. The best part is, these can be combined to be used in multiple areas of your studio.
Conclusion
On the hunt for the best bass traps that will improve the quality of the music in your studio without sacrificing bass or treble? We tested a bunch of bass traps and reviewed our top 10 favorites. We’ve included 10 different models to consider along with our pros and cons, features, and where to find the best price for each one.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| HERCULES MS533B Hideaway Boom Stand | Best Overall | |
| Pro Studio Acoustics | Budget Pick | |
| Auralex LENPUR LENRD Bass Traps in Purple 8 | Upgrade Pick | |