If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Acoustic panels have always been essential for recording studios, podcasters, and at-home musicians, but they’re useful in other spaces too. In an effort to achieve peaceful quiet — or better sound system performance — non-musicians have started utilizing the best acoustic panels for sound-dampening in offices, gaming setups, home theaters, music listening rooms, and even noisy apartments.
At a Glance: The Best Acoustic Panels
How to Choose the Best Acoustic Panels for Your Home
Here’s what to consider while shopping for the best acoustic panels for your home:
NRC: Sound-dampening materials are rated on the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) scale of 0 to 1, with 0 representing no sound absorption and 1 representing all sound absorption. This scale is more easily understood as a percentage, rather than a decimal; for example, an NRC of 0.3 is 30% noise absorption, and so on.
Size: Be sure to check the size of acoustic panels and measure their intended space. Foam panels can be cut, but you don’t want to end up with too few panels after installation.
Placement: Ideally, acoustic panels cover every wall and the ceiling, but that’s neither realistic nor totally necessary for most people. If you’re trying to find the best acoustic panels for home theaters, a minimal setup might be one panel opposite each speaker (to “catch” the sound) and one next to the subwoofer. For home offices or gaming setups, you might just panel walls that are shared with bedrooms, for example.
How We Selected the Best Acoustic Panels
In our search for the best acoustic panels, we considered each product’s effectiveness, looks, value, and installation difficulty. An acoustic panel’s effectiveness primarily comes down to its NRC, but also depends on the panel’s shape: Different panel designs might catch more reverb or echo, or they might be more (or less) effective in practice than the NRC indicates. Looks are also a big factor, since we were picking acoustic panels primarily for home use instead of industrial use, which is why you’ll see plenty of wood or color options, in addition to the traditional black foam ones. Value is also obviously important, especially if you’re lining a whole room with acoustic panels. Lastly, we combed user reviews to see if anyone had difficulty setting up their panels.
What Are the Best Acoustic Panels
Ahead are the best acoustic panels to buy on Amazon right now, including affordable foam options and stylish wood picks.
Editor’s Pick
Reverbeon Minimalist Acoustic Panels
With an NRC of 0.95, a huge range of color/texture options, and a large coverage area, these acoustic panels from Reverbeon are our top picks. Each panel is a 23.6-inch square, and you get six in a pack, which means you can quickly fill up a wall or room. The 0.95 NRC is the sweet spot for most users, as it’ll block almost everything while still letting in any loud sounds (that you might want to hear). Reviewers say the Reverbeon panels are very effective at cutting down sound and reducing echo and reverb. Adhesive pads are included, making set-up very easy.
Best Foam Panels
Geynnple Sound Proof Foam Panels
If you’re looking for traditional, no-frills acoustic panels, pick up these foam ones from Geynnple. The large panels measure 48 by 24 inches each, and a two-pack costs just $40. Since they’re foam, you can also cut them for a custom fit. Users say they’re especially good at reducing common outside noises like cars and rain, and that they don’t have a synthetic smell like some foam panels.
Best wood panels
Vriqor Acoustic Wall Panels
One of the best wood acoustic panel sets is this one from Vriquor. While most wood or wood-texture options have the traditional slat design, this one steps things up a notch with a stylish diagonal design that looks great when lined up across a whole wall. Despite their upscale look, the panels are relatively affordable at $100 for a six-pack of 23.62 by 23.62-inch panels.
ultra quiet
ATS Acoustics Panel
These ATS panels are another attractive sound-dampening solution, and they block nearly all noise with an NRC rating of 1. That means that virtually 100% of sound will be absorbed by these panels. Made from a solid wood frame and jute (a vegetable-based fabric), these panels are built to last (they also blend in better than those “egg-crate” foam panels).
These sound-dampening panels work in everything from conference rooms to music rooms to bedrooms, blocking out ambient noise from chatty colleagues and noisy neighbors alike. Some users say the black color absorbs both sound and light, while helping to reduce reflection from large screens and monitors.
Best color Options
Ekkogo Acoustic Panels
Another set of more aesthetic acoustic wall panels is this 12-pack from Ekkogo. You get to choose from 21 color options, including subdued colors like black and grey, as well as more bold, fun options like turquoise, candy red, “70’s orange,” and sky blue. But they’re not all looks: The panels boast an NRC of 0.95, ensuring great noise reduction no matter how loud you (or the outside world) gets.
Best value
Audiosoul Acoustic Panels
Value depends on your personal needs and preferences, but this package of acoustic panels from Audiosoul is a pretty great deal. You get 52 one-square-foot panels — enough to cover at least one or two, if not more walls — all for $40. And they’re very solid too, despite the low price, effectively reducing even very loud noise. Customer reviews are excellent as well, with the panels boasting a 4/5-star Amazon rating with more than 6,000 reviews.
Most stylish
Art3d Wood Slat Acoustic Panels
These wood texture panels are another great pick if you’re looking for handsome wood panels. They look just like modern wood panel slats, but underneath the surface is sound-absorbing foam. You also get to choose between several wood colors, including walnut, teak, and cherry.
art sound panels
Bubos Art Acoustic Panels
If you want sound-dampening without your room looking like a music studio, check out these Bubos acoustic panels. They’re made to look like wall art, blending in with your decor without looking like, well, acoustic panels. But, despite their civilian looks, the art panels boast an NRC of 0.9, which should absorb almost all sound.
Each panel is 16 by 12 inches, so the eight-pack here should be enough for most spaces (as long as you don’t need wall-to-wall coverage). Because they’re so good-looking and aren’t meant for total coverage, we think these work best for living rooms and home theater setups.
Best for drums
TroyStudio Thick Acoustic Foam Panels
Drummers need serious sound-dampening equipment (if they want to stay on good terms with any neighbor or housemate). These TroyStudio acoustic panels are up for the task, working great for drum rooms, as well as music studios, offices, or home theaters.
The package includes six 12-by-12 panels, but they’re quite inexpensive, so we suggest buying a few packages to cover the walls and ceiling. Noise reduction is very solid with an NRC of 0.8, so you should get better sound (without echo) and the ability to jam without upsetting anyone.
highly-rated
Fstop Labs Acoustic Panels
These acoustic panels from Fstop Labs are another very highly rated option from Amazon. They currently have a 4/5-star rating and almost 4,000 reviews, with users pleased with the way the panels look and their effectiveness. Some users did say that the panels take a while to expand after they’re unwrapped (about a day or two), so don’t expect to use these right away.
How Do Acoustic Panels Work?
If you’re unfamiliar, acoustic panels are pieces of foam or fabric that attach to your walls and ceiling to absorb sound, effectively eliminating echo and preventing sound from escaping. With the best acoustic panels, you can enjoy TV or music at full volume, practice drums, or take noisy Zoom calls — all while family or roommates do their thing in the next room. Plus, the echo-reducing effect can also enhance home theater audio performance by stopping sound reflection off walls.
Although their main purpose is to stop sound from escaping a room, the material used for the best acoustic panels can also reduce outside noise from getting in. That means less street noise, quieter neighbors, or respite from a noisy family while you work, meditate, or read.
