Room Acoustics

Reverberation

Reverberation

direct
sound

reflected
sounds

Sustained sound

Reverberation time = time it takes for loudness

decrease by 60 dB

Acoustics characteristics of auditoriums

liveness : reverberation time
intimacy: time to the first reflected sound to arrive
fullness/clarity: direct sound versus reflected sound
volume
warmth/brilliance: reverberation time for low
frequencies larger/smaller than for high frequencies

texture: temporal pattern of reflections

good

bad

blend: all seats hear all instruments

ensemble: musicians can hear themselves

Problems in acoustic design

Focusing

Problems in acoustic design

Focusing

Echoes
pessimal design

reflecting
wall

stage

audience

Shadows

only low
frequencies
behind the
overhang

Resonances
analogy
vocal chords

instruments

formants

room resonances

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resonances,

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spread in the
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10.89-ft high, 12.4-ft

wide, and 15.14 ft long

8-ft high, 16-ft wide,

and 16 ft long

Walt Disney Hall (LA Philharmonic)

Precedence effect
ALL the sound seems to come from the direction
of the earliest sound
Electronic enhancement has to be delayed by 2050 ms

External noise
Solution: shielding, shielding, shielding !

Acceptable noise
Recording studio
Auditoriums,
classrooms

25dB

Homes

40dB

Restaurants

50db (!)

30dB

Calculation of reverberation time (engineer style)

V
V
TR 55.2
0.050
vs A
A

reverberation time (s)

volume (ft3)
absorption (ft2)

A is the sum over all absorbing surfaces

Example:
13ft by 20ft by 8ft room
4 walls of plaster (absorption coefficient 0.1)
carpet floor (absorption coefficient 0.3)
absorptive tile ceiling (absorption coefficient 0.6)
walls

floor

ceiling

A 2 (20 8) 2 (13 8) 0.1 (13 20) 0.3 (13 20) 0.6

286 sabins

volume
13 20 8
TR 0.050
0.36 seconds
286.8

Warning:
The aborption coefficient depends on the
frequency
people absorb sound: 1 person = 2.5 sabins
person + upholstered seat = 3 sabins

Trial and error leads to rules of thumb

(RPG Diffusor Systems INC)
The ceiling of an Auditorium should be primarily sound reflected/diffusive (not
primarily absorptive) in order to reflect early energy down to the audience promoting
loudness and intelligibility. The ceiling should be 30%-50% open to the space above to
vent excessive sound power and/or promote reverberance. It is important that the ceiling
surfaces be sound diffusive so that gaps in the sound distribution pattern
(nonuniformity) do not result from the open areas. Lower side and rear walls near the
audience should also be reflective/diffusive (not absorptive) to promote loudness,
intelligibility, envelopment, and to prevent echoes off the rear wall.
Overall reverberance and loudness is controlled by placing absorption and diffsorption
(mid frequency absorption and high frequency diffusion) on the underside of the roof
deck and on the upper walls respectively. The amount of absorption and diffsorption
depends on the overall volume of the auditorium. Larger auditoriums (350+ cubic feet
per seat) require that approximately 50% of the upper wall area be treated with
diffsorption, while smaller auditoriums (250350 cubic feet per seat) require only about
25% of the upper wall area be treated. Typically, small auditoriums with less than 250
cubic feet per seat are not reverberant enough for music and serve only as good speech
rooms. Very little absorption is required in these rooms. Problems such as flutter and
echoes are prevented with diffusion and diffsorption.

Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center)

clouds