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Many suppliers like to present impressive graphs, but without knowing how to read them, those graphics say nothing. Sound transparency is a term that many promote, yet only those who know what truly matters can assess fabric reliably. In this article we explain which factors influence acoustic transmission, how to interpret typical measurements, and what really counts when you don’t want appearance to compromise sound.
When you search online for speaker fabrics, you often run into grand promises and plenty of snake oil, just as with any other aspect of speaker technology. Only reliable measurements matter. But which metrics actually count? What do all those numbers and curves really tell you? And which marketing claims are just empty noise?
The fabric must play alongA top‑quality loudspeaker only delivers its full potential when nothing interferes between the diaphragm and your ear. But speakers are frequently covered for aesthetics, protection, or practical reasons. And as soon as whatever material comes between the sound source and the listener (or a microphone, absorber, or diffuse
You’d like to place an order in our online shop, but at checkout you’re told that delivery to your chosen country isn’t possible – or you can’t find your country in the dropdown menu at all? We’ll explain what’s going on and what you can do to get your hands on our sought-after acoustic fabric anyway.
“Hello, I’m looking to purchase 2 metres of your 2.0 water repellent fabric, but I am having an error when checking out. Are you able to ship to the United States?” Messages like this reach us regularly. And indeed: we’re unfortunately unable to serve every customer everywhere in the world. The reasons for this are varied, and the implications differ depending on the destination country. Here's a quick overview:
Delivery within the EUAs a rule, we only ship to private customers within the European Union. However, the various national implementations of the EU Packaging Regulation have created administrative nightmares and cost traps that make it economically unviable for us to continue shipping to private customers in all EU member states.
You’ll find more detailed
Surprise: a speaker dating from a hundred years ago shows that audio transducers were once centrepieces of style. So why not today purposefully include speakers wrapped in brightly coloured acoustic fabric in your interior design, instead of hiding them away as unsightly box?
Our company is based in South Hesse, which is not only home to apple cider and top-tier bike production, but also to world‑renowned Art Nouveau ("Jugendstil") architecture. The Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt, with its iconic Wedding Tower, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.
Nearby, the Sprudelhof in Bad Nauheim, the largest coherent Art Nouveau spa complex in Europe, icaptivates visitors with its architectural harmony and attention to detail. In the Jugendstilforum there, everyday items and works of art from that period reveal the aesthetic and societal transformation taking place at the time.
Radical thinking a century agoMore than a century has passed, y
What are dipole speakers? How do they differ from conventional speaker enclosures? And why does our acoustic fabric suit the sustainable high-end open-baffle speakers from Spatial Europe so well? Read on for the answers.When you hear the word "speaker", you're likely picturing a rectangular box with five enclosed sides and a front baffle carrying the drivers. If not, you're either a true high-end enthusiast or a specialist who knows a speaker isn't just a box.
Granted, in most cases that box is precisely what speakers look like—and operate like. It has dominated the market for decades. Yet alternative designs persist. Among them are horn systems, panel speakers, and open baffle designs. The latter two share a dipole radiation pattern: they emit sound in a figure-eight pattern, projecting both forward and backward, unlike conventional direct-radiator systems that send sound mostly forward. This concept is far from new. In fact, the original full-range electrostatic panel speaker—the QUAD-ESL®—debuted as early as 1957. It laid the g
Occasionally, payments via PayPal or credit card may fail due to a temporary technical issue. Here’s how to still get your hands on the speaker fabric you need – quickly and reliably.Like almost all online shops, we use what’s called a Payment Service Provider. In our case, it’s PayPal. The PSP processes all digital payments by credit card or e-wallet on our behalf and forwards the money to us. It’s only through this setup that we can offer such a range of digital payment methods. The provider supplies the complex technical infrastructure and ensures the security of your sensitive data, which is routed not through our website but directly via their secure platform.
How digital payments actually workFor you, that means simple digital payment and fast dispatch. As soon as your payment goes through, we receive a confirmation within minutes and prepare your order for shipping.
To make this possible, our shop needs to connect to the PSP system at step 3 of checkout, when you confirm your order. Usually this connection happens in the background without a hitch – and without you ever noti
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for fitting speaker fabric. Each project comes with its own set of demands, whether it’s covering a self-built speaker, restoring a vintage model, wrapping an absorber, or customizing an entire studio.To help you get the best outcome, we’ve rounded up the most effective professional methods for installing speaker fabric.
Stapling: Fast, Permanent, ReliableThis classic method remains a favourite – provided you’re working with a sturdy wooden or MDF frame. Ideal for speaker fronts or large wall panels in studios, home cinemas, or exhibition stands, stapling is quick, firmly anchored, and easy to handle with the right tools. You’ll need a strong stapler (electric makes it effortless), staples, scissors, and a cutter.
