Acoustics vs. Soundproofing: Why Both Are Essential in Commercial Spaces

Minimize Distractions & Echoes in Your Workplace 

Your workplace may look great and feel comfortable – but how does it sound? Sound is an often-overlooked component in creating a successful work environment. If voices are echoing off the conference room walls – or carried across the entire office – your staff may end up feeling distracted and frustrated.

Soundproofing and acoustics are two terms often used interchangeably, but both offer very different solutions for sound. Tactics like installing absorptive panels or a sound masking system can help balance the sound in your commercial space.

So, what is the difference between acoustics and soundproofing, and what can both offer your Plano, TX business? We share all you need to know below. And to get started with sound masking solutions, contact Texadia Systems here to discuss your business’s needs.

SEE ALSO: How Does Office Sound Masking Work?

Acoustic Treatments: Absorbing Sound

Acoustic materials don’t eliminate distracting noises, but they do balance sound levels and fix echoing spaces. Long rooms with tall ceilings or glass walls often experience reverberation. If you’ve ever held video calls in an echoing room, you know how frustrating it can be!  

Soft, thick materials on walls, doors, floors, and even ceilings will absorb excessive sound waves bouncing around the room. Diffusion is another acoustic treatment method that scatters sound rather than absorbs it. Geometric fixtures and surfaces like brick walls or bookshelves can help reduce echoes this way.

Soundproofing: Blocking Sound

Acoustic treatments make interiors sound better, but they won’t prevent conversations from seeping through walls. If you want to soundproof a room, you need to block sound rather than absorb it. To block noise, you will need thicker material than foam such as sheetrock and vinyl installed within the walls.

But if you’d rather not open up your office walls, there’s another way to provide privacy in your office. Sound masking uses strategically placed speakers that play ambient background noise. It may sound counterintuitive, but by adding sound to the space, rooms will feel much quieter.

What does sound masking sound like? Some would compare the noise to a constant airflow. With a multi-room speaker system playing sound masking audio, any conversation or noise will become muffled into the background. In fact, any sound over fifteen feet away will fade out of earshot. As a result, your staff will be able to focus on their work and engage in conversations without feeling like everyone’s eavesdropping.  

Commercial Sound Solutions in North Texas

Could your business benefit from acoustic treatments or sound masking solutions? Texadia Systems installs custom sound solutions for businesses across Dallas-Fort Worth and the Plano area. Contact us here to get started today.