If you’ve spent enough time in the music production space, odds are that you know how important it is to have your studio area as sound insulated as possible.
Soundproofing your space is important, not only to prevent sound from entering or leaving the area but also to help enhance the sound quality that you’re exposed to.
Soundproofing your space is important for all music producers, whether you’re simply putting music and tracks together, expecting to record instruments and songs live, or are a DJ interested in getting your songs ready for the next performance.
Below, we’ll spend a bit of time checking out the best soundproof curtains available. After checking out the top acoustic curtain options, we’ll also go over some of the different types of acoustic treatments you can implement for your studio space as well as some ideal places to set your curtains for the optimal soundproofing effects.
Best Sound Blankets: Our Overall Choice
You can use these sound absorption sound curtains in a variety of ways. Ultimately, while the other options are all great, if you’re just starting, I’d highly recommend trying the Nicetown Thermal Insulated Curtains first and then seeing if you need anything else.
3 Top Acoustic Sound Curtains – Best, Premium & Value
Below, we’ll take the time to check out some of the best acoustic sound curtains currently on the market while also giving you some tips on how to fit them into your sound environment.
Nicetown Thermal Insulated Curtains (Best Overall)
A fan-favorite for many, the Nicetown Thermal Insulated Curtain is an amazing value. Meant primarily as a way to handle the sun as quality blackout curtains Nicetown’s Thermal Insulated curtains are also great when it comes to handling and absorbing noise reflections.
Made from a heavy microfiber triple-weave material, these are particularly great when it comes to studio spaces and act as great sound-deadening curtains.
These curtains come in several lengths and color options, granting a pretty impressive amount of variety and customizable options based on how you want them set up.
As the name implies, these are great when it comes to keeping a room’s temperature properly insulated, making it really a triple threat between sound, sun, and thermal temperature.
What We Like:
- Great For Studio Spaces
- Can Keep Your Home Insulated
- Tons Of Length & Color Variety
- Very Versatile
What We Do Not Like:
- Sound-Dampening Effects Aren’t Quite Up To Par With Others Here
Read this next: Sound Blankets: Which Acoustic Absorption Sound Blankets Are The Best?
RidPhonic Soundproof Curtains (Premium Pick)
RidPhonic is known for putting out some very impressive soundproof curtains. Here, this type of soundproof curtain offers four separate layers of absorptive material, absorbing upwards of 15 dB worth of sound and noise attenuation.
In addition to that, because they are so dense, these audio insulation curtains also can double as a set of blackout curtains.
They come in multiple different customizable sizes and color options and can mesh well with just about any room, whether it be a studio space, a home theater, or even an area for rehearsals and performances.
What We Like:
- Absorbs Up To 15 dB Worth Of Noise Attenuation
- Doubles As Blackout Curtains
- Great For Any Room Type
- Can Help Regulate Your Energy Bill & Room Temperature
What We Do Not Like:
- Are On The Pricier Side Of Things
Read this next: How Does Soundproofing Work? (Are You The Noisy Neighbour? We Can Help!)
MIUCO Room Darkening Sound Curtain (Value Pick)
MIUCO is another very impressive sound-deadening curtains company with a lot of weight behind its name.
These room-darkening curtains are just as great for handling noise as they are for blocking out sunlight. In fact, these acoustic curtains are able to handle upwards of 60% of any and all outside sounds from interfering with your performances or recordings.
On top of that, they are also super easy to put together and install, while also coming in a plethora of different color options, making them an awesome choice if you’re an online streamer with a color-coded room.
They aren’t the biggest on keeping sound “out” of the room, but they’ll make sure a great amount of sound doesn’t come in.
