2 Color - Pantone 1797 / Black

DOES AUDIO
REALLY MATTER?
This research study by SCN and AVTechnology Magazines shows that
integrators and AV pros at end-user companies know excessive noise levels
and sound quality in the workplace are an issue but are generally unaware
that there are solutions to cure them.

underwritten by

DOES AUDIO
REALLY MATTER?
This research study by SCN and AVTechnology Magazines shows that
integrators and AV pros at end-user companies know excessive noise
levels and sound quality in the workplace are an issue but are generally
unaware that there are solutions to cure them.
By Steve Harvey

Summary

During the past 15 years, local, national, and international governing bodies and
agencies have reacted to the growing body of research that excessive noise
levels in our daily lives, in the workplace and at home, can have a significant
impact on a populations well-being and a countrys economy. A 2011 report
from the World Health Organization, for example, estimated that noise pollution
was costing $30.8 billion a year in Europe when calculating lost work days,
decreased productivity, healthcare treatment, and impaired learning.
With this in mind, SCN and AV Technology launched a survey of AV
professionals, such as integrators, consultants, installers, resellers,
manufacturers, and other solutions providers, as well as professional AV
equipment end users, including technical, marketing, and sales staff, managers,
directors, and business owners from a broad range of industries. From the
results we can get an idea of the general level of knowledge regarding noise
pollution in the U.S., the extent to which solutions to manage excessive noise in
the workplace have already been implemented, and what a better understanding
of the problems and challenges of acoustic pollution might mean to the bottom
line for both the AV equipment industry and its end users.

About the Author

Steve Harvey has been
West Coast Editor for Pro
Sound News since 2000
and also contributes to
Systems Contractor News,
TV Technology and other
professional AV industry
publications. He has worked for
a production sound company
and several pro audio equipment
manufacturers in the U.K. and
the U.S. during the past 34
years, and is also a musician.
1

Does Audio Matter?

The results suggest that both AV professionals (referred to as AV professionals

below) and professional AV equipment end users (end users) may be aware
of the problems, especially if they live with them daily, yet appear to be largely
unaware of the full range of solutions available to them. Even those who are
aware that noise control solutions exist appear to be generally unfamiliar with
their implementation, efficacy, and cost. Overall, AV professionals do seem
to understand that a better understanding of noise pollution, the underlying
research, and the available solutions present an opportunity that could potentially
bring in more business and increase profits.

Introduction

Worldwide regulations have been put in place to govern excessive noise levels
as a matter of public health and safety, but these regulations are generally not
applicable to environments such as offices, schools, or hospitals. Yet dozens
of studies have indicated that noiseespecially from road traffic, but also from
other environmental sourcescan have very serious health effects, such as

increased stress, irritability, loss of sleep, raised

blood pressure, increased incidence of heart
disease, and reduced performance at work and
school, plus, not surprisingly, hearing impairment.
To offer some examples, a U.S. study measured
noise levels in some hospitals close to 95
dBcomparable to a busy highway, and a level
likely to impede patient recovery and distract
healthcare staff. A German classroom study
found environmental levels of 65 dB, which can
create hearing loss for students, voice problems
for educators, and learning difficulties for those
unable to hear everything the teacher is saying.
In Germany, 3% of myocardial infarctions in
Germany annually have been blamed on road
traffic noise.
Identifying and quantifying the detrimental
effects of noise pollution, such as cognitive
performance, general well-being, and motivation,
are not easy tasks, which is perhaps one
reason why these effects are often ignored. But
while sound is now a matter of public policy in
some areas of the world, in the United States,
environmental noise issues and their related
impact on the economy have not just been
ignored, the agency created to inform the public
about noise pollution has been defunded since
the early 1980s.

Noise Control in the Workplace

From the survey results it appears that very

few end users have implemented noise control
solutions. Further, their appetite for them appears
to lag slightly behind the willingness of AV
professionals to offer and implement them. That
may partly be due to a lack of understanding of
environmental noise issues, but inevitably it also
comes down to cost.
Yet as the survey shows, a healthy percentage of
end users have already installed Ethernet-based
systems of one type or another, systems that
may also be able to offer certain environmental
noise management features, or reduce the
ultimate cost. Potentially, a better understanding
of the problems and the consequences of
noise pollution in the workplace, leading to an
appreciation of the true return on investment,
could boost the bottom line for both AV
professionals and their end user clients.
According to AV professionals, 7.7% of their
clients have already implemented noise control
measuresa relatively low figure considering
that some of the remaining 92.3% of companies
may be losing money through lost work days and
2

Does Audio Matter?

decreased productivity. One AV professional

noted that, with regard to workplace noise
control, The vast majority of people are unaware
that there is good technology available to
improve the situation.
Generally, the number of noise control products
offered by AV professionals to their customers
outstrip the number of customers who request
those products, as indicated in Chart 1.

