TL;DR: Deep acoustic treatment — especially bass trapping — can take 100–200 mm off every wall. In a high-value room that lost floor area is expensive, often worth more than the treatment itself. An engineered 50 mm system gives most of that space back while still controlling reflection, reverberation and resonance.
Where the depth comes from
Mid and high frequencies are easy to absorb in a thin panel. The depth in conventional treatment is almost always there to chase bass: porous bass traps need to be deep to reach low frequencies, so a treated room ends up with a thick band of absorption around its perimeter. (Background: how thick do acoustic panels need to be?)
What that space is worth
Consider a dedicated cinema finished at 6.0 × 4.5 m. Building the walls in by 100 mm on all four sides to house deep treatment costs roughly 2 m² (~22 sq ft) of floor area. In prime UK and London property — commonly £1,500–£4,000+ per sq ft — that is:
| Property value | Cost of the lost ~22 sq ft |
|---|---|
| £1,500 / sq ft | ~£33,000 |
| £2,100 / sq ft (prime central London) | ~£46,000 |
| £4,000+ / sq ft (super-prime) | ~£88,000+ |
In other words, the space a slim system preserves can be worth more than the entire acoustic package.
It isn't only about money
- Retrofits. In an existing room, 150 mm of build-up per wall often simply won't fit — or it wrecks the proportions, seating distances and screen size.
- Design. A shallow build-up keeps sightlines, door swings and joinery intact.
How C-ATS stays at 50 mm
C-ATS separates the three jobs instead of relying on depth: a broadband Reverberation panel, a corner-loaded Resonance panel that controls bass where modal energy concentrates rather than along every wall, and a Reflection panel that protects imaging. All are independently tested by BSRIA to BS EN ISO 354. See The System or the complete home-cinema guide.
FAQ
Is deep treatment more effective than slim?
For broadband mid/high absorption, no — depth past ~50 mm mainly buys low-frequency absorption. C-ATS handles bass by corner-loading a dedicated panel rather than deepening every wall.
How much space does C-ATS save?
Typically ~100 mm per treated wall versus a conventional 150 mm build-up — around 2 m² in a mid-size cinema.
Will slim treatment still control bass?
Yes — via the corner-loaded Resonance panel, which is measured for low-frequency performance.