What We Like:
- Great For Reducing Sound From Entering A Space
- Tons Of Colorful Options
- Very Cost-Friendly
- Easy To Put Together
What We Do Not Like:
- Not The Best When It Comes To Keeping Sounds From Escaping The Room
Read this next: How To Soundproof a DJ Home Studio (SIMPLE DJ Soundproofing Tips)
DWCN Total Privacy Divider Curtains (Value Pick)
The DWCN Total Privacy Divider Curtains make a point of being great for larger spaces as well as spaces that have huge windows and sliding glass doors.
Offering some of the largest size options on this list, this is the biggest “go-to” when it comes to handling the most open space while not spending a ton of money relatively.
The curtains are made with a super soft material that is different from many of the other options on this list.
And while you’d think a soft material may be counterintuitive, if used properly, it can greatly improve your listening experience in your home studio.
This is due to the curtains being made to act as a room partition in addition to working along wider lengths.
While it’s not going to be for locations that are on the smaller side, if you have a larger room that you need to cover or partition out, this is a great option with a ton of upsides.
What We Like:
- Perfect For Large Spaces
- Great For Large Walls Or Windows
- Also Perfect When It Comes To Portioning Out A Room To Make Smaller Rooms
What We Do Not Like:
- While Great For Large Rooms, This May Be Too Much For Smaller Studio Areas
Read this next: Djing Guide (How To Start DJing from Your Bedroom)
Alternative Best Soundproof Curtains
If the three options above aren’t well-suited to you, there are still a host of other top soundproof absorbing curtains to look at. Our team also highlighted the following options for those in search of the best sound-blocking and dampening materials.
RYB HOME Soundproof Divider Curtains
The RYB Home Soundproof Divider Curtains are some of the more “heavy duty” soundproof curtains on this list. They can block out most of the things you’d expect, from most sounds to thermal energy, to the sun’s rays.
While not 100% soundproof, the RYB divider curtains get pretty close, offering echo reduction while also insulating different areas from many outside noises.
In addition to the big three points, these sound-deadening curtains are also very visually stylish, making great alternatives for regular window curtains.
What’s more, they’re able to do all of this at a pretty affordable price point, blocking outside noise, costing less than even $100.
They can even have their felt liner detached, granting an extra bit of versatility and variety compared to most other soundproof curtains out there.
What We Like:
- Super Affordable For Most People
- Very Stylish
- Super Versatile
- Great For Standard Window Curtain Replacement
What We Do Not Like:
- Won’t Absorb Quite As Much As Others (Though It’s Great For Echoes & Reflections)
Read this next: Using EQs on a DJ Mixer (Nailing This Vital DJ Skill)
WONTEX Blackout Curtains
Last on our list (but certainly not least) is the WONXTEX Blackout Curtain. These triple-weave, thermal insulating curtains are made for blocking out sounds as well as heat/cold and sunlight.
This means you’ll have a bunch of variety and versatility with these curtains, serving multiple purposes simultaneously.
For example, while many may use them to keep a room insulated from sound, others are just as likely to use them for protecting furniture or expensive artwork from damaging UV rays.
What makes WONTEX such a great option is that they offer a ton of sound and sun protection while also doing so at an incredibly budget-friendly price point.
Not only that, but they have a 100% blackout rating, meaning they’ll turn a room pitch black, which is perfect for the vampires (or those with precious materials) out there.
What We Like:
- Very Budget-Friendly
- Has A 100% Blackout Rating
- Uses Triple-Weave Technology
- Very Versatile In Its Use
What We Do Not Like:
- Sound & Noise Reduction Isn’t The Main Focus Here
Read this next: How to Beatmatch properly: The Ultimate Guide
What is a Soundproof Curtain?
As the name implies, soundproof curtains are curtains made from a thicker and more absorbent material that is used to provide a greater sense of sound dampening compared to regular curtain windows.
Especially when used in place of standard curtains, soundproof curtains work in the same vein as most acoustic panels or diffusers, greatly reducing the amount of sound that both enters and outside noise that escapes the respective room.
This makes sound recording much easier, as soundproof curtains greatly mitigate how much your microphones and recorders are exposed to outside noises, like cars, animals, alarms, and so forth.
