Performance you hear, treatment you never see
The short answer
What is the CinemaTech Acoustic Room System?
The Acoustic Room System, or ARS, is CinemaTech's patented track-based acoustic treatment. Panels about 1.25 inches thick absorb sound down to 100 Hz, patented diffusers scatter reflections, and a fabric retainer holds acoustically transparent fabric over everything. The layout comes from an acoustic model of your room, and certified installers fit it.
Absorption
Controls low and high frequencies to reduce buildup, echo and harshness.
Diffusion
Scatters sound evenly so the room stays lively and clear rather than dead.
Tested fabrics
Acoustically tested fabrics hide the system while letting sound pass as designed.
Why treatment matters more than speakers
In a small room, the walls are part of the sound system. Reflections from hard surfaces arrive a few milliseconds after the direct sound and smear dialogue. Bass waves stack up between parallel walls and create seats where the low end booms and seats where it disappears. No speaker upgrade fixes that. Designing the room does.
CinemaTech studies how sound interacts with the surfaces, seating, layout and architecture, then places absorption and diffusion where the model says they will do the most good. We then position and calibrate the speakers and subwoofers for that treated room, so every seat gets the same experience.
Designed around the architecture
Real rooms have doors, HVAC grilles, sconces, outlets and millwork. CinemaTech plans these interfaces in the drawings and coordinates them with your architect, builder, electrician and us, so the fabric walls look intentional rather than added after the fact.
How the system goes in, in four steps
The space is prepared
Wood blocking, lighting, audio and video wiring and architectural woodwork are in place before acoustic work begins.
Fabric framework is applied
A 1.25 inch deep fabric retainer is installed around the perimeter of each wall area to be treated. It will hold the fabric securely.
Acoustic panels are mounted
High and low frequency absorption panels and diffusers go onto the drywall exactly where CinemaTech's acoustic model calls for them.
Fabric walls are finished
Acoustically transparent fabric is stretched across the framework, hiding the treatment behind a seamless, tailored finish.
Acoustic Room System specifications
What each part of the system does, from CinemaTech's published specifications.
Acoustic panels
- Patented acoustic design
- Reversible panel for flexibility and strong absorption.
- Low profile
- Performs down to 100 Hz within 1.25 inches.
- Acoustic clarity
- Absorption and diffusion together keep a room from sounding too dead.
- Precision installation
- Integrates with lighting, doors, HVAC vents and other architecture.
Fabric retainer
- Fabrics
- More than 1,000 acoustically tested fabric options, including custom prints and colors.
- Sleek profile
- A 1.25 inch deep track holds the fabric over the panels.
- Easy maintenance
- Fabric can be untucked and replaced for upgrades or upkeep.
- Invisible enhancement
- The treatment disappears behind a finished, tailored wall.
Diffusion panels
- Diamond shape design
- Multi-dimensional scattering in both the horizontal and vertical.
- High frequency control
- Optimized for frequencies of 1,000 Hz and above.
- Rounded edges
- Help prevent snap flutter, unlike straight-edge diffusers.
- Fire safety
- Meets ASTM E84 flame requirements.
Acoustics questions
Do I need acoustic treatment in a home theater?
Yes. Without it, even excellent speakers sound harsh or muddy because sound bounces off hard walls and bass piles up in corners. Treatment refines dialogue, manages reflections and gives the balance and immersion a luxury theater should have.
How is the Acoustic Room System different from standard acoustic panels?
Instead of exposed panels hung on the wall, ARS builds absorption, reflection and diffusion into the room itself behind a continuous fabric finish. The result looks like upholstered architecture rather than treatment, and the acoustic layout is modeled for your specific room.
What is the difference between acoustic treatment and sound isolation?
Treatment shapes how the room sounds inside. Isolation limits how much sound escapes to the rest of the house. Both matter, but they solve different problems. Isolation is built by your builder during construction, while ARS is installed on the finished walls.
Who installs the Acoustic Room System?
CinemaTech's certified installers fit the system for each project, so the fabric, seams and edges finish cleanly. We coordinate the schedule with our technology installation.
How many fabric choices are there for the walls?
More than 1,000 acoustically tested fabrics, including custom prints and colors. The fabric can be untucked and replaced later if you want to refresh the room.
Can ARS work in a media room or living room?
Yes. ARS has been used in dedicated theaters, media rooms, living rooms, podcast rooms and commercial spaces. In living spaces it lets you add real acoustic control without the room looking like a studio.
Keep exploring
A conversation about your theater
Tell us about the room, the way your family watches, and the feeling you want when the lights go down. We will bring CinemaTech's design team, our engineers and a plan.
Or call us at (781) 333-8003