Why is Good Acoustic Design Important?

Poor acoustic design, especially in environments such as offices, restaurants, and recording studios, can have a significant negative impact on visitor experience and sound quality. If you’ve ever been to a restaurant that’s too loud or tried to work in an office with too many distractions, you’ll know how frustrating it can be but with the right acoustic design, you can reduce those negative effects and establish an excellent environment.

Common Acoustic Mistakes

1. Using the Wrong Acoustic Treatment for the Room

Every room has its own purpose so not every space will benefit from the exact same acoustic treatment. For instance, a recording studio is typically used to produce music or podcasts, an office is there for creating a collaborative and productive space, and a restaurant is there to give people a place to eat and socialise. Rooms with different purposes will have different acoustic demands, and even rooms with the same purpose may have different demands due to the size and shape of the space. So, it’s important not to think of acoustic designs as a one-size-fits-all situation.

Offices typically need to focus on reducing background noise to create peaceful environments to work in. Recording studios need to establish a clear sound environment for recording in to make post-production easier as well as produce the best quality sound possible. Home cinemas generally concentrate on creating an immersive experience. Whatever the space, it’s important to focus the acoustic design on the needs and the purpose of the environment.

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2. Using Too Much or Too Little Acoustic Treatment

Too much sound absorption in a room can make the sound seem ‘dead’. Having some reverberation is a good thing as it helps create an atmosphere which is vital in social settings such as bars and restaurants. However, too little acoustic treatment might not make enough of an impact on your space to reduce the sound issues. For good acoustic design, it’s important to get the balance right.

3. Not Considering Placement

The placement of acoustic treatment can make a significant difference to the overall acoustic design. Not only will the right products in the right places enhance their effectiveness at improving the room’s acoustics but can also keep costs down, with less treatment needed to make a positive impact.

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4. Failing to Seal Gaps

Sound is similar to water; it can get through any gap no matter how small. If you’re looking to reduce noise transference between spaces as well as improve the overall acoustic environment, then ensuring gaps are properly sealed is essential. Acoustic seals are ideal for meeting rooms or home cinemas to prevent disruption to others as well as avert others hearing in.

5. Not leveraging Naturally Sound Absorbent Furnishings

Soundwaves reflect most off hard, flat surfaces. A room with more soft furnishings and carpet will have less reverberation and echo than a room which is mostly made up of hard surfaces. By utilising naturally sound absorbent surfaces such as carpet, you can contribute to the creation of a better acoustic environment.

Need a Hand With Acoustic Design?

Our acoustic experts are always on hand to help whether you need advice picking out the right acoustic products or not sure where’s best to place them, our sales team are happy to help!