However, while most music producers understand the importance of a quality soundproof space, that doesn’t mean all soundproofing methods are created equal.
For the majority of people, the idea usually starts and stops with acoustic foam panels, as these are generally the most affordable options. In addition to these are soundproof blankets as well as soundproof curtains.
While all of these methods have their strengths and weaknesses, for many people that expect to deal with a lot of sound interference from outside sounds (such as those from windows or sliding glass doors), you may want to seriously look into soundproof curtains
Soundproof Curtains: Types
Now that we’ve got a good baseline understanding of what soundproof curtains are, as with acoustic treatment foam panels, it’s important to note that not all sound curtains are built the same.
Generally, soundproof curtains can come in a variety of options, it breaks down to three main types of differences.
These are insulation-type curtains, audio-insulation sheets, and what are known as industrial blankets.
Insulation Curtains
Of all the different types of soundproof curtain options out there, the insulation curtains are the ones that appear the most similar to the standard window curtains that you’re going to get.
The biggest difference between these and what you’d get at most retail or home decoration stores is the fact that these are going to be heavier. This is because they are made from much heavier materials in order to block out some of the outside sounds and noises.
While not necessarily the idea, as insulation curtains are made from heavier materials, they can also work well as a blackout curtain, insulating a room from sunlight in addition to most sounds.
Insulation curtains also have the benefit of reducing energy costs for your home expenses. This isn’t quite a soundproof-centric point but it’s worth mentioning, especially since a lower bill means you’re going to have more money you can invest in your audio equipment.
As these curtains use a very thick and heavy material for absorbing sound, blocking outside noise, and blocking out sunlight, it also is able to trap either hot or cold air in the room, preventing it from escaping through the windows or other more porous parts of the space.
Audio-Insulation Sheets
Audio Insulation sheets, while not technically considered “sound absorbing curtains”, can be hung up and made to function almost indistinguishably to regular or insulated curtains. Like soundproof blankets, audio insulation sheets will usually be made with grommets which will allow you to mount them on your wall or window with a curtain rod.
They can handle most sounds fairly well, even doing a better job than many insulation curtains or industrial blankets.
This is due to how they are constructed.
Unlike insulation curtains, which are simply heavier curtains, audio insulation sheets are made with multiple separate layers of heavy materials woven on top of each other. This ultimately results in something very dense and very heavy, also making a great blackout curtain and room temperature insulator.
The downside for audio insulation sheets is simply that, because they are so much more effective, these are going to be much more expensive compared to most other soundproof curtains.
And since soundproof curtains are generally going to cost more upfront than soundproof blankets or foam panel sheets, these could easily be one of the most costly options when it comes to putting a room together. So definitely keep in mind how important quality is in relation to price.
Industrial Blankets
Lastly, there are industrial blankets. Often synonymous with the aforementioned soundproof blankets, industrial blankets are generally used when it comes to packing furniture or protecting fragile items when moving. For example, these will often be used on high-end televisions or mirrors.
As such, because they are known for their incredible thickness and density, it only makes sense that that same thick material could double as a soundproof blanket or curtain.
Industrial blankets may or may not have included grommets to implement, making them as affordable an option as they are unpredictable.
Unlike standard soundproof insulation curtains or audio insulation sheets, industrial blankets aren’t made for soundproofing as the intended goal, instead being more of a useful unintended by-product.
This means that hanging them up can be difficult, especially if they don’t come with any grommets (as many tend not to have).
Soundproof Curtains: FAQs
Now that we’ve had the chance to check out some of the best soundproof curtains that’ll you’ll want to get come 2023, here are some useful and important tips and factors to keep in mind when exploring your different options.
1. What’s The Difference Between Soundproofing & Acoustic Treatment?
When exposed to different sound-dampening materials, it’s common that the words “soundproofing” or “soundproof” are used interchangeably with “acoustic treatment”. And while they technically aren’t the same thing, you shouldn’t be too far off if you swapped one for the other.
