Acoustic foam

[Tom Servinsky]

The material is called acoustical baffle foam and can be purchased in 3'x5' 
sheets in either 2 1/2" or 3 1/2" thick.
Contact Marketek at: www.markertek.com   They are suppliers for the audio 
and video industry.  I think I paid something like $50 (including shipping) 
for the sheet and was enough to do 2 pianos. This is the same material that 
Edwards is selling.
The material  will yield a reduction of volume by 30-40%. Each and every 
client has been thrilled with the overall sound reduction.
Tom Servinsky
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Israel Stein" <custos3 at comcast.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 10:21 PM
Subject: Acoustic foam


> At 12:00 PM 11/3/2007, John Formsma wrote:
>
>>If I do this again, I will try to find the foam at a cheaper price.
>> >From Edwards, it was pre-cut, but $110 (my cost) for just the bottom
>>foam pieces.  I think I could find it cheaper, and cut it myself.
>>Google "acoustic foam."  It is expensive, but buying it in sheets
>>probably makes more sense, unless you want to pay for the convenience.
>>  (Even pre-cut for that model piano, I had to trim one of the pieces
>>to fit around the player.)
>
> John,
>
> Years ago I had to significantly reduce the volume of a piano without 
> voicing. The piano tone was fine, but the owner had tinnitus, so she 
> couldn't bear the sound. She was going to return it to the dealer - so we 
> had to do the job in a way that was reversible. I bought a 2-inch foam 
> mattress at an Army-Navy store and cut it up to fit into the bottom of the 
> piano. The cost was minimal, and one mattress yielded more than enough 
> foam to do the job. The reduction in volume was significant - the client 
> kept the piano and everyone was happy. Good thing - it was a new Steinway 
> L...
>
> I am not sure that so called "acoustic foam" is worth the expense. From 
> what I read on the results of a "Google" search the concerns being 
> addressed are mostly architectural - fire resistance and appearance. These 
> are not considerations when installing foam in a piano - it's out of 
> sight, and the piano itself is not fire-resistant...  So next time, try 
> the simple foam mattress - it will do the job. Or give your client the 
> choice - are they willing to pay the extra fifty bucks for pretty, 
> fire-resistant foam?
>
> Israel Stein
>
>
>