Acoustics First BLOG

When people order acoustic panels, whether it be Sonora Panels®, Tone Tiles®, or Silent Pictures®, the mounting method is sometimes overlooked.

“A panel mounted to the wall is a panel mounted to the wall… right?”
This isn’t entirely accurate, and we are going to focus this installment on the often misunderstood Stand off clip.

2″ Stand off Clips

What makes the Stand off clip different is that it doesn’t hold the panel flush to the wall, but it leaves a gap between the wall and the panel.

Why would you want this?
There are a few very important reasons, both acoustic and aesthetic.

Sonora® Panels with 2″ Stand off clips.

Acoustically.
Sound travels around all exposed surfaces, and by raising the panel off the wall, you expose the back surface to sound, more like a baffle, which is a great absorber.  Also, sound will pass through a panel into the space behind, bounce off the wall, and then have to pass through the panel again.  This transition from panel to air and back changes the medium sound must travel through – this effectively changes impedance, which strips energy from sound. These are just a couple of the acoustic benefits of using a standoff clip – there are others.

Tone Tiles® and Silent Pictures® can be mounted with Stand off Clips.

Sonora® Panel back-lit on Stand off Clips

Aesthetically.
Wall mounted Sonora® panels take on a whole new dimension when using Stand off clips – they appear to float in mid air a couple of inches off the wall.  This alone adds visual interest to a standard panel, but it can then be further accented by back-lighting the panel – changing the simple panel into a focal point in the lighting scheme.

Stand off clips can also be used with Tone Tiles® or Silent Pictures® – allowing your artwork to literally jump off the wall and float in the space in front of it.

So, a stand off is a good thing, with Sonora® Panels, Tone Tiles® and Silent Pictures® – acoustically and aesthetically.