A month ago, Episode 22 of HearYourself, brought the hottest topic of current times, Work-From-Home [WFH] and the need for acoustics. This Episode 27 follows up on questions as to how to assess specific needs and find best acoustical solutions. Why to buy and what to buy online from the Anutone eShop on our website. 6 questions and step-by-step answers from Anutone by Prajakta Patil our Design Manager.
1 How to determine specific acoustic needs of my study room?
One size does not fit all. We have divided room sizes into 6 categories from Extra Small [XS] to Extra Extra Large [XXL]. We took sample dimensions of typical study rooms in Indian homes.
[Note: The numbers are rounded off in metres as Anutone follows the metric system but if you are used to feet then it is given in brackets, rounded off, of course.]
2 How acoustical needs are assessed specific to room size?
We calculate room surface areas and volume to perform acoustic modelling, which is computer simulation of the sound behaviour in a room, in 3 stages – bare room, furnished room and furnished room treated with acoustical panels. We arrive at Reverberation Time (RT) or echo time which has to be reduced to ensure distortion-free sound into your laptop’s mic as also from the laptop’s speakers to your ears. This obviates the need for headphones, extended use of which can fatigue you.
[For those interested, Reverberation Time is defined in acoustical parlance as ‘time taken for sound at say 90dB that is stopped, to decay to say 30dB’. If an enclosed space is very echoey the time take is more and goal is to reduce it with treatment to walls and ceiling.]
We then set up the design criteria goals as to what are our expectations for given room size and volume.
3 How is the acoustical solution arrived after assessing needs?
Acoustical panels come with a sound absorption coefficient 0.1~0.9 which approximates to 10%~90% sound absorption but the catch is this is true only for sound waves incident to the panels’ surface. So surface area available for sound absorption is calculated. Sound is a function of it’s frequencies, and so it depends on the panels’ characteristics which of the sound frequencies are absorbed.
That’s where the expertise of Anutone comes in handy. We identify strategic surface areas available for sound absorption and also the dominant frequencies present in sounds of study rooms to offer acoustical panels that are optimised for such needs.
Note that of a study room’s six surfaces – ceiling, 4 walls and floor – 50% is not available. Two walls being cabinetry with desk and door-window, floor too not being an option. So we are looking at balance 50% which is the ceiling and two walls only. Only in bigger rooms at three walls too. After applying the treatment the Reverberation Time is calculated by Sabine’s formula and criteria vs achieved checked.
4 So after all these calculations what are finally the buy options?
Here’s an overview and a summary for you to make your choices depending on room type. Note each Acoustics-In-A-Box contains 4 panels of 600x600mm size which means 1.44m2 installed in what we call a 4plus pattern. On the Anutone eShop you can order by box as many boxes as you need.
For XS room size – one box on ceiling, one box on wall
For S room size – one box on ceiling, two boxes on walls
For M size – two boxes on ceiling, two boxes walls
For L – one box on ceiling, three boxes walls
For XL – two boxes on ceiling, four boxes walls
Finally for double XL room size – three boxes on ceiling, four boxes walls
5 Where can I buy and how soon will they arrive at my doorstep?
With the click of a few buttons you can very easily buy online at the Anutone website under the eShop tab. You just need to choose the surface finish, the colour choices.
The panels will be delivered to your doorstep subject to applicable covid guidelines and/or containment restrictions.
https://anutone.com/eShop-category/products/
6 Once they arrive how are they installed?
Ceiling panels are easier to suspend than a fan and similar to light pendants. Wall panels are hung like paintings or other similar wall fixtures. Step-by-step guide is provided in the box making it very easy to install as a D-I-Y or by your local carpenter. Installation accessories and normal hardware for typical applications is included. It is acoustics in a box. All that is needed is included.
Once you have the acoustics in your study you can be bindaas … you can be care-free, worry-free … and be able to focus on that all important call at hand. No distraction, no annoyance. WFH could never have been easier with Anutone acoustics.
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