Chart 1
Noise control type

Offered

Requested

Electronic sound
masking

33.8%
(177)

30%
(157)

Active noise
monitoring/control
(ANC/ANR)

24.2%
(127)

18.7%
(98)

Full-time
background music

49.2%
(258)

40.6%
(213)

Environmental
soundscapes

22.9%
(120)

15.3%
(80)

Auralization of
spaces prior to
construction

19.1%
(100)

10.1%
(53)

Acoustic
consultation and
design services

47.7%
(250)

42%
(220)

Acoustic
treatment and
soundproofing
products

48.1%
(252)

42.9%
(225)

None of the above

15.6%
(82)

14.1%
(74)

As an aside, in this survey, AV professionals

largely underestimated the value that they believe
customers place on a variety of installed audio
system features. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10
being the most important, AV professionals were
asked to rate the importance that their clients
place on a list of factors in an installed audio
system. End users were also asked to rate those
same factors for themselves using the same
scale. For the results, see Chart 2 (next page).
End users placed a higher rating on almost
every factor than AV professionals believed they
do. The one exception was music intelligibility,
which AV professionals believe their customers

Chart 2
Factor

10

Avg.

AV Pros

3.3%

1.5%

6.3%

5.4%

18.2%

End Users

3.5%

1.5%

2.0%

6.0%

15.5%

13%

17.7%

16.4%

5.9%

8.2%

6.32

11.8% 16.8%

18.8%

9.0%

11%

6.71

AV Pros

0.9%

0.6%

0.4%

0.6%

3.2%

0.7%

5.0%

End Users

0.3%

0.8%

1.3%

2.0%

1.5%

3.8%

11.5% 18.8%

57.2%

9.05

7.8%

16.8%

65.4%

9.25

AV Pros

1.1%

1.3%

2.0%

1.7%

5.6%

7.2%

End Users

1.8%

0.8%

2.5%

3.8%

8.3%

5.8%

11.3%

23.8% 16.4%

28.6%

7.98

12.3%

22.8% 16.3%

23.8%

7.70

AV Pros

2.4%

2.8%

6.1%

5.4%

End Users

1.8%

2.3%

5.0%

6.5%

12.1%

11.9% 14.5%

18.4% 10.8%

12.6%

6.72

14.3%

11.3%

14%

12.8% 12.8%

16.8%

6.87

AV Pros

1.3%

0.9%

2.8%

End Users

0.5%

0.3%

1.5%

2.6%

6.9%

9.7%

13%

23.2% 16.2%

20.4%

7.64

2.3%

6.0%

5.3%

16%

20.3% 18.5%

25.8%

8.04

AV Pros

3.2%

2.2%

End Users

3.8%

1.5%

5.2%

5.4%

10.4%

11.7% 14.5%

18.4% 12.6%

13.6%

6.84

5.0%

4.0%

11.5%

10.5% 15.5%

16.3% 10.5%

18.3%

6.96

AV Pros

8.0%

End Users

8.8%

8.6%

10.4%

6.5%

12.3%

12.1% 10.6%

11.7%

6,5%

9.3%

5.58

6.0%

7.0%

7.8%

19.3%

8.5%

8.3%

10.5%

7.3%

12.8%

5.78

AV Pros
End Users

3.0%

1.3%

4.3%

3.9%

10.8%

11.5%

13%

19.1% 13.8%

16.7%

7.11

1.0%

1.3%

2.5%

3.5%

14.3%

8.5%

13%

21.1%

7.42

Maximum sound pressure level

Speech intelligibility

Music intelligibility

Acoustic treatment and soundproofing

Maximum dispersion/coverage

Zoning capabilities

Defined quiet areas

Scalability and upgrade capabilities

value approximately more than end users themselves

indicated in the survey. The final column represents the
average rating between 1 and 10.
Asked if clients would likely implement noise control
measures if they were better informed of the adverse
effects of excessive noise, 41.4% of AV professionals
believed they would, 11.9% said they would not, while
39% were not sure.
Out of a total of 373 end users, when asked if
they would implement noise control measures in
the workplace if the adverse effects of excessive
environmental noise were thoroughly explained to
them, 21.4% said yes, 23.1% no, 45.6% were not
sure, and 9.9% responded that they have already
implemented measures.
Of those 373 end users who responded, the
noise control or similar measures that they have
implemented are listed by percentage and number
of respondents, Chart 3.
Asked if clients would be more likely to implement
noise control measures in the workplace if an installed
Ethernet-based audio system also offered those
features, 34.4% of AV professional respondents said
yes, 13.8% said no, and 49.1% were unsure. The
remainder2.6%reported that their clients have
3

Does Audio Matter?

17%

15.3%

Chart 3
Noise control type
Electronic sound masking

16.1% (60)

Active noise monitoring/control

(ANC/ANR)

7.5% (28)

Full-time background music

20.9% 78)

Environmental soundscapes

9.1% (34)

Acoustic treatment

40.8% (152)

Soundproofing

