Retail Audio
May 1, 2004
Have you ever noticed the plasma screens and TV monitors greeting you when you are shopping in your local Bloomingdale’s or Eddie Bauer? Have you heard the dance-club-like sound systems in the Junior’s departments at Macy’s or in Old Navy?
Resilient Channels
April 1, 2004
Acoustical Consultants often specify resilient channels to improve the sound isolation of a construction assembly. Sound isolation is the amount of noise the wall or floor/ceiling reduces. Resilient channels are installed perpendicular to the stud or joist. This reduces the
Quiet Floors
February 1, 2004
Floor systems in multifamily housing are getting thinner and lighter in weight. Both of these work against a successful acoustical design. To overcome this we are constantly looking at and reviewing new products. Something that has caught our eye is
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
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
The Invisible Audiovisual System
April 1, 1997
One issue that we face with our projects is making technology transparent within the space it occupies. For many projects, the end users and owners want to see the audio and/or visual systems they spent their money on. They want
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.