This is only ever going to be a problem when it comes to most of the people that are newer to the acoustic treatment world. In these cases, it’s often expected that “soundproofing” curtains, blankets, or foam panels are going to, in fact, soundproof your space.
While this may seem like an obvious expectation, the truth is that there are very few acoustic treatment methods that will soundproof your space, often costing a considerable amount more than most curtains, blankets, or panels.
In reality, what most people consider “soundproofing” is actually acoustic treatment.
Rather than outright isolating a space and preventing all sounds from entering or escaping whatsoever, acoustic treatment instead acts as a way of managing sound reflections and echoes, absorbing and diffusing sounds so that your recording experience and environment are much more favorable with a lot fewer interferences making their way into the final product.
2. Which Soundproof Option Is Best?
While there are many different sound treatment options out there, it isn’t difficult to argue that all of them operate virtually the exact same way with very few exceptions and alterations.
Because of this, it’s a bit of a challenge to determine which is “best” since they all have their respective strengths and weaknesses based on what you’re using them for.
Soundproof curtains have a lot of benefits especially when it comes to covering windows and wall-less areas. In a sense, soundproof curtains are meant as denser replacements for standard curtains, blocking out major sounds that might come from directly outside (sirens, cars honking, etc.).
They work just as well as most acoustic treatments, but because of their design, using them to cover ceilings, unique wall settings, or other difficult-to-handle areas can be a real challenge.
Soundproof blankets, like curtains, are a great way to cover a large space quickly without much of an issue.
These are also thick enough to be used to cover the floor while often having grommets which make hanging and mounting on a curtain rod fairly accessible.
They generally cover just as much sound as others though often need to be aired out to prevent moisture from accruing. Soundproof blankets also run into the same issue when it comes to handling ceilings or other places that are more difficult to reach.
Lastly, acoustic treatment foam panels really excel in offering ease of use and high customization. Because they are presented in individual panels, foam panels are great for covering just about any space you want, be it the floor, the walls, or the ceiling.
Windows may be a bit of an issue from a visual standpoint, but even these can be played with if you’re willing to implement a plastic board to cover those areas at certain times.
The downside is that you’ll need to buy potentially a ton of individual panels based on the size of your space, while also putting each one on individually. This can be a bit of a hassle, especially considering both curtains and blankets can be set up almost immediately.
#3. Where Is The Best Place For Soundproof Curtains?
As with most soundproof and acoustic treatment options, there isn’t one definitive place you have to use them.
In fact, while you’d expect soundproof curtains to only be good above your windows or glass panels, the truth is that they can be hung just about anywhere with a heavy-duty curtain rod.
This can range from on walls or in doorways as well as for dividing a studio space so that drummers aren’t getting barraged with music from guitars and vice versa.
Simply put, while windows are the most obvious placement for soundproof curtains, you can put them in just about any place you’d want, provided you have the right amount of space.
Best Soundproof Curtains: The Verdict
When it comes down to the best soundproof curtains for your room or studio, you have to understand that there are many options available out there.
Soundproofing curtains may be just one of those options worth considering, but they’re a great one, especially if you’ve got a lot of open walls or window space that needs to be covered.
#Generally, these are going to be the easiest ways to cover a massive amount of space without dealing with too much hassle or stress, something that can be a potential issue for foam panels or soundproof blankets.
Our best pick is the Nicetown Thermal Insulated Curtains:
Still, it’s important to take a look at your situation and determine what’s going to be the best soundproof curtain option for you.
If you have a smaller or more uniquely-shaped space, soundproof blankets or acoustic foam panels may be the better option.
On the other hand, if you have a larger space, want an easier time mounting your dividers, or wish to put something together that won’t stand out nearly as much compared to other options, you’ll definitely want to consider looking into the many perks that soundproof curtains offer.
