[woodsyi]

I saw this http://www.acousticalceilingtiles.com/ and am wondering how different this product is from Armstong ceiling panels I just put in my house.  

As some of you know I am hosting a MAAC event tomorrow.  Wednesday night I am down in the basement playing with speaker placement and a revisit to PR damping putty adjustment to optimize the sound.  All of a sudden I hear a big thud and crash and run to see what happened.  My dastardly kitten Escamillo, who two months ago just showed up and adopted us, had gone up above the ceiling tiles and jumped into a light fixture.  The light fixture with the cat in it came crashing through followed by pieces of what once was a 2'x4' ceiling panel.  Now I have a big hole in the ceiling and guests coming Saturday.  On the way home yesterday, I stop by Home Depot looking for a matching tile but, of course, I can't find it.  Then I noticed that my tile was 1/4" thick but the ones at HD were 1/2" thick.  I also noticed that the lable indicated that the tiles were not only fire retardant but also noise reducing with .55 NRC.  I quickly thought these have to better than what I have at home for absorption for early reflection points on the ceiling.  I have one mini trap placed on the ceiling but it can't cover much.  A quick call home and I left with 5 cases.  A trip to replace 1 panel just became a whole ceiling project.   These panels - 2'x4'x1/2" with .55 NRC - cost $23.95 per case of 10.  I spend all evening replacing the panels.  A quick listen at midnight seems to exhibit more details in the mid to upper range but it could just be wishful thinking after hours of labor.  I was too tired to really check it out.   I am sure the MAAC members will let me know.........

So the question is what is the difference between the two aside from quadrupling of price?

[ScottMayo]

So the question is what is the difference between the two aside from quadrupling of price?

I don't know those exact tiles, but you likely did the right thing. They will absorb and diffuse better than a 1/4" tile. Running sheets of OC 705 or good old fiberglass batting above them would help even more, but it might not be worth it.

It's the usual problem - it takes so long to install the change that it's hard to compare the old and new sound. This is why I like having a test meter. But I don't know of any cases where making a ceiling more absoptive was ever really a bad idea; it's just sometimes more trouble than it's worth. In your case, I'd hazard the guess that it was a worthwhile move.

[ctviggen]

Other options are diffusors:

http://www.acousticsfirst.com/artdif.htm

See Model C-CM.

As for the original question, I'm not sure.

[Marbles]

Woodsyi, I'm sorry to hear of the death of your cat  

[woodsyi]

Yes, but the rascal still has 8 more to go!   Darned thing can get to anywhere in the house.  At least I now have an excuse for anything out of place.

Honey, why are the socks on the floor?
I don't know dear,  it must be the cat.  Should I get rid of it?
No......... You do love the cat, don't you?
Ummmm. Maybe.  He is growing on me.

By then, the original sin is forgotten or fogiven.