We refer to reverberation a lot throughout our website.  What is reverberation?  What issues does it cause and how do Avenue Interior System products help reduce reverberation in your spaces?

According to hyper-physics – reverberation is the collection of reflected sounds from the surfaces in an enclosure like an auditorium.  It is a desirable property of halls to the extent that it helps to overcome the inverse square law drop-off of sound intensity in the enclosure.  However, if it is excessive, it makes the sounds run together with a loss of articulation – the sound becomes muddy, garbled.

In terminology more readily understood, it is the persistence of a sound after it is produced.  When a sound source ceases, the sound waves will continue to reflect off the hard wall, floor and ceiling surfaces until they lose enough energy and die out.  The continuation of the reflected sound is known as reverberation.

The repeating, often low, booming sound that follows the strum of an electric guitar or the thump of a bass drum is called reverberation.

Difference between Echo and Reverberation

An echo is usually clear and can be distinguished. Reverberation is not a precise replica of the original sound

Reverberation Time

Reverberation time is the measure of the time required for reflecting sound to “fade away” in an enclosed area after the source of the noise has stopped.  Reverberation time is essential in defining how a room will perform acoustically.

Reverberation time reduces when the sound waves hit absorbent surfaces such as curtains, padded chairs or even people, or exit the room through the walls, drop ceilings, doors, and windows.

Solving Reverberation Challenges

Avenue Interior Systems are experts in reducing reverberation and improving the acoustics in a room.  While some noise issues can be solved by just “turning down the volume” it isn’t always practical to do so.  Imagine trying to “turn down the volume” in a hall full of the primary school students or older adults in a nursing home.

You can try and isolate the sound – put a barrier around the sound to stifle it, so it is clearer for you to interact in a space. Again, this isn’t always practical; you could end up with each child or adult walking around wrapped in acoustic material.

Or, add absorption materials to a room.  Ceiling tiles, sound absorption panels and other materials can control sound reflections and reduce reverberation within a room.  For speech intelligibility challenges, controlling reflections that interfere with the direct speech path is important. Absorptive panels installed strategically throughout your space will improve speech intelligibility and lower general room noise.

If you have a reverberation issue in your office, hall or classroom, contact Avenue Interior Systems (1300 827 177) for a customised solution.  We look forward to designing your silence.