Effective Sound Masking Requires Proper Loudspeaker Coverage
If you were tasked with installing office lighting, would you save a few bucks by specifying fewer fixtures and thereby creating a workplace environment with annoyingly inconsistent lighting? Probably not. But sound masking system designers sometimes under-specify the number of loudspeakers needed to achieve a uniform masking system. And while it’s true that fewer loudspeakers means a lower cost, it also means poor sound masking performance. That’s because without the proper number of speakers—installed in a consistently spaced grid pattern—there’s little to no uniformity, which results in a sound masking system that’s noticeable, thereby becoming a distraction that adversely affects employee comfort and productivity and totally defeating the purpose of…