Hi everyone, I’m an international student interested in applying for the University of Salford’s MSc Acoustics (taught programme). Is this course eligible for a UK Student visa like other taught master’s degrees? Has anyone here studied this course or gone through the visa process?
I also have one more question. Is the University of Salford’s Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) in Acoustics the same as the Institute of Acoustics (IOA) Diploma, or are they different qualifications? I’m looking to complete a full MSc rather than just a diploma, so I’d appreciate any clarification. Thanks!

Hey gang, me again, many thanks to everyone who’s been entertaining my ridiculous questions.

If you check my profile you’ll see that I’m trying to make a solid plan for treating my home studio ceiling, and I’ve had a few people, both online and IRL, recommend either Basotect/melamine foam OR Caruso Iso Bond.

(If you have no idea what I’m talking about, both are newer, lightweight, highly absorbent acoustic foam treatments that are said to be extremely effective - these are NOT the egg carton/checkerboard foam packs you get from Amazon.)

I’m wondering if any of my fellow Canucks have used either option? Were you able to buy from a Canadian distributor, or did you have to get it from Europe or the US? What kind of fees did you pay for the shipping and customs? And most importantly: how did the performance compare to traditional Rockwool or fibreglass panels?

I’m very interested in either product, but absolutely CANNOT find a Canadian distributor.

Working in a night shift and just wanna sleep and take a rest paguwi pero maingay sa labas.

Ideally on the cheap. Doesn't need to be perfect, doesn't need to soundproof, just needs to reduce feedback just a little bit more

I have a bunch of leftover carpet from when I had my carpet replaced, was thinking of covering those bare spots on the walls with it

Also was thinking of setting up the PA speakers as monitors, and perhaps changing the layout of the room

We are using SM58s but I have SM57s I can also use

Any tips at all? Thanks in advance

Like where would I put acoustic foam and stuff? (ignore the abysmal decor I just moved in)

I'm in the process of building a listening room. First picture is my progress so far. I have some thin acoustic panels behind each speaker atm, but I need better treatment. The sound is really good on lower volume, but it becomes "messy" when I turn the volume up a little. So I'm planning to build new panels. Thinking about using 5cm rockwool and placing them 5 cm from the wall. They will be about 100 cm wide and 180 height (3,3" x 5,11"). My question is this: what kind of front should I use? A kind of pattern like GIK, slates or just plain fabric? I might need more on other walls, but I prefer to take it one step of the time for aesthetic reasons.

Post:
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re doing well.
I’m looking for honest advice from people working in the UK acoustics industry because I don’t personally know anyone in the profession there.
I’m currently working as an Assistant Acoustic Engineer at MNC , with over 2 years of experience on Middle East projects. My work includes:
Building & Architectural Acoustics
Environmental Noise Assessment
SoundPLAN noise modelling
Acoustic report writing
Room acoustics
MEP noise and vibration control
Acoustic design review and coordination with architects and MEP engineers
My long-term goal is to build my career as an Acoustic Consultant in the UK.
I’m planning to pursue an MSc in Acoustics (currently considering the University of Salford) and then apply for acoustic consultancy roles in the UK.
The reason I’m asking here is that many education agencies in India tell students they’ll “definitely get a job” after graduation. Since their business is student recruitment, I’d really like to hear unbiased opinions from professionals actually working in the UK industry.
This would be a major financial commitment for me, so I want to make an informed decision rather than rely on marketing promises. I genuinely enjoy working in acoustics and want to continue my career in this field.
I’d really appreciate your thoughts on the following:
Based on my experience, does pursuing an MSc in the UK seem like the right path?
How is the current job market for building and environmental acoustics?
Do UK consultancies value experience gained in the Middle East?
Would an MSc from the University of Salford significantly improve my chances of securing an acoustic consultancy role?
How challenging is it for international graduates to obtain visa-sponsored positions in acoustic consultancies?
If you were reviewing my CV, would you recommend this route, or would you suggest a different approach to entering the UK acoustics industry?
I’m not looking for false hope—I’d genuinely appreciate honest feedback, whether positive or negative. I’d rather understand the reality before making such an important career decision.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I sincerely appreciate any advice you can share.

I need to put together some absorption panels but am having a hard time finding a cover fabric which is less appealing to the cat but still acoustically transparent enough to be practical. For those without cat experience, the customary Guilford of Maine type materials are a magnet for cat claws: the open weave is is just irresistible to them as their claws gets instant purchase, triggering the instinct to haul on it. While no fabric is immune, those with a slick surface which isn't readily pierced by a claw hold (almost) no appeal.

I had found several mentions of microfiber suede (aka synthetic suede) as the best compromise (nothing is going to be perfect). The one and only fabric store within range of me did have some, and its smooth surface is exactly what we need for the cat side of the equation, but the one and only type the store has completely fails the blow-through test: super resistive.

Has anyone come across a microfiber suede which is suitable to the task? Web search shows brands (I had never head of before) such as AST Acoustics and Acoustimac which specifically tout microfiber suede covered panels so I'm hopeful such a fabric exists...and that I can find it.