30% (112)

Ear protectors

12.6% (47)

None of the above

34% (127)

Other

0.5% (2)

already implemented such features; again, a very low

number.
A total of 405 end users listed all of the types of sound
systems that they currently have installed. Of those,
241 respondents indicated which of those systems
are Ethernet-based, by percentage and number of
respondents (Chart 4, next page).
Of those Ethernet-based systems, 30% are on
a separate or standalone network, 32.1% on a
dedicated AV network, and 46.1% share a network
with office or internet traffic.

Chart 4
System type

Installed

Ethernet-based

Background music system

48.4% (196)

32.8% (79)

Paging system

37.5% (152)

24.5% (59)

Work space/desk intercom

25.4% (103)

27.4% (66)

PA system: line array/point source

48.1% (195)

20.7% (50)

PA system: distributed point source

42.7% (173)

20.7% (50)

Portable PA

62% (251)

10.8% (26)

Other

12.3% (50)

14.9% (36)

Video or audio teleconferencing systems accounted for

23% of the 50 other systems. Many of the remainder
of the other responses again fell outside the central
focus of this study.
Background music and paging systems are
wronglyconsidered to increase the environmental
noise, observed one respondent. That observation
appears to be born out by the survey, which
suggests that background music systems are widely
appreciated.

Knowledge = Profit

By a ratio of nearly 2:1 (65.6% versus 34.4%), AV

professionals believe that a better understanding of
the adverse effects of excessive environmental noise
could help their business increase its profits through
increased sales. More knowledge means more sales
and better profits, Anything we can learn about
how sound effects people is of value, and If there
is an opportunity in applying acoustic dampening or
shielding that has data to back it regarding learning
impairment or lost productivity then this helps drive
a sales opportunity, were just some of the positive
responses.
Some of those surveyed are already well aware of the
detrimental effects of noise pollution and have been
doing their part to educate their clients. Several AV
professional respondents specifically noted that a
noisy work environment can have a negative impact on
the workforces satisfaction and therefore productivity.
Reduction in noise pollution increases ability to
concentrate, wrote one AV professional. Bad
psychological effects from noise reduce the workers
productivity. Better productivity, more profit to client,
noted another.
One AV professional reported experiencing the
problem firsthand: I recently worked in a noisy
environment and my company refused to install any
sound proofing so we wouldnt hear the warehouse.
As a result, I had challenges conducting conference
calls or even hearing myself think in my office.
4

Does Audio Matter?

Another AV professional commented that firsthand

experience could be of benefit both to his company
and its salesforce: Not only would understanding, as
well as alleviating, excessive environmental noise help
my companys own employees be more productive,
it would allow us to share this information with clients
and help them make an informed decision.
Some of those AV professionals who have not had
the opportunity to acquire the knowledge needed
to discuss ambient noise control measures with
their clients certainly comprehend that a better
understanding could potentially bring in more revenue.
Our business may be able to charge a more robust
rate for such expertise, wrote one respondent.
Somewhat more altruistically, at least one AV
professional observed that a better understanding
of noise issues could help create better work
environments.
Beyond the profit motive, the potential to increase
customer confidence and trust in their organizations
is also a driving factor behind any willingness for
AV professionals to learn more about noise control.
If the solutions that we offer include newly learned
ideas about the reduction of ambient factors, that
would certainly dazzle [clients] with our expertise and
prowess, wrote one integrator. Who doesnt want to
be the smartest guy in the room?

