Rockwool vs Owens Corning 703: Which Absorber Core?
Both are real acoustic absorbers, unlike foam, and both work across the frequency range that matters in a small room. Mineral wool is less irritating to handle, more widely available and generally cheaper. Rigid fibreglass board has been the studio standard for decades and is marginally more consistent. Either, at 2 inches or thicker with an air gap behind it, will transform a room.
At a glance
| Rockwool Rockboard 60 mineral wool board, 2 inch | Owens Corning 703 rigid fibreglass board, 2 inch | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Stone wool | Rigid fibreglass |
| Handling | Less itchy, holds shape well | Itchy, wear gloves and a mask |
| Absorption | Broadband, effective above roughly 250 Hz at 2 inch | Similar |
| Air gap benefit | Extends effectiveness lower | Extends effectiveness lower |
| Fire behaviour | Non combustible | Non combustible |
| Cost per panel | Comparable | Comparable |
Choose the Rockwool Rockboard 60 mineral wool board, 2 inch if…
Choose mineral wool if you are building panels yourself and value your forearms. It cuts cleanly with a bread knife, holds its own shape inside a frame, and is far less unpleasant to work with than fibreglass. It is the material most people building their own treatment now use, and it performs to the same standard as the traditional option.
Check Rockwool Rockboard 60 mineral wool board, 2 inch on Amazon
Choose the Owens Corning 703 rigid fibreglass board, 2 inch if…
Choose rigid fibreglass if it is what you can get locally at a good price, or if you want the material that decades of published absorption data refer to. It is slightly more fragile and considerably itchier to cut, so wear gloves, long sleeves and a respirator, and cut it outside. Once it is wrapped in fabric, neither material is exposed to the room.
Check Owens Corning 703 rigid fibreglass board, 2 inch on Amazon
Related
- Acoustic treatment vs soundproofing
- Foam vs rockwool panels
- Room mode calculator
- Primacoustic London 8 review: what a wall panel kit fixes and what it cannot touch
Comparison based on published manufacturer specifications and the general consensus of owner reports. We have not tested these products side by side. Confirm current specifications and prices before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
How thick should the panels be?
Two inches is the practical minimum and four inches is much better, because absorption at low frequencies depends on the panel being a meaningful fraction of the wavelength. A 2 inch panel does very little below roughly 250 Hz. If you can only fit 2 inch, mount it with a 2 to 4 inch air gap behind it, which extends its useful range downward for free.
Where do the first panels go?
The first reflection points, which are the spots on each side wall and the ceiling where a mirror would show you a speaker from your listening position. Have someone slide a mirror along the wall while you sit in the mixing position and mark where each speaker appears. Those points, plus corner bass trapping, are the highest value treatment in any room.
Is treatment the same as soundproofing?
No, and this is the most common and most expensive misunderstanding in home studios. Absorbers change how the room sounds inside; they do not stop sound leaving or entering. Soundproofing means mass, sealing and decoupling, which is construction work. The comparison page on this site separates the two properly.
Do you need a fabric cover?
Yes, both for appearance and to stop fibres reaching the room. Use a fabric loose enough to breathe: if you can breathe through it easily, sound passes through it. Standard cotton or a purpose made acoustic fabric works, and anything vinyl backed or tightly woven will reflect the high frequencies you were trying to absorb.
Working out your own room and signal chain? The Home Studio Build Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.