Acoustics

The Science

The raised voice is known as Lombard speech. The speech’s pitch and level increases leading to voice stress and fatigue. It is assumed to start at a speech level of 55dB(A) SPL.

Background (ambient Noise Magic Number!) - background noise level of 45 dB(A).

Check for symptoms of bad acoustics

Check for symptoms of bad acoustics. Try clapping your hands in your meeting room and listen to the sound you produce.

Does this produce an bouncy like sound, as in a big empty room, a garage or a bathroom? Or does it sound more intimate, as in a bedroom or Living room?

Bouncy sound is not good, comfortable sound on the other hand tends to be perceived as more inviting so more suited for audio/videoconferences.
If you are not sure what to listen for, try clapping your hands in the bathroom and in the bedroom before you go to bed tonight and listen to the sound you produce in the two rooms

(you may want to exercise this with caution, typically when you are on your own or before your family are asleep, please don't get us into trouble ).

How to fix this?

Take a look at your meeting room. Are there a lot of hard, impenetrable, flat surfaces:-
polished floors

concrete

plaster walls

windows with no curtains?

Is the room a fish tank?

Such rooms

You can in an acoustic specialist to help, but you may need to use several methods. Here are a few tips below. You can tell they are working as the sound in the room will be less bouncy.

Add soft penetrable surfaces to the room, simply because they absorb sound.
carpets

upholstered sofas and chairs,

pillows

curtains (the heavier the better).


If you want to use acoustic panelling a minimum of 50mm on at least one wall (doesn't always need to be floor to ceiling)
Treating the Ceiling is possible will have the maximum effect and leave the Walls clear

Updated on: 07/12/2022