Environmental Noise Impact and

Regulation

Noise is in the ear of the beholder. One person might

be able to work quite happily while also listening to the
radio, for instance, while a colleague might find even
the whir of a computer distracting. Open-plan spaces
are perfectly acceptable for some people, while others
can only work in the quiet of a private office. The level
of music at a nightclub or concert venue might be fine
for some people, yet others may find it painfully loud.
In urban environments there are various external
noise sources that can prove to be a distraction
in the workplace: road traffic, trains, airplanes,

construction, air conditioning and other building

machinery, dogs barking, school playgrounds
the list goes on. Indoors, things may be no better,
with poor acoustics, badly implemented PA and
intercom systems, manufacturing noise, and even
general office noise, such as phones ringing, office
equipment working away, and people talking, adding
to the din.

established regulations and ordinances for certain

types of noise and, for instance, their duration,
acceptable levels, and the times of day during which
they are permitted. In Los Angeles, as an example,
powered gardening equipment may not be used
between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and construction
equipment may not exceed 75 dB(A) at 50 feet within
500 feet of a residential zone.

National and local governments and agencies

around the world have, over the past 40 years or so,

More importantly, regulations have been put in

place to govern excessive noise levels as a matter

STUDY PARTICIPANTS AND AUDIO SYSTEMS USED

The AV professional community surveyed for this studya
total of 760 respondentsprincipally conduct business in
the U.S. (88.5%), as well as around the world, in Canada
(17.3%), Mexico (11.9%), Central and South American
and the Caribbean (12.8%), Europe (17.5%), Asia/Pacific
(16.3%), Middle East (10.6%), and Africa (8.6%).
The customer segments served by these respondents fall
into 9 basic categories: corporate (48.6%), education/
training services (54.4%), government/military (27%),
healthcare (19.9%), residential (19.5%), hospitality
(15.1%), rental/staging (10.4%), retail (9.8%), and
venues/events (28.1%). The remainder (17.4%) focus on
recording, broadcast and video, cinema, transportation,
and other business segments.
Installs By Audio System Type
AV specialists were asked to indicate what types of audio
systems they have installed during the past 12 months
and which ones they plan to install in the coming year. The
results, by percentage and number of respondents (in
parentheses) out of a total of 515 (Chart 1A).
Of the 95 other responses, audio and/or video
conferencing systems accounted for 24%. The remainder
comprised various installations outside the central focus of
this survey, including residential, cinema sound, recording
studios, and broadcast facilities.
A total of 402 AV professionals responded to a question
asking which of those installed systems are Ethernetbased, and how many of those planned for installation will
be Ethernet-based, illustrated here by percentage and
number of respondents (Chart 1B).
Seven audio and/or video conferencing systems are
included in the other category, as well as voice
evacuation and mass notification systems, conference
room presentation systems, and various streaming
solutions.

Does Audio Matter?

Chart 1A
Last 12
months

Next 12
months

Background music
system

62.9% (324)

42.9% (221)

Paging system

40.8% (210)

28.7% (148)

Work space/desk
intercom

24.9% (128)

18.1% (93)

PA system: line array/

point source

53.2% (274)

39.8% (205)

PA system: distributed
point source

48.5% (250)

39.8% (205)

Portable PA

48.9% (252)

39% (201)

Other

15.3% (79)

11.8% (61)

System type

Chart 1B
Ethernet-based
system type

Already
installed

Plan to
install

Background music
system

45.3% (182)

32.6% (131)

Paging system

29.6% (119)

25.6% (103)

Work space/desk
intercom

19.9% (80)

13.9% (56)

PA system: line
array/point source

29.6% (119)

26.9% (108)

PA system:
distributed point
source

26.9% (108)

26.6% (107)

8% (32)

7.7% (31)

9.7% (39)

7.7% (31)