Place the fabric on a clean surface, centre your frame on top, and start with one long side. Wrap the fabric
Have you ever entered your card details correctly, only to find the payment won't go through? It's frustrating, especially when you're eager to complete your order. So, what could be the reasons, and what can you do about it?Often, the issue doesn't lie with our online shop but with certain national debit cards. Many banks issue debit cards that work seamlessly within their home country but may have limitations abroad or for online transactions. We've particularly noticed this with customers from France, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The Classic Case: The French Carte BleuePayment service providers we, like many international online shops, rely on often don't support certain national debit cards. Supporting them would require specific technical setups and agreements with national banks.
Take the Carte Bleue (CB) in France, for example. It's prevalent in nearly every household and closely tied to the national banking system. While some CBs are co-branded with international credit cards like Visa or Mastercard, many are primarily national debit cards. These often lack essential features for international
Whether it's a cozy TV console or a custom-built AV cabinet, our speaker fabric creates a tidy and elegant ambiance. But does the remote control still work reliably when infrared transmitters and receivers are separated by a layer of speaker cloth? Discover how standard remote controls operate, why our acoustic fabrics allow infrared radiation to pass through, and what to consider regarding installation and material selection.Understanding Infrared Signals Infrared (IR) radiation is invisible light within the electromagnetic spectrum, with wavelengths ranging from approximately 780 nanometers to 1 millimeter. It lies just beyond visible red light and extends into the terahertz range. In physics, IR primarily refers to electromagnetic waves that we perceive as heat without seeing them. You can feel IR as gentle warmth on your skin, and thermal imaging cameras utilize the infrared spectrum to display temperature differences in images.
How Your IR Remote Control WorksWhen you press a button on your remote contro
The good news first: Except for our »plus« type speaker cloth, all our fabrics are single jersey—a fine knit fabric that can be sewn like any high-quality jersey. However, there are a few important points to consider. Here's an overview.
In the world of high-quality room acoustics, our speaker fabric is a staple. Professional studio builders like Acoustic Spaces frequently use our sound-transparent fabrics in various projects. Those who cover speakers or use ceiling and wall panels for acoustic optimisation appreciate our fabrics' properties—especially their excellent sound transparency, colour variety, and consistent quality.
Studio design with Akustikstoff.com speaker cloth in a professional setting: The BRAINWORX PMC ATMOS reference studio in Langenfeld, built by Acoustic Spaces. The studio is the heart of Brainworx, where audio software dreams for Plugin Alliance, now Native Instruments, come true.
But what if a wall panel is wider than the maximum available fabric width of 160 cm? In professional studio and home theatre construction, lar
It’s a fundamental challenge of modern life: even though we like to believe otherwise, we can’t truly live “in harmony with nature”—especially not with our current lifestyles and a global population of around eight billion people. What we can do, however, is use resources as sustainably and responsibly as possible to keep our environmental footprint as small as we can.
That often requires us to think systemically—something that, unfortunately, forces us to question long-held beliefs and comfortable habits. Take fast food, for example: is it now guilt-free just because plastic packaging has been replaced with paper? If we consider the PFAS-coated pizza boxes, takeaway cups, burger wrappers, and straws, it quickly becomes clear that the real solution is to change our eating habits entirely, cutting out fast food, delivery services, and drinks “to go” altogether. Not to mention, our GP would probably be in full agreement.
This is just one example of how systemic thinking often leads to cognitive dissonance, that uncomfortable tension between what we believe and how we actually behave. And let’s be honest: we often deal with it by ignoring inconvenient f
At first, you don’t notice it. Then, one day, you realise that your speaker cloth has accumulated a fair amount of grime. Time to restore it to its former, pristine state. But what’s the best way to go about it?
Loose dust is easy enough to vacuum off. But what if an accident leaves an unsightly stain on your speaker grille or AV unit? And what about the effects of constant exposure to cigarette smoke, vaping clouds, kitchen fumes, or similar aerosols? Over time, these create a sticky film on the fabric’s surface—one that not only dulls its colour (those of a certain age may remember how everything in chain-smoking offices developed an unappealing yellow tinge) but also acts like a magnet for dust and dirt, trapping them in place. If you’ve ever tried to clean the top of a kitchen cabinet, you’ll be familiar with this annoying mix of dust and sticky residue.
For situations like these, putting the fabric in the washing machine is often the best solution. If your speaker fabric is attached using our hook fastener, you’
A new regulation has been in force in the European Union since 1 January: the so-called separate collection obligation. This regulation stipulates that used textiles must be disposed of separately and may no longer end up in residual waste. The aim is to promote the transition to a circular economy in the EU member states. The regulation is part of the "Waste Framework Directive", which aims to promote more sustainable recycling processes in the textile industry.
However, the German Textile Recycling Association (FTR) warns against misinterpreting the new requirements, which could have serious consequences for the textile recycling system that has been established for decades. In particular, there is a risk that charitable organisations such as the Red Cross or Caritas, as well as textile recycling companies, could effectively be downgraded to fr