Even now, it is surprising how many sound playback environments are rooms in which the exclusive consideration is how the furniture will be arranged. The best however, begin with careful acoustical design for a room where the audio devices and acoustics work together in mutual support. There is plenty of opportunity for creative expression and innovative ideas with acoustical materials along with staff stress reduction and privacy assurance with sound masking systems. Here, we survey the latest ideas and their results where art and science converge.
Made by one of the most widely known acoustics companies, the GeerFab Acoustics ProZorber is a scrim-backed, 6-7 pcf rigid fiberglass panel that is wrapped in fabric available in black, coin, or bone color. Panel size is selectable between 24x24in. and 24x48in. where the thickness may be one or two inches. The noise reduction coefficient (NRC) for the 1in. thickness is .80 while the NRC for the 2in. thick panels is .95. The purchase includes impaling clips for panel mounting and as an option, 2in. offset impaling clips can be used for increased bass absorption. All ProZorber panels are Class A fire-rated.
Even recording studios must have windows between rooms and the Acoustical Geometry Studio Soundproof Window helps designers solve any acoustic challenges that this normally tricky feature presents. The glass is angled at 4 degrees and the windows are available in custom sizes. The frames can be selected in either Clear Anodized or Bronze Anodized finish. The STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating on the Studio 4 product is as high as 45 while the STC rating for the Studio 6 window ranges up to 56. The Studio 4 is made with a 1in. insulated glass unit and two pieces of 1⁄4in. laminated glass in a 4 1⁄2in. frame. Small and mid-sized rooms can go a long way toward effective acoustical treatment with the Acoustical Fulfillment StudioAF Room Kit and it serves as a great starting point for doing larger rooms on a progressive budget. The kit consists of 12 16in.x48in.x2in. beveled FulFill Acoustical Panels, 36 impaling clips for horizontal or vertical mounting, 6 wooden corner bars, 18 short wood screws, and 6 clear discs for optional horizontal corner mounting. Covered in Guilford of Maine fabric, the panels are available in Birch, Graphite, and Asteroid colors. Each of the components in the kit has a Class A rating per ASTM E84.
Leveraging the capabilities and connectivity of its Atmosphere digital audio platform with sound masking capabilities, the AtlasIED SHS-3T2 stands out. It interoperates seamlessly with the Atmosphere powered DSPs, AXMP4 and AZMP8, providing systems integrators with a speaker that goes virtually unnoticed in healthcare, clinical, and corporate facilities where sound masking is important for speech privacy and workplace productivity and comfort. The SHS-3T2 is unique to the SHS family in that it offers a variety of mounting options, out of the box, in down-firing sound masking applications.; it can be in-ceiling mounted, pendant mounted, or wall mounted.
For a sound masking system to work effectively, consistent sound levels across zones are paramount and the Revolution SSP6 Multiducer uses the bending wave physics concept to turn rigid surfaces into full range speakers. This approach, along with the unique RevLoc mounting plate, speeds and simplifies sound system installation. The RevLoc is adhered to the surface and the SSP6 is screwed into place on the RevLoc. It is also tough and IP66 rated for stormy weather and marine uses. These features allow the SSP6 to fill the function of several conventional sound masking emitters. It works best when used with the company’s RevNet 2140 or 2140-D amplifiers.
The Acoustical Surfaces Echo Eliminator can be used on walls or ceilings and when combined with the company’s other featured products, they offer a complete and custom room acoustics solution. Each unit is made of recycled cotton, Class A fire rated, 100 percent recyclable and it can be attached to ceilings with pins and to walls with either pins or adhesive depending on the needs of the specific room or facility. None contain formaldehyde or glass particles. The panels can be purchased in 1in. or 2in. thickness and there are three options for density. Color range includes white, black, Marble Blue, graphite, light gray, and beige
The Primacoustic London-12 Room Kit offers enough acoustic treatment to control the acoustic environment of rooms up to around 150 sq. ft. and its originally gray or black panels can be painted to visually accent any room. The kit’s Broadway high-quality glass wool panels come with mounting hardware and they can form broadband absorbers, control columns, and scatter blocks. Each kit includes both surface and corner impalers. The Primacoustic Room Designer app gets the user off to a good start crafting a custom acoustic solution for any room. Each fire-rated panel is wrapped in acoustically transparent polyester fabric.
Acoustical creativity can work in ways beyond foam, cotton and making everything soft. ASI Architectural Audition panels and planks can lend an impressively strong and formal look. The wood veneer face can be used in a wide variety of wood types and kerf spacing. The panels and planks are designed to absorb, funnel and transfer sound energy through the core to the Soundtex applied to the back. The kerf spacing on the Audition 8 and Audition 16 is 8mm and 16mm respectively. Planks may be mounted with T&G grid clips or T&G direct attach clips while the panels use Z-bar/Zclip or torsion spring.
Another approach to room acoustical improvement is revealed in the Snowsound Acoustic Soft Seating products. Reverberation room tested according to ISO 354/ASTM C423 standards, the sofas, chairs, tables, and other furniture components provide not only positive acoustical performance but creature comfort and decorative appearance as well. Each furniture product is available in a wide range of recyclable and inherently flame-resistant polyester fiber fabric colors that can turn dull looking areas into visually exciting rooms. Snowsound Acoustics & Well-Being Technologies can also provide a range of acoustic dividers, suspended ceiling clouds, wall panels, and Snowsound Art panels that enable creative expression as well as effective sound treatment.
