Sound has a profound impact on our lives, including how we communicate. There are four main ways that sound affects us: physically, emotionally, cognitively, and behaviourally.

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Physically, sound affects our bodies because we are 70% water, which makes us good conductors of sound. Our hearing is our primary warning sense. Any sudden or unexpected sound can trigger a fight or flight response, which can increase the heart rate and change our breathing.

Emotionally, sound can change our mood and emotions both positively and negatively. Music is a well-known example of how sound can affect our emotions, but other sounds, such as bird song or the sound of the ocean, can also have a calming or soothing effect. On the other hand, loud or abrasive sounds can be unsettling or stressful.

Cognitively, the sounds around us can impact how well we work or think. Loud or distracting sounds, such as music or conversation, can make it difficult to concentrate or focus. On the other hand, a quiet and peaceful environment can help improve productivity and cognitive function.

Behaviourally, we may tend to move away from unpleasant sounds and towards pleasant ones. Noise can also cause stress and negatively affect our behaviour, making us less sociable and approachable.

Understanding how sound affects us can help us design our environments in ways that enhance the positive effects and minimise the negative ones.

The subject of room acoustics is often seen as intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. While it does have some complex scientific and mathematical elements, there are also some basic principles that can help you understand how sound works and how to address any acoustic problems in your space. In this article, our Global Acoustics Ambassador answers some of the most commonly asked questions about acoustic design to demystify the topic and give you a better understanding of how to solve your acoustic issues.

First of all, in order to understand a room's acoustics, it's important to understand how sound travels.

Why are acoustics important?

Let's start by defining acoustics as 'the quality of the room that determines the audibility and the fidelity of the sound in the room." The level of architectural (room and building) acoustics can have a huge impact on your overall health and well-being.

Excessive noise and poor acoustics can affect productivity in various ways. It can disrupt communication and concentration, lower morale, and make workers less productive [1]. According to one study, "noise, in addition to causing nuisance and disturbance in an office environment, is a primary cause of a reduction in productivity." [2]

Hospitals with poor acoustics can raise patients' blood pressure and heart rate [3]. On the other hand, good room acoustics in educational settings can improve students' attention, performance, and understanding and reduce the strain on teachers' voices [4].

According to a survey by the Leesman Index, 76% of office workers consider noise to be an important factor in the workplace, but only 30% are satisfied with the noise level [5]. By creating a work environment with good acoustics and reducing distracting sounds, a number of benefits can be achieved in the office, such as: [6]

• 48% increase in employee focus
• 51% drop in employee distraction
• 10% fewer errors made
• 27% reduction in stress level

Although we are all affected by noise, we often pay little attention to it. But by taking acoustics into account at the beginning of the design process, we can minimise the presence of a bad acoustic indoor environment. Sounds perfect, right?

Which materials can be used to absorb sound?

In recent years, there have been many advancements in technology for improving sound quality. There are three main categories of sound-absorbing materials: porous, membranes, and resonators. Porous materials such as mineral wool like stone wool, natural fibres, and foam are commonly used to absorb sound. They are soft, light, and have good sound-absorbing properties.

The ability of a material to absorb sound is measured by a weighted sound absorption coefficient (αw), which is expressed as a percentage. For example, a coefficient of 0.01 represents minimal absorption (1%). Meanwhile, a coefficient of 1.00 represents complete absorption (100%).

At Rockfon, we are the world's leading acoustic solution provider. Our mission is to turn noisy spaces into comfortable spaces with a significant impact. Our goal is to help people create, focus, and thrive in a peaceful environment. Sounds great, doesn't it?

References

1. 'Environmental Noise: Valuing Impacts On: Sleep Disturbance, Annoyance, Hypertension, Productivity and Quiet.' . https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file//environmental-noise-valuing-imapcts-PB.pdf.
2. Hedge, Alan. . Ergonomic Workplace Design for Health, Wellness, and Productivity. Google Books. CRC Press. https://books.google.dk/books?id=2RYNDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=%E2%80%98Noise.
3. Hagerman, I., Rasmanis, G., Blomkvist, V., Ulrich, R., Eriksen, C. A., & Theorell, T. (). Influence of intensive coronary care acoustics on the quality of care and physiological state of patients International Journal of Cardiology, 98(2), 267'270
4. J.A. Castro-Martnez, J. Chavarra Roa, A. Parra Bentez, and G. González (). Effects of classroom-acoustic change on the attention level of university students Centro Interamericano de Investigaciones Psicológicas y Ciencias Afines Interdisciplinaria, vol. 33, no. 2,
5. Leesman Index (): The Workplace Experience Revolution, Part 2, Second Digital Edition
6. Sykes, David M., PhD., , 'Productivity: How Acoustics Affect Workers' Performance in Open Areas'

1. Do acoustic panels help with soundproofing?

In a nutshell, no. Understandably, this is a confusing one, but there is a huge difference between acoustic treatment and soundproofing.