Portable PA
Other

of public health and safety. But while these typically

address the use of ear protection by airport workers
or the number of hours, or perhaps even minutes,
someone can work in an environment with a specific
sound pressure level, these regulations are generally
not applicable to environments such as offices,
schools, or hospitals.
In schools, high levels of ambient noise prevent
students from hearing the teacher, leading to learning
difficulties. Teachers may find themselves raising their
voices to be heard over the clamor. One U.S. study
discovered that half of the teachers surveyed had
irreversible voice damage. Excessive ambient noise in
healthcare environments have been shown to inhibit
recovery.
In the European Union, in particular, various directives
have been put into place over the past 15 years to
both gather data on and control excessive noise,
following guidelines published by the World Health
Organization (WHO), a United Nations agency
headquartered in Switzerland. A report by WHO
Europe in 2011 estimated that, on average, excessive
environmental noise takes one day off the life of every
adult and child in Europe every year.
The United States Congress passed the Federal Noise
Control Act in 1972 in order to promote the health and
well-being of the populace. The government set up an
Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) within
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which
set about informing the public about the detrimental
effects of excessive noise. In 1981, the White House
decided that noise issues were better left to local
and state governments and cut off Federal funding to
ONAC. The Noise Control Act of 1972 and the Quiet
Communities Act of 1978 are still on the books, but
are currently unfunded.
With no recent history of environmental noise
directives in the U.S. other than OSHAs
recommendations, how would those surveyed
feel about more regulation? When asked if they
would approve local or municipal quality-of-life
regulations governing sound levels in public and
commercial spaces in the United States similar to
those enforced or proposed in Europe, from a total
of 486 respondents, two-fifths (40.5%) stated that
they would approve. One-fifth (20.8%) indicated
that they would not, with almost two-fifths (38.7%)
not sure.
From a total of 579 end users surveyed by this study,
368 indicated similar opinions regarding potential
sound level regulations: 41.3% yes, 20.7% no, and
38% not sure.
6

Does Audio Matter?

Indications of Excessive Environmental

Noise

From the survey it would seem that some respondents

are currently suffering from some of the symptoms
of an excessively noisy workplace. When asked to
identify certain physiological conditions that they have
observed in themselves while in the workplace, or after
returning home from work, 156 end users responded
as follows (Chart 5):

Chart 5
Symptom
Trouble concentrating because of
excessive or distracting ambient noise
Regularly have to raise voice to be
heard by others
Typically hoarse or have a sore throat at
the end of the day
Often have ringing in the ears
Have difficulty hearing

37.8%
(59)
28.8%
(45)
13.5%
(21)
32.7%
(51)
30.1%
(47)

These symptoms are not necessarily solely due to a

noisy work environment, of course. But similar sideeffects of noisy environments have certainly been
noted in studies elsewhere in the world, as reported
by Julian Treasure, chairman of U.K. consultancy The
Sound Agency and an authority on matters of sound
Interestingly, of the reasons given by end users for not
considering noise control in the work environment,
several noted that they were unnecessary because
they worked in classroom environmentstypically
a noisy work environment and a potential threat to
health, according to research by Treasure. Indeed,
a teacher at an adult education center in a suburb of
London, England, was awarded a six-figure settlement
in 2010 after suffering permanent damage to her vocal
cords as a result of having to constantly raise her voice
over the noise of an adjacent schoolyard.

Noise Control Implementation

Challenges

AV professionals reported that, when discussing noise

issues with their clients, expense and the lack of a
return on investment both featured high on the list of
responses, as this table details by percentage and
number of respondents (Chart 6, next page).
Of the end users surveyed, 46% indicated the
perceived cost and lack of a definable ROI as the
#1 reason, and 35% as their #2 reason, for not
considering or implementing ambient noise control
measures.

Chart 6
Customer response
Too expensive

39.3% (184)

Unlikely to produce a return on

investment (ROI)

31.6% (148)

Too complex to consider

17.9% (84)

Not something they would ever

consider

10.5% (49)

Important, just not a priority right now

46.6% (218)

Never discussed noise control m

easures with any clients

21.6% (101)

Not all customers are receptive to discussions regarding

noise control, apparently. Clients in Africa (Angola) only
want loud... louder, wrote one AV professional.

Without the requisite knowledge it can certainly be

difficult for an AV professional to explain the return on
investment to a client for any proposed soundproofing,
acoustic treatment, or electronic solution. But as one
AV specialist observed, Companies will spend money
to improve a problem if they believe it is an actual
problem. They need to be convinced that its a problem,
that the problem costs them money, and that the
solution would actually correct the problem.

A number of the end users surveyed wrote of

bad experiences with noise control solutions.
Respondents described noise control measures
that are hard to implement and of the disruption
during implementation. One stated that he or she
was unlikely to consider such measures having been
burned before. In general, it cant work properly
without acoustic treatment, which is usually bad, wrote
another. Sound masking products sound just like our
HVAC system, reported one end user. Dependability
of the product was reported by one end user as a
reason not to implement noise control.

