If you’re like me, you like to know what things are, how they work, but not every detail. That’s why this is sound masking for dummies- I’m not an engineer or even a salesman. I just write blogs about stuff I like. So, without further ado, let’s get going.
What is sound masking?
Well, let’s start with what white noise is. Simply put, white noise is the use of all the different sounds on the spectrum so that the brain tunes out unwanted sounds. It’s like being on a road trip and the sound of the car just driving tunes out the annoying beeps of your little brother’s game boy, or whatever newer, cooler toy he has these days. So, basically, sound masking is white noise on steroids, but in a legal, good way, mind you.
How does sound masking work?
An emitter from a sound masking system.
Sound masking is the application of white noise to a big area, such as a conference room, board room, or doctor’s office, or even an entire suite of offices, through speakers. You can limit who and what is treated by using zones.
It seems to me the best kind of sound masking is direct-field technology. Like most things, the more direct a product is, the better. Sound masking is no exception. With direct-field technology, the speakers are installed in the ceiling tiles themselves, thus providing the best and most uniform coverage out there.
Why would I want Sound Masking?
Well, sound masking helps you regain the 2 hours a day each of your workers lose due to distraction. If they aren’t privy to every conversation around them, chances are they’ll stay focused better. In fact, many workers themselves complain about office noise, reporting that having a less distracting work place would boost productivity.
Additionally, sound masking provides speech privacy. Now, sound masking does not just blare out noise that deafens everyone to the point of not hearing anything at all. Instead, it offers a low background noise that renders other noises unintelligible according to the speech privacy index. Thus, if you need confidentiality or just prefer privacy, sound masking is a sure bet.
Lastly, many sound masking systems offer additional features, such as paging and music.
So, if you’re concerned about improving your own or your employees’ productivity, or you need confidentiality, sound masking is a step in the right direction.