For absorbing noise and blocking sound transmission, the Acoustics First Cloudscape Ceiling Tiles apply Class 1 fire rated FireFlex Melamine Foam to the task. The tiles can be mounted as drop-in ceiling units, in a barrierbacked style or as an unbacked direct attachment to ceilings or walls. This product comes in white with a choice of six different surface patterns including Altus, Cirrus, Cumulus, Fog, Nimbus, and Stratus. Any one of these patterns can be used or different patterns can be mixed. Cloudscape units can be used as a standard suspended 2x2ft. retrofit, 2x4ft. retrofit with cross tees, or in a 2x2ft. direct-mount application.
Long a very widely employed sound solution, the WAVEPro Series of absorption and diffusion panels now has a new addition and the Prosocoustic WAVEPro Mini 12x12in. panel is it. Perfect for smaller rooms or surface areas that are difficult to get to, these smaller panels arrive with 8in. Z-Clips and additional machine screw inserts for mounting. UL-classified, ASTM E84 Class A fire-resistant, ISPM-15 certified, and mold/moisture-resistant, the panels are made of Rockwool Rockboard 40 stone wool. Since there are no agents or glues used, the panels exhibit no flames, smoke, or off-gassing. Each panel is covered in 100% polyester acoustic grade Diamond Knit fabric and a screen spline insert holds fabric in place and provides proper fabric tensioning.
The GIK Acoustics SlatFusor aims to be the perfect combined solution for aesthetics and acoustic control. Much is known about how great oak veneer with a furniture grade finish can look but the SlatFusor panels remind us how good it can also sound. The panels create a beautiful wood grate, the thickness of which can be selected from a variety that ranges from 1in. up to 6in. on the panel. There is also the SlatFusor CTWood Slat corner bass trap/diffuser. Complete with a set of sawtooth hangers, the panels can be hung individually or seamlessly connected with many others.
Versatility and aesthetic appearance are central features of the Auralex Acoustics Synergy Hexagon modular acoustical absorption panels. These can be installed in either 1.4in. or 2.4in. thickness and white or black color with a range of surface patterns from which to choose. With the hexagon shape, there are endless possibilities for mounting in wall patterns. A full kit includes sixteen 10in. Synergy Hexagon panels, ten of which are 1.4in. thick and six are of 2.4in. thickness using a combination of EcoTech and Auralex Studiofoam. Each piece has a pre-installed adhesive peel and stick patch on the back to make installation quite easy.
Traditionally the most difficult part of a room to acoustically treat is right overhead and the Acoustical Solutions Whisperwave Ceiling Cloud serves quite well for sound and aesthetics. These are made of Class 1 fire-rated melamine foam and they are available in white, natural grey, and HPC coated colors along with standard and custom sizes. Suspended with 1.5in. corkscrew hangers and cable, the ceiling clouds provide an opportunity for creative acoustic design while reducing echo and reverberation. Also used for Sonex baffle installations, the corkscrew hangers are stainless steel and are used for ceiling clouds of 2in. or greater thickness.
There are sound environments that require extremely tight control in a number of small zones such as in museums and information kiosks. When that need arises, the Logison Acoustic Network can be the foundation for a very customized answer. With this system, zones can be as small as 1-3 speakers and the volume level is adjustable in 0.5dBA increments with 1/3-octave frequency control across the whole spectrum. The 4in. speakers are just large enough to extend LF response. The Network Control Panel NCP-2 is wall mounted in its secure box and through addition of one or more audio input modules, paging and music can be added. The PK-1 programmable keypad offers control functions in a single gang wall box. There is a wide range of hardware accessories to complete the networked system.
The Yamaha VSP-2 Speech Privacy System is composed of the VSP-CU2 control unit with user-selectable sound types and volume levels along with two, four, or eight VSPSP2 speakers. The system effectively applies high-performance Info-Masking technology developed to cover the human voice in unwanted areas with a sound level that’s 8dB less than conventional systems. To this it adds environmental audio with four types of sound that is mixed to the speech sound masker. There are four types of sound effect audio that are added to unobtrusively mask others from unwanted conversation. The VSP-2 system can do all of this without the addition of partitions and other architectural features.
One of the most innovative and widely implemented sound masking technologies has been the d&b audiotechnik Soundscape concept. The solid base of this infinitely configurable system is the DS100 Signal Engine operating on a Dante network to enable a 64×64 matrix. Each crosspoint on the matrix allows extensive signal processing as well as delay and level control. All of these parameters can be configured and controlled through the d&b R1 Remote control software. To this is added a new dimension through d&b En-Scene, a sound object positioning tool that can facilitate the placement of as many as 64 sound objects. d&b En-Space works as an in-line room emulation tool to create an entire reverberation signature for its physical environment. Through these tools, the sound character of the room can be configured to emulate anything from a small dance area to a concert hall.
When it comes to precise and sophisticated sound masking control, the Biamp Cambridge Qt X 800/800D has functions and features to make it happen. Functions include sound masking generator, controller, third-octave band equalizer and amplifier with two auxiliary inputs for sound distribution from paging and background music systems. Capable of handling multi-room environments, the Qt X800/800D control module provides eight amplified output speaker/emitters that can be individually configured for masking and auxiliary sound levels. Network operation and fire alarm system integration are among its top-of-theline capabilities. Additional features include audio ramping, event scheduling and front panel lock via software control.
With the smaller rooms and simple layouts, why go with extensive installation and calibration of a complicated sound masking system? For offices of less than 5000 square feet, the Soft dB CMS-II is ready to go as a standalone controller right out of the box with two independently adjustable output channels. It is loaded with 12 preset sound masking spectra and there is an auxiliary input for paging or ambient music. Its passcode lockable touchscreen control panel is used to control as many as 12 speakers on each channel. Each zone can be adjusted for volume level, bass/treble, ramp up period, and there are 12 pre-set equalizers.
