| In today's economy, more and more office managers | | | | the speakers above the ceiling become more acute. |
| are looking for ways to boost their business. While we | | | | Enter the second, new method of sound masking: the |
| can't drop sales in your lap, we can offer a solution | | | | direct-field system. Direct-field systems were designed |
| that keeps your employees on top of your business | | | | to overcome the acoustic challenges above while at |
| instead of in everyone else's business. | | | | the same time, take advantage of the advances in |
| A sound masking system is an ideal solution in any | | | | speaker technology. As a result, most major sound |
| new or existing building - its sole purpose is to prevent | | | | masking suppliers now carry some form of direct-field |
| distractions from sidetracking your employees. So, | | | | system. |
| how does it work? | | | | Getting a little direction |
| There are two methods of masking sound in office | | | | With a direct-field sound masking system, your facility |
| environments. First is the indirect field method, also | | | | will get the most uniform sound-masking available with |
| known as "above-ceiling" masking. This type was | | | | maximum result and minimum hassle. That's because |
| developed in the 1960s and has remained largely | | | | direct field technology (as its name implies) is installed |
| unchanged in terms of how it works. Large | | | | directly in the acoustic ceiling, rather than above the |
| loudspeakers are mounted above the suspended | | | | ceiling. This placement allows your facility to have the |
| ceiling in a grid pattern, and blast unstructured sound | | | | advantage of being pre-tuned to the most effective |
| upward at the concrete deck above. It works on the | | | | spectrum. This is possible since the sound is emitted |
| theory that by bouncing the sound around, it will | | | | directly into the treated space without interference. |
| overcome the sound uniformity problems inhernet in | | | | Direct-field technology also allows you to get more |
| the speaker technology of the 1960s. Because of such | | | | effective masking at a lower volume. With a good |
| drawbacks, such systems required extensive tuning by | | | | direct-field system, you'll be able to set the volume to |
| acoustic professionals. Today, such systems face | | | | 48 dB for maximum speech privacy, confident that the |
| many of the same difficulties. As ceiling spaces | | | | precision of uniformity will afford your employees a |
| become more filled with network cables, HVAC ducts, | | | | comfortable and pleasant work space with far fewer |
| and other materials, the acoustic challenges of putting | | | | distractions. |