Barracuda Ceiling Mounted Acoustic Panel

Barracuda Ceiling Mounted Acoustic Panel | 800 × 770mm | NRC 0.75 | Class C

The Advanced Acoustics Barracuda Ceiling Mounted Acoustic Panel is a shaped acoustic panel from the Advanced Acoustics Designer Range, designed to be fixed directly to the ceiling surface. The Barracuda profile is derived from the overlapping scale geometry of the barracuda fish: a broad, curved form that creates depth and dimension when multiple panels are clustered across a ceiling surface, producing a tessellating scale or shoal effect that transforms a flat ceiling plane into a three-dimensional acoustic feature. The panel consists of a 25mm open-cell acoustic foam core mounted on a rigid 6mm MDF backing board, wrapped in a 100% recycled open-weave polyester cloth available in 31 colours.

The Barracuda measures 800 × 770mm, providing 0.61m² of absorption per panel. The large format is suited to ceiling installations where significant coverage is required per panel, and the shaped profile creates visual interest at the ceiling plane that standard rectangular panels cannot achieve. The 25mm foam core achieves NRC 0.75 (Sound Absorption Class C), providing effective absorption of mid and high frequencies appropriate for controlling speech-frequency reverberation in office, commercial, and educational environments.

Please note that this product is made to order for your space, each product is crafted to your chosen specification from our wide range of options, with a lead time of 2–3 weeks. 

Applications

• Tessellating scale and shoal ceiling installations. The Barracuda's curved profile is designed to be clustered across a ceiling surface in overlapping arrangements that reference the scale or shoal geometry of the barracuda fish. When multiple panels are installed in a composed cluster, the overlapping forms create depth and dimension at the ceiling plane, producing a large-scale acoustic feature that is visually distinct from any standard panel installation.
• Open-plan offices — reverberation and echo control. Install on the ceiling to reduce reverberation time and improve speech intelligibility. The Barracuda's shaped profile and large format make it suited to open-plan environments where a designed ceiling installation is required alongside effective acoustic performance. The 0.61m² coverage per panel makes it efficient for achieving target ceiling coverage areas.
• Meeting rooms and boardrooms. A composed cluster of Barracuda panels on the ceiling of a meeting room or boardroom provides meaningful absorption coverage while creating a distinctive ceiling feature that complements premium interior specifications.
• Educational environments — dining halls, assembly halls, and lecture theatres. The Barracuda's large format and shaped profile make it suited to larger educational spaces where significant ceiling coverage is required. The visual impact of a Barracuda ceiling installation is appropriate for high-profile spaces where acoustic treatment is also expected to contribute to the interior design.
• Hospitality and commercial interiors. The Barracuda's distinctive profile makes it suited to hospitality environments — restaurants, bars, hotel lobbies, and reception areas — where acoustic ceiling treatment is required alongside a premium interior finish.

Product Benefits

• NRC 0.75 — effective mid and high frequency absorption. The 25mm foam core achieves NRC 0.75 (Sound Absorption Class C), with strong absorption from 500Hz upward: 0.65 at 500Hz, 0.94 at 1000Hz, 1.13 at 2000Hz, and 0.99 at 4000Hz. Effective for controlling speech-frequency reverberation from the ceiling plane. Low-frequency absorption is more limited (0.30 at 250Hz).
• Class '0' fire-rated construction — compliant for commercial use. The acoustic foam core is Class '0' rated to BS 476 Parts 6 and 7, and C s1, d0 to EN 13501-1, meeting commercial fire safety requirements for ceiling-mounted acoustic treatment in offices, schools, and public buildings.
• 100% recycled open-weave polyester cloth — 31 colour options. The open-weave polyester cloth is produced from 100% recycled fibre, maintaining full acoustic transparency while providing a durable, abrasion-resistant surface finish. Available in 31 colours — download the swatch card for the full range.
• Mirror plate ceiling fixing — supplied with hardware. Supplied with mirror plate fixing hardware for direct ceiling attachment. Mirror plate fixing provides a flush, secure ceiling mount suitable for permanent installations on solid ceiling structure or appropriate noggins.
• Large 800 × 770mm format — efficient ceiling coverage with distinctive profile. At 0.61m² per panel, the Barracuda provides substantial coverage per fixing point. The shaped profile creates visual depth and dimension at the ceiling plane that cannot be achieved with standard rectangular panels.
• Handmade in the UK — consistent quality across every panel. All Designer Range panels are handmade in the Advanced Acoustics UK facility using consistent materials and construction methods, ensuring uniform acoustic performance and finish quality across every panel in an installation.

Installation

Mark the fixing positions on the ceiling using the panel dimensions as a guide. For tessellating cluster installations, plan the layout on paper or digitally before marking fixing positions on the ceiling. Ensure fixing positions are located on solid ceiling structure or appropriate noggins — do not fix into plasterboard alone without appropriate cavity fixings. Check for concealed services (electrical cables, pipework) before drilling into the ceiling.

For mirror plate fixing: screw the mirror plate to the ceiling at the marked position using appropriate fixings for the ceiling construction, and attach the panel to the mirror plate. Check that the panel sits flush and level before finalising the fixing position.

For cluster installations, mark all fixing positions before installing any panels to ensure the layout is correctly set out across the ceiling surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ceiling mounted panels be fixed to a suspended ceiling grid?

Ceiling mounted panels are designed for direct attachment to a solid or plasterboard ceiling surface. They are not designed to drop into a suspended ceiling grid. For suspended ceiling installations, the ceiling suspended format — which hangs from steel wire rope fixed above the ceiling grid — is the appropriate choice, as it does not require structural fixings into the ceiling tiles themselves.

Are there complementary products to use alongside these panels?

For rooms where both echo control and visual impact are goals, the SoundControl rectangular panels and the Designer range (Cloud9, HexaPanel, Barracuda, and others) can be combined — rectangular panels for broad coverage, designer panels as focal points or accent pieces. All products are available in the same 31 fabric colours, allowing a coordinated scheme across both ranges. If the room also has a noise transmission problem — sound travelling through walls, floors, or ceiling to adjacent spaces — acoustic panels treat the reverberation within the room but do not address sound passage through the structure; that requires a separate soundproofing approach.

Can I see the fabric colours before I order?

A PDF swatch card showing all available fabric colours is available to download here. If you would like a physical fabric sample before committing to a colour, contact us and we will send one out. Given the 2–3 week lead time on all made-to-order panels, confirming the colour against your interior before ordering is worthwhile.

Will acoustic panels actually make a noticeable difference to our office?

In a hard-surfaced office with plasterboard walls, a solid ceiling, and a concrete or hard floor — the standard construction of most commercial fit-outs — reverberation times are typically well above the recommended level for speech intelligibility. Acoustic panels absorb the reflected energy that accumulates in those surfaces, reducing reverberation time and improving clarity. The result is a room where conversations are clearer, background noise feels less intrusive, and sustained concentration is easier. The improvement in a standard office environment is significant and immediately noticeable.

I need panels for a specific project date — can you accommodate a deadline?

Contact us before ordering with your required delivery date and we will confirm whether it is achievable. Lead times are typically 2–3 weeks, but where a project deadline is tight we will do our best to accommodate it.  Get in touch and we'll help in any way we can. 

The Technical Details