Several end users who obviously work in noisy

environments bemoaned the fact that their managers
or business owners are unwilling to budget for sound
control or treatment, or else place it low on their list of
priorities. In some cases this is because of a reported
failure to comprehend the detrimental effects of
unnecessary noise on employees.

Somewhat cynically, one end user observed that

one of the reasons that noise control has not been
implemented is that No one has successfully sued
the [organization] on this topic. Of all 390 written
responses only one mentions lack of OSHA or other
guidelines as a factor preventing implementation of
noise control measures.

One AV professional reported that customers have a

disbelief in increase in productivity that can result
from noise control. As various others also observed,
Customers do not understand why this is an issue,
Many clients are unaware of the financial loss of having
excessive environmental noise, and Many owners/
managers dont perceive it to be a serious problem.

Architectural Acoustic Challenges

Other

6.2% (29)

Even when the will and the budget are there, the timing
may be wrong. Project too far along once AV specialist
is involved, explained one AV professional. Unless
contractors take it up at the construction stage it would
be very difficult to handle environmental noise, and that
doesnt seem to be happening, commented another.
Sometimes the customer will go to a source outside the
AV industry: Chose to go with system from furniture
supplier, reported one AV professional.
Its impossible to say whether those end users who
wrote that they have no environmental noise issues
truly dont or if they are simply unaware of them. Of
course, anyone surveyed who works in entertainment,
hospitality, and certain other environments, including
7

industrial locations, encounters a certain level and

duration of noise on a daily basis. Noise control is
not desirable in every environment, either. We work
in an industry where excessive noise is preferred,
wrote one end user. Another noted that they would
not implement noise control because we promote
excitement in our casino environment.

Does Audio Matter?

Understanding the effects of ambient noise can help an

AV professional develop the right design for a clients
specific application. Installing systems where noise
is a factor is key to making sure that the components
are well suited to the environment. Just because it
makes noise does not mean it will be clear or intelligible
in a loud area such as a mall or a foyer, wrote one
respondent.
One beneficial side effect of the methods by which
intelligible speech may be more reliably delivered,
such as acoustic treatment of excessively reverberant
spaces, can be a reduction in overall noise levels
which is not a bad thing. As noted in an earlier
table, 40.8% of end users reported that they have
employed acoustic treatment, with 30% implementing
soundproofing, to help control noise in their
workplaces.
Several of those surveyed suggested that some architects
put aesthetics before acoustics. One AV professional
wrote that noise control can be architecturally

displeasing, another that measures were not

implemented because the decor would have been
disturbed. One integrator wrote, Architects and clients
never take into account the room; all they care about is
how it looks. Another wrote, So many architects design
buildings with open ceilings [and] flat surfaces, without
considering acoustics, or any AV equipment, for that
matter. One respondent complained that uncooperative
architects and engineers can be a challenge. Architect
or outside expert thinks this is BS, wrote another,
explaining why customers have chosen not to consider
noise control solutions.

systems. In the U.S., with UL 2752, and in Europe,

with EN 54, voice communication is an integral part
of mass notification system standards. Specific sound
design can be beneficial to those within earshot, and
not just because their lives might potentially be saved
by hearing an alarm. As Biamp discovered when the
company conducted research in the U.K. in 2011, 35%
of respondents believed that instructions delivered by an
audio voiceover system would make them feel calmer in
an emergency. Not to belabor the point, but improved
intelligibility and controlled noise levels can effectively
save lives, in both the short and long term.

In some environments electronic noise control may

be the only practical solution. Sometimes, buildings
of historical significancesome churches, for
examplemay not be physically altered in any way.
I deal exclusively with small to very small church
environments and not disturbing the decor is of more
importance to most of the churches than acoustics,
which is why they call me, wrote one AV professional.
Any buildings architectural design, the fact that a
business is in a rented space, and numerous other
factors can also militate against certain physical
acoustic treatments.

Sometimes, speech intelligibly can also be a bad thing.

Happily, noise control measures such as sound masking
and ambient soundscapes can help alleviate the
problem in, for example, open-plan work environments.

