How much absorption does a vocal booth need?

A dedicated vocal booth should have 60-80% of wall and ceiling surfaces covered with absorption panels. This creates a very dry recording environment (RT60 of 0.2-0.3 seconds) which gives the cleanest vocal recordings and the most flexibility in mixing.

How thick should acoustic panels be?

For vocal booths, 100 mm (4 inch) thick panels are ideal. They absorb well down to about 250 Hz. Thinner 50 mm panels only absorb mid and high frequencies, leaving the low end untreated. Pair panels with corner bass traps for full-range absorption.

Do I need bass traps in a small booth?

Yes. Small rooms have worse bass problems than large ones because room modes are more widely spaced and energetic. Place bass traps in as many corners as possible — corners are where bass energy accumulates. Floor-to-ceiling traps are most effective.

Can a vocal booth be too dead?

For voice recording, an extremely dead booth is usually fine because you can add reverb in the mix. However, singers sometimes prefer a tiny bit of ambience for performance comfort. If the booth feels uncomfortably dead, you can leave a small area of wall untreated or use thinner panels on one wall.

AudioCalcs

Vocal Booth Calculator — Acoustic Treatment Panels

Calculate acoustic treatment panels and bass traps needed for a vocal booth based on dimensions.

Booth Length

Internal length of the booth

Booth Width

Internal width of the booth

Booth Height

Internal height (floor to ceiling)

Panel ThicknessThicker panels absorb lower frequencies

Coverage TargetPercentage of walls and ceiling to cover

Bass Trap Corners

Number of vertical corners with bass traps

How We Calculate This

Treatment Area

Treatment area = (Wall area + Ceiling area) x Coverage target %

Panel Count

Panels = Treatment area / Panel size

Bass traps are calculated separately — one per vertical corner. The floor is excluded from treatment calculations as it is typically left bare or carpeted.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.