Office partitions as sound panels

If they cost $3500 each they are perfect for it.

I'm building twelve 4x8 panels using 2" rigid Johns Manville 817 panels:

http://www.jm.com/insulation/performance_materials/products/ci9_800series_spin-glas.pdf

Look at the table showing sound absorption coefficient at 125Hz for 1" and 2" thickness. You can see that 1" panel is useless at lower frequencies in spite of 817 material being twice dense (and 2x more expensive) than standard 814 (more common). Ideal would be the panel made of two 817s (without backing) - total 4" in thickness but unfortunately there is also WAF.

Corning also sells this stuff and is more common in some areas.

Check my system updates. I recently added a few very inexpensive Auralex SonoLite 2 x 2 x 1 Inches Panels on my sidewalls that work as advertised. Just over $50 for 3 on sale on Amazon. They also sell wall mount bass trap panels and other isolation devices that I would readily try as well if needed.

Going from hard reflective to soft absorbent surface at prime wall reflection points is bound to have an effect on the sound, probably noticeable in most/many cases. Office partitions as well. Perhaps not to the same extent per square foot as other materials that are designed for the job. Could be a good or bad thing. As usual, it all depends...

KIjanki, by chance, I have similar bare insulation material from house construction covering the concrete wall behind my old OHM Ls in my basement unfinished area. Works to good effect there.

Those 1" Auralex panels are effective for high-frequencies and will have an audible consequence. However, much thicker panels are needed to extend the absorption into the midrange or lower. An excess of thin panels can make a room sound dead without doing anything to tame modes and resonances.

Mapman, I wonder if placing 2" panels on opposite walls works the same way as 4" panels on one wall? It should.

Kr4, I have a lot of reverberation between tall walls (cathedral ceiling). It would be ideal to space panels away from the back wall but I cannot do it being forced (by layout) to set my speakers and sofa on long walls. I can always control amount of reverberation by removing or adding panels.