Noise Control and Speech Intelligibility

Several AV professionals noted the fact that a better

understanding of noise control issues inevitably leads
to overall improved sound quality. As one noted, The
lower the noise floor, the more clarity and speech
intelligibility is achieved. Another wrote, The interest
and need for higher quality sound systems and
installations would most likely increase as a result of
implementing noise controls.
These days, speech intelligibility is well understood
to be of paramount importance in almost any sound
system. Asked to rank the importance of a host of
features and capabilities in an installed sound system
on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 as the most important,
65.4% of end users gave speech intelligibility a 10.
No other factor came close: 23.8% ranked music
intelligibility as a 10 and 25.8% gave maximum
dispersion/coverage a 10.
The recent evolution of audio technologyespecially
DSP and speaker designhas generally brought
speech intelligibility to the fore in almost any system.
Of course, music intelligibility goes hand-in-hand with
speech intelligibility, to a large extent, since the similar
frequency range of the vocal content demands clarity
in either application.
Speech intelligibility is also inextricably tied to
emergency communication systems in many audio
8

Does Audio Matter?

There was a classic study published in the British Journal

of Psychology in August 1998 that employed three
experiments to test the effects of background noise on
workers in open-plan offices. The results of the research
indicated that both speech and office noise can be
disruptive; in fact, an individuals productivity can decrease
by as much as 66%. The Sound Agency reported
that, from its experience, sound masking technology,
when implemented in an office environment, can help
employees increase concentration by as much as 46%
and improve short-term memory accuracy by 10%.
Another U.K. study, from 1979, discovered that loud
noise decreased reading speeds and increased errors
when proofreading. Further, stress hormone levels
were increased and test participants were less willing
to engage with others. Loud noise produced greater
feelings of dysphoria, skepticism, and deactivation
and was accompanied by reports of lower efficiency,
euphoria, and activation than was soft noise, according
to a summary of the experiments.
The Sound Agency has also conducted a number of
experiments with soundscapes in retail environments,
including one at a major U.K. airport and another at a
leading bank in Colombia. A generative soundscape
(ever-changing and randomized) of natural sounds and
music reportedly increased retail sales by 10% at the
airport, while also reducing stress among travelers.
At the bank, a relaxing soundscape apparently drove
customer satisfaction beyond 90% and doubled new
business conversion.

In Conclusion

Whether in their private or business lives, or both,

everybody is affected by noise. While much of the
debate and public policy relating to noise pollution is
directed at the outdoor urban environment, a host of

solutions do exist to address some of those issues

within the built environment.
The results of this survey appear to show that
there is a decent level of awareness of the
direct impact of environmental noise issues,
even though there may be less understanding
of the broader, indirect economic and health
consequences. AV professionalsintegrators,
consultants, and the likehave an opportunity
going forward to educate themselves and their
end user clients in order to not only grow their
businesses and profits but also make the work
environment a better place.
In short, noise has associated costs that should
be considered when calculating the ROI of an
installed sound system, in almost any application
or environment. There are health and social
benefits from controlling noise pollution, to be
sure, but some of those benefits, especially in the
form of increased productivity, can go straight to
the customers bottom linesomething that is
worth pointing out to the client when discussing
issues of environmental noise control.
It appears, too, that certain noise control solutions
might cost end users less than they suspect.
There seems to be a significant installed base of
Ethernet-enabled sound systems, for example,
that might be easily and economically upgraded
offering another business opportunity to AV
professionals.
There is a groundswell of interest in issues
associated with acoustic pollution worldwide
(in some countries more than others) not least
because of some of the synergies between
noise abatement and matters of sustainability
and urban development, in addition to well-being
and efficiency. As a result, there is no shortage
of literature and information available for anyone
willing and interested in educating themselves on
the issues in order to better inform their clients,
and, as we have seen from this study, potentially
build their business and increase their profits.

Does Audio Matter?

About Systems Contractor

News and AV Technology
For more than a decade, Systems Contractor
News (SCN) has lead the systems integration
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information, please email Joe Braue at jbraue@
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About Biamp Systems

Biamp Systems is a leading provider of innovative,
networked media systems that power the worlds
most sophisticated audio/video installations. The
company is recognized worldwide for delivering
high-quality products and backing each product
with a commitment to exceptional customer
service. The award-winning Biamp product
suite includes the Tesira media system for
digital audio networking, Audia Digital Audio
Platform, Nexia digital signal processors,
Sona AEC technology, and Vocia Networked
Public Address and Voice Evacuation System.
Each has its own specific feature set that can
be customized and integrated in a wide range of
applications, including corporate boardrooms,
conference centers, performing arts venues,
courtrooms, hospitals, transportation hubs,
campuses, and multi-building facilities.