Acoustic advice

Acoustics is the science that deals with sound; it is the study of sound. She deals with the generation, perception and propagation of sound. Sound propagates through vibrations through a medium. We humans pick up those vibrations with our ears. Sound propagates through sound waves. If the medium is air, for example, temperature and humidity also play a role. Sound waves vary in size depending on the frequency of vibration.

In practice, we usually understand acoustics as 'the properties that a space has in connection with sound and reverberation of sound'. People talk about 'bad' or 'good' acoustics in a certain room. Acoustics is therefore used to indicate the quality of the sound in a particular room. These are the properties that a particular room has in terms of sound absorption and reflection. After all, sound waves are recorded, 'absorbed' by porous absorbent material. Part of the sound is converted into heat, the other part reverberates, 'reflects' in space. Acoustics teaches us something about the way a room reflects sound.

'Good' acoustics depend on the function of the room: for example, a meeting room will have different acoustic needs than a music hall or an auditorium. If all sounds in a room are absorbed evenly, both high and low frequencies, then the room will be considered acoustically pleasant. It is therefore very important to think about 'good' acoustics in the office!

The reverberation time in a room can be measured with special measuring equipment and a sound source. Reverberation time is one of the most commonly used terms in room acoustics. The term is used to indicate the amount of reverberation: how much time it takes for sound to decay at a certain volume in a room. Various factors also play a role here, such as the size of the room, the height of the ceiling, its furnishings and occupancy. After all, we place different acoustic requirements on a space depending on what it is used for. Fortunately, references exist. This way we know what an average person experiences as pleasant in a certain type of space.

Acoustic sound is the sound that is present or created in the room in which one is located. If several people stay in a certain room for longer than temporarily and there is a lot of reverberation, the acoustic noise in that room will have to be limited.

Office work requires concentration. Especially in open offices, this is quickly disturbed by all kinds of ambient noise. Moreover, unwanted noise is high on the list of stress factors. Thinking about acoustics is therefore also of psychological importance.

Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions for rooms where the acoustics are not optimal. Some examples are creating corners in the room, i.e. dividing the room, using sound-absorbing panels, providing carpets and fabric furniture and installing accessories such as plants or acoustic wall decoration.

So it is clear that thinking carefully about acoustics in a room is extremely important. It is advisable to listen to the calculated advice of a specialist in the field, who is an expert in acoustics, both theoretically and practically.

As already mentioned, different rooms have different problems and needs in terms of acoustics. So it is important to study the room thoroughly first! We even recommend that you think carefully about the acoustics of a building before starting the construction itself or its furnishing, if possible, but fortunately we can offer numerous solutions if acoustic problems are experienced in existing spaces.