Answered Acoustically transparent stretched fabric

Doug Pyper

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Does anyone know of a good source for large widths of acoustically transparent fabric (2.4m or over)?

I'm considering using some for a new media wall project. The wall I'd use it on is 2.45m high, 3.7m wide.

Ideally, I'd like to find a source of fabric that could allow me to run the material seamlessly across the entire 2.45m*3.7m surface. That requires a material width of at least 2.4m, but the largest width I can find is 1.7m.
 
Spandex is very AT and also very stretchy, so you wouldn't need 2.4m, though you may need two layers as it can become a little transparent, especially if light shines on it/through it.

I'm not sure if Spandex comes in widths greater than 1.7m though and even that may be a bit of a stretch (pun intended) to get it to go to 2.4.

You could contact Tiaknight Tia Knight - Luxury and Unique Fabric Supplier and ask them what the widest farbric is they have, and if it may stretch as much as you'd like. They'll happily send you some samples that you could perhaps test for transparency to find the most suitable. I only suggest them because they've been useful for Spandex and velvet for my theatre and are reasonably priced. There may be better places out there, but my experience is limited to Tia. You may have a local haberdashers that could be more helpful for example.
 
Great advice, thank you! I hadn't considered spandex, surprisingly given I've used it for an AT PJ screen in the past. I'll have a look into it.

The more I look into it though the more I'm starting to think three separate runs of fabric with vertical seams might be the most practical solution. Aside from the difficulty finding a large single run of material, such a large piece of fabric would be less taut/stable than separate pieces along several tracks, and would probably billow in the wind when the back door's open. Something like the seams in the attached pic (but obviously fabric instead of concrete) would still look pretty good I reckon...
 

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Some simple frames with the fabric stretched and stapled around it will do the trick, and you can even hide rockwool etc behind it and speakers too. As frames will allow you any size of cloth, you could look into other materials that are AT, like the MVEL22 that is commonly used here for example.

If you wanted the seems to be a kind of feature, you can round off the edges with a router or angled table saw so they stand out a little more than without.
 
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When i researched fabric for my walls I could only find max width of 1700mm.I eventually went with Camira fabric from the Cara range which is both stretchy and acoustically transparent.
 
Spandex can stretch wide but for a screen it has its limits.
If it is overstretched you will loose on image quality.
I made 195 cm x 350 cm screen, the width of the lycra was 150 cm, so i stretched it 45 cm and that is what i feel the max for what fabric i used
 
When i researched fabric for my walls I could only find max width of 1700mm.I eventually went with Camira fabric from the Cara range which is both stretchy and acoustically transparent.

How did this work out? Can you see any weave?

Anyone else done this?
 
The cara range does have a weave but only noticeable if your close up.Have you seen the AV forums cinema build some good idea on stretch fabric but theirs were only 1700 wide as well.
 

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Do you have a link to the AVF cinema build you mentioned? Be interested to read it. Thank you.
 
The cara range does have a weave but only noticeable if your close up.Have you seen the AV forums cinema build some good idea on stretch fabric but theirs were only 1700 wide as well.
Do you have a link to the AVF cinema build you mentioned? Be interested to read it. Thank you.
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AV Forums Youtube channel
 
Starting on my new cinema room soon..

Re Camira Cara fabric, I am considering using this on the side walls in rectangular frames from floor to ceiling, with rockwool panels behind in some areas and in-wall surround speakers also behind.

Does anyone have any experience of how acoustically transparent the Cara fabric is? Consideration being is sound from the surrounds.

Thank you.
 
Starting on my new cinema room soon..

Re Camira Cara fabric, I am considering using this on the side walls in rectangular frames from floor to ceiling, with rockwool panels behind in some areas and in-wall surround speakers also behind.

Does anyone have any experience of how acoustically transparent the Cara fabric is? Consideration being is sound from the surrounds.

Thank you.
Feel free to get in touch as we specialise in fabric and room treatment.
Rich@SeriouslyCinema
 
Starting on my new cinema room soon..

Re Camira Cara fabric, I am considering using this on the side walls in rectangular frames from floor to ceiling, with rockwool panels behind in some areas and in-wall surround speakers also behind.

Does anyone have any experience of how acoustically transparent the Cara fabric is? Consideration being is sound from the surrounds.

Thank you.
I used the cara fabric in front of my in wall speakers and have no issues
 

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Nice. What was your method exactly?
I just used 20x45 mm as a frame then stretched and stapled the material.There is one place under the tv which I will be redoing but the rest of the room is ok.I then fixed the panels to the wall using button fixings
 
I just used 20x45 mm as a frame then stretched and stapled the material.There is one place under the tv which I will be redoing but the rest of the room is ok.I then fixed the panels to the wall using button fixings
 

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