Classroom Acoustics
December 1, 2003
More than three-quarters of the teachers in a recent poll gave the acoustics in their classrooms a failing grade. The problem is most commonly a “signal to noise” ratio issue, which results in poor speech intelligibility. In general terms –
Retail Design
October 1, 2003
Themed Retail is a balance between saturation of exposure to audio and video stimuli in “teen” departments versus the peace and serenity of high-end jewelry/perfume departments. Far too often, the energetic, loud, vibrant, environment in a young teenager/juniors environment is
Acoustics for Live Theatre
October 1, 2002
The lights begin to dim, the audience takes their seats, voices lower, and all you can hear is the quiet rustle of theatre programs and an occasional cough as the audience waits in anticipation for the curtain to rise on
The Code of Silence
October 1, 2000
Maxwell Smart’s Cone of Silence was a nice idea. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to use such a device in today’s busy and energetic society? Well, for some types of noise it has been possible for a person
Environmental Acoustics: Is It Noise Or Is It Sound?
March 1, 2000
How loud is too loud? If you have ever dealt with this question, personally or professionally, you know that the answer is difficult to determine. All kinds of factors, from the time of day to personal sensitivity, influence the subjective
I Can Hear a Pin Drop
April 1, 1999
When an acoustical consultant walks into a room, the first thing they tend to notice is the acoustics. It can’t be helped, it’s second nature in much the same way a decorator would look at the furnishings. Occasionally someone else
Fiberboard Facts
June 1, 1997
By whatever name you call it: Fiberboard, Beaver board, sound-deadening board, CelotexTM, or HomasoteTM, this material seems to be making a comeback with potential acoustical uses. But before you decide to add it to your next project, you should know
Growing Trends in Green Insulation
October 1, 1996
Insulation is all around us. Though we may not pay attention to the different types of insulation, we would certainly notice its absence. The main purpose of this hidden barrier is to secure a building’s interior temperature from the outside
Resilient Channels – How Metal Absorbs Sound Waves
April 1, 1996
Anyone who’s ever shared a wall with someone else has probably wondered if the walls were intentionally thin, or the neighbors intentionally loud. Often the assumption is that the walls between dwellings simply need to be thicker to muffle sound.
Audio Considerations in Teleconferencing – “Can You Hear Me?”
June 1, 1995
Teleconferencing, holding meetings by an electronic means, is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The word “teleconferencing” means different things to different people. Teleconferencing can range from a conference call with speaker phones to a system with