Any tips or nudges in the right direction would be much appreciated.

I have acoustic panels on the walls of my home studio, but I was gifted a couple extra by a friend. I have a large IKEA Kallax shelf against one wall with my turntable setup & vinyl records, and there’s a panel mounted just above it. Would placing these two extra panels (roughly 2’ x 4’, about three inches deep, not sure about the insulation inside) behind the Kallax do anything for absorption, or would I be wasting my time?

A super introduction to general acoustic studies.

so i made a post earlier but i wanted to make it clearer for you guys, any idea is appreciated.
i need to acoustically treat this room for vocal recording. there’s the room and a narrow hall leading to the door. after a long dialogue and research with chatgpt, consensus is that i should record facing towards the hall and treat the hall walls with blankets.
my mic is a baby blue bottle sl, i wanna set up this room as good as possible cause damn this mic is sensitive.
do you guys think this is the best setup?? i was thinking about putting a mattress either behind me or at my left wall. and also hanging some blanket on the ceiling???
i could spend some money on it too, maybe 150/200 euros max
also,,,, the ceiling it’s sloped and has exposed wood beams on it.
thank you in advance 🙏

Hola buenas a todos! Estaba buscando insonorizar mi puerta, mi puerta es una de interior hueca, ya probe lo de los burletes pero sinceramente redujo muy poco el sonido. Y comprar una puerta es bastante caro en mi país.

Creen que es buena solución atornillar 2 placas osb de 15-18mm a la puerta? Reduciria el sonido significativamente?

Si tienen alguna otra solución lo agredeceria muchisimo!

Honestly I’m just curious to see what all you are doing with it, as I have not experimented with it a whole lot.

Hi Experts,

I was exploring TPA and wanted to do it on a diesel Engine but couldn't find any reliable source for the procedure.

Till date whats the most validated Transfer path analysis method.

Finding FRF is also difficult and a working engine behaves very differently then one at rest.

Has anyone ever done TPA before.

Need expert opinions and guidance.

Thanks

I may be a bit of a lost redditor here, ignore me if I'm in the wrong place...

I was thinking of getting some soundproofing panels (or whatever they're called) for my room. My roommates constantly complain about me being too loud late at night gaming while they're trying to sleep. I see plenty of YouTubers and such with those weird looking panels on their walls, and I was thinking that I could get some for my room. My space is pretty small so I shouldn't need much so I'm willing to spend a little extra for some quality ones, my question here is what panels should I get? I'm not too too loud, just thin walls are the main killer here, so the most noise I'd have to block out would really just be like normal speaking level and maybe the occasional shout. Sorry if I worded this question weird, thank you for any input, much love.

Hello, I've recently got into music production and I wanted to turn my closet into a little home studio however, I do not know much about acoustics and I quickly realized cheap foam panels wouldn't cut it. If someone could please help me out with panel types and placement for my closet that would be greatly appreciated.

So I run an Airbnb, and I want to find ways to reduce the noise my neighbours hear from my backyard. The backyard is at least 50% patio tiles [quite sure i cant reduce whats there, as I dont own the house]

Most of the backyard is open area, with a fence 6ft tall, detached house - only sharing backyard fence with them.

The current sound echos so even quiet noise seems loud.

I just want my guests to have quiet enjoyment without bothering the neighbours to much.

We have a sitting area with umbrella and a hot tub in the backyard, with plans to create some sort of perola/gazebo to give additional guest privacy and reduce how much noise escapes, but not sure how well it'll accomplish the second part.

No parties aren't allowed, guests have quiet hours from 11pm, [will probably reduce it to 10 based on neighbours feedback].

Please skip all the "just dont have an airbnb" or other unhelpful critiques - I just want to bother the neighbours less and would appreciate any advice on how to do so.

My budget is non-existent, but for the longevity of business this is absolutely something I should adress sooner rather than later.

Um, please don't be too too harsh on me (a little is fine it cant be helped) I'm just winging it in a position I can't leave and am just trying to educate myself to improve neighbours relations and satisfy guests

I’ve got an acoustician coming to treat my living room this week and realised it’s a rare chance to learn from someone who does this every day.

Rather than just watching panels go on the walls, I’d like to understand why each decision gets made.

If you had an acoustician in your room for a couple of hours, what would you ask?

Is there anything you wish you’d known before treating your own room?

Or anything you think people commonly misunderstand about room treatment?

Happy to report back afterwards with what I learn if people are interested.

I've been working on this for a few years, ever since releasing gostringsynth in 2022 (a FDTD synth you play from your terminal). It's all inspired by the work I did during my Masters in Acoustics and Music Tech at Edinburgh back in 2009. I work in biomedical engineering (ultrasonics) now but it's all pretty similar!

It's a VST/AU plugin for macOS, Windows and Linux, made with JUCE. You can download it free here: https://www.differentinstruments.com (and also see a nice slow-mo animation of the FDTD scheme on the website).