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What Is Sound Masking?

September 13, 2011 By

What is white noise?

You can have sound masking without white noise.  Very simply, white noise is the use of all the different sounds on the spectrum so that the brain tunes out unwanted sounds.  It’s like when a nearby conversation is drowned out by running water as you do dishes.  The conversation is still happening, but you’re not as aware of it because of a quiet sound around you.

How does sound masking work?

An emitter from a sound masking system.

Sound masking was born out of the idea that office noise and sound leaks don’t have to be tolerated as part of the job or building.  Rather, there is a whole philosophy of sound masking: the ABCs.  When dealing with noise problems, you an absorb sound, block it, or cover it.  While they work well together, the most effective tool is covering, or using white noise via sound masking systems.

A sound masking system is the use of white noise through speakers or emitters in the ceiling tiles themselves with specific zones.  This type of system is called direct-field technology because the speakers are installed directly in the ceiling tiles , thus providing the best and most uniform coverage out there.

Why Would a Facility 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 needconfidentiality, sound masking is a  step in the right direction.

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Reduce Stress and Boost Productivity with Sound Masking

February 7, 2011 By

Did you know that the average worker loses two hours of productive work each day due to distractions in the office? There are constant conversations buzzing around them – the person in the next cubical is on the phone; the water cooler talk is almost always present; and the discussion between two co-workers in the hall is louder than they realize. Even at their most productive times, they are wasting energy and time trying not to hear all the noise around them. Businesses around the country are installing office-wide sound masking systems to increase privacy and productivity among their employees.

What is sound masking?

Sound masking seeks to “mask” unnecessary sounds with the use of white noise. White noise is sound, or noise, created from all the frequencies in the audible spectrum; it is named after white light which is created from all the colors in the visible spectrum. With today’s technology, white noise is specifically focused on the specifically on the frequency range of human speech.

The first question that comes to mind is how adding noise helps people concentrate better. A great illustration is a flash light in a dark room. Imagine you are in a dark room and someone across the room is randomly blinking a flashlight at you. The flashlight is very distracting and even irritating. But what happens if you turn on the overhead lights? Now you hardly notice the flashlight; the overhead lights have covered, or masked, the smaller light of the flashlight.

Sound masking works on a similar principle. By adding general white noise, similar to the gentle “whooshing” sound of a fan or an AC unit, you hardly notice the distracting sounds around you.

Why use sound masking?

This technology is used all over the U.S. to improve privacy and productivity – at government agencies, medical facilities and standard office buildings. Sound masking has incredible advantages for any office setting, and especially in open floor plans with cubicles. Here are some of the top benefits:

  • Less distraction at work: By masking conversations and excess noise, the average worker can be up to 25% more productive with their work hours. Sound masking installed in the entire office space will benefit the entire office.
  • Improved privacy and confidentiality: Many office situations need confidentiality – human resources, government services, medical facilities, counseling, and many more. Sound masking significantly improves privacy and confidentiality throughout an entire office. It uses white noise to make human speech unintelligible to those beyond the immediate conversation.
  • Decreased stress for workers: Most of us are not aware of the stress we experience from trying to block excess noise around us. Think about trying to write an important email, or work through a complicated problem, all the while there is a noise, maybe a conversation or a horn honking, that is trying to gain your attention.  According to a study by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), even a small acoustic treatment can reduce worker stress by more than 25%.

The appropriate use of white noise in a work place, even on an individual scale, can lower stress and increase concentration by masking background conversations and noise. Quality office-wide, sound masking provides effective privacy and confidentiality, while decreasing office distractions.

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The Benefits of Office Sound Masking

November 24, 2010 By

Since this is a blog dedicated to all things related to office sound masking, it makes sense to briefly describe the benefits of it.

Sound masking is a fancy term used to describe the coverage of office noises and conversational distractions.  Sound masking often involves white noise, which is low-level sound specifically created to cover other noises (particularly people speaking). Though usually not louder than an air conditioner, the smooth noise created by such a system is just loud enough to replace rougher sounds like people talking on the phone or to each other, electronic noises, and others potentially distracting sounds that impede productive work. How is this possible?  Since white noise is more consistent and regular than the background noise, it is easier to ignore, so employees can tune it out and get back to work.

Voice Arrest System

This use of white noise can be found in 2 main products: an individual sound machine or a sound masking system.  Individual machines are designed to block out sounds coming into a single cubicle, whereas larger units, or systems, consist of a central control unit, with speakers placed throughout the office. Both systems are effective, and choosing which unit is up to the office manager or the employee.

The installation of a sound masking system in a workplace usually eliminates a variety of problems, including loss of productivity and even privacy leaks.  Consequently the investment will pay for itself with higher profits.

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5 Myths about White Noise

February 24, 2010 By

White Noise & Sound Masking

Many blogs, websites, and companies suggest the use of white noise to aid in covering distracting office noise.  White noise (and its super-power brother, sound masking) have many fans and these systems are being installed nation-wide, resulting in less time lost to distraction, and therefore more productivity.  There are even free white noise generators for the individual worker.  However, as is true for all things, white noise and sound making have their cynics, too. I thought it was time to dispel some of the myths about both:

The truth about white noise and sound masking

1. White noise is not actually “white” in that it does not have an infinite band-width.  Usually when people refer to “white noise” they are actually describing pink noise.

2.  You do not have to crank white noise or sound masking systems – they are used to add low-level background sound to a distracting area (see #3).

White noise is only beneficial if used properly (ie at low-levels).

For example, when I was vacuuming this morning, the loudness of the vacuum drowned out my children’s noise.  However pleasant it was not to hear them bicker was counteracted by the annoying loudness of the vacuum itself.   However, the quiet hum of my electric tea kettle was enough noise to cover my kids’ fight, but not so loud I was irritated with its own sound.

3.  Similarly, the purpose of white noise is not to overwhelmingly drown out competing noises, but to neutralize them to an unintelligible level on the Privacy Index, thus rendering them non-issues in terms of privacy, peace of mind, or productivity.  (That was a nice use of alliteration there, I must say)

4.  Sound masking it not noise cancellation. Sound-masking covers sound, it does not cancel it.

5.  Covering sound is not your only option for acoustic treatments.  You can also absorb or block sound (These 3 options are often referred to as the ABC’s).  Most sound masking companies are the first to admit that it is usually a combination of the ABC’s that yields the best results.  However, they will also quickly point out that covering techniques (sound masking) gives you the most bang for your buck out of the 3.

Hope that helps clear up any confusion on what white noise and sound masking are and how they work.

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