Whether you call it white noise, pink noise or NC systems, sound masking is probably the only time that an acoustical consultant will admit that some noise is good. The shift to open plan offices and demountable partitions from the traditional “private” office with gypsum board construction has created the need to raise the background… Read more »
Residential Sound Isolation
We frequently get calls from owners and tenants who wish to improve the sound isolation between apartments and condominiums, particularly in older units. The call often begins with, “I want something I can spray on to the wall to soundproof it so I don’t hear my neighbor’s stereo…” or “My neighbor’s snoring keeps me awake… Read more »
Residential Sound Isolation
We frequently get calls from owners and tenants who wish to improve the sound isolation between apartments and condominiums, particularly in older units. The call often begins with, “I want something I can spray on to the wall to soundproof it so I don’t hear my neighbor’s stereo…” or “My neighbor’s snoring keeps me awake… Read more »
Sound Masking
Whether you call it white noise, pink noise or NC systems, sound masking is probably the only time that an acoustical consultant will admit that some noise is good. The shift to open plan offices and demountable partitions from the traditional “private” office with gypsum board construction has created the need to raise the background… Read more »
Peach Piracy?
Speech privacy (peach piracy) exists when a conversation cannot be understood even if it can be heard. There are 4 levels of speech privacy; normal, confidential, inaudibility and none. Normal speech privacy exists when someone can only partially understand the telephone conversation or the meeting in an adjacent office cubical without having to stop, listen… Read more »
Front Vs. Rear Projection – Questions and Answers
From an entertainment point of view there is probably nothing more impressive than going to a first run cinema (front projection) and being enveloped by the large screen and catchy plot. That’s great if the purpose is for entertainment or large scale audiences. However, if the purpose is to explain a project topic or concept,… Read more »
Tech Notes: Hydraulic Pile Drivers Work Out of a Tight Spot, Quietly
Driving piles is typically considered one of the noisiest, most disruptive activities at a construction job site. The increased noise and vibration levels can disrupt ongoing client activity as well as adjacent neighbors. However, new hydraulic pile-driving equipment may change this. In a recent project to expand the paper making capacity of a Charleston, South… Read more »
Tech Notes: Ceiling Mounted Microphones – A Solution or a Problem?
With hopes of eliminating tabletop or podium microphones, End Users, Designers and Architects frequently ask, “What about sticking them on the ceiling?” Usually, what seems like an easy solution is not the best solution. Ceiling mounted microphones are not recommended for the following reasons: First, loudspeakers are typically mounted in the ceiling. This places ceiling… Read more »
Acoustical Terms – What Are They/What Do They Mean?
Recently we were asked “What is the difference between STC, NRC, and NC and are they interrelated?” STC or Sound Transmission Class, describes how much sound a wall or a floor/ceiling construction will block from one room to the next. A good analogy to an STC rating is the fire rating of a partition. A… Read more »
Office Acoustics
A question we are frequently asked by Project Managers is how can we improve the acoustical privacy between offices and work stations? The level of acoustical privacy is defined as the amount of conversation that can be heard and understood between adjacent offices or work stations. Before we can improve the acoustical privacy we must… Read more »
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