Acoustic panels in sound absorption

One of the best ways to explain how an acoustic panel works in noise absorption is to think of a sponge and a puddle. If you have a puddle (noise) and you position a sponge (absorber) on the edge, the entire puddle will shrink, not just the area near the absorber. This is especially applicable when thinking about a square(ish) room with no designated speaker area. If you do have a specific noise source and receiver, there are other considerations that must be taken into account, but in most square room applications, equal, general distribution of the panels is sufficient.