Acoustic Panels, Bass Traps, and Diffusers are all acoustic treatments used to control the acoustics within a space (e.g., reducing reverb, echo, bass trapping).

Soundproofing refers to isolating a room from its surroundings or to stop the transmission of sound through one wall to the next. Soundproofing almost always requires some degree of construction to build heavy new structures that are decoupled from the other walls and ceilings.

2. What are bass traps?

Bass traps are low-frequency, sound-absorbing devices. They are used to absorb the very large waveforms created by low frequencies.

Without effectively absorbing low frequencies, rooms have massive dips and peaks in their frequency response.

Want more information on Acoustic Design Services? Feel free to contact us.

Bass traps come in a few varieties, the most common ones are porous absorbers, membrane absorbers, and Helmholtz resonators.

3. What are room modes?

Room modes are natural resonances that occur when speakers or a sound source excite a room at frequencies with wavelengths equal to the room dimensions.

This leads to standing waves that cause large distortions to the frequency response of the room, emphasizing some sounds while masking others, and causing very uneven decay times. Ultimately this leaves you with an inconsistent and undefined foundation for your monitoring system.

5. I have extra acoustic foam, can I use that in my room?

Not all acoustic foams are created equal but for the most part, the answer is no. The cheap acoustic foam with wedges or triangles does not have the required mass or depth to effectively absorb mid or low frequencies. If you are only looking to absorb frequencies above 2,000Hz though, go for it.

6. How much acoustic treatment do I need?

This will vary drastically from room to room based on the use of the room and the desired soundscape. Recording studios have very different needs from restaurants and one restaurant will inevitably want a different sonic scape than another. If you need help figuring out what is needed for your space, fill out our Free Room Advice Form.

Here are some recommendations that can give you a ballpark sense of what is needed.

Home Studios: 30 to 60% of the walls and ceiling covered

Control Rooms: 50 to 75% of the walls and ceiling covered

Podcast Studios: 50 to 75% of the walls and ceiling covered

Restaurants: 35 to 45% of walls or ceiling covered

Offices: 20 to 50% of walls and ceiling covered

For recording studios, we need to break this down into two categories: For control rooms and home studios, you want to start by targeting the early reflections on the sidewalls, ceiling, and back wall. This will start to establish a reflection-free zone at the listening position. For tracking rooms, you will generally want to start with an even distribution of acoustic treatment. Often times this will consist of both absorption and diffusion.

If you need help figuring out where to put acoustic treatments in your space, fill out our Free Room Advice Form and we'll be in touch.

8. What are sound barriers?

Sound barriers are materials or combinations of materials used to isolate a sound source or room. Typically, sound barriers are built into walls during the construction phase but there are some products that can be retrofitted on existing walls/structures.

In order to be an effective sound barrier across the frequency spectrum, these materials need to be very dense and heavy. Mass-loaded vinyl is commonly used in soundproofing applications as a sound barrier both in walls and as a floor underlayment. Two layers of drywall with Green Glue between them is another example of a common sound barrier used for soundproofing.

9. How do I Soundproof a door?

Soundproofing a door is a difficult task if you are hoping to stop any and all sound from getting through it. There are some acoustic doors that will get you close but they will cost you around $4,000 each.

Luckily most of the time, total isolation is not required, and you can build your own soundproof door with readily available products.

Our preferred DIY method is to use a solid wood core door and adoor seal kit. The most important thing here is achieving an airtight seal all the way around the door when it is shut.

If you are framing out a new room, utilizing double doors is always the best practice. Use solid wood core doors for both and door seal kits. If you are on a budget, you can use an automatic door bottom and silicone door seal.

10. How do I soundproof a window?

First, are you blocking/covering/plugging a window, or do you want to preserve that precious natural light? If you no longer need a functional window or natural light, the cheapest and simplest option is to cover the window.

1. Build a frame 1.5' taller and wider than your window out of 6.5'x.75' boards.

2. Put weather stripping on the back of the frame to de-couple it from the wall and to provide an airtight seal.

Are you interested in learning more about 3D Acoustic Panels? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!