Active Noise Cancellation
An effect similar to what we described above (the Sono system) may someday be achieved by an active noise cancellation system. Acoustic engineers from the Technical University of Berlin offer to dampen user-selected street sounds inside the frame using compact loudspeakers mounted between the glass frames.
German experts believe that their system can be used not only in residential and administrative buildings, but also in cars and aircraft.
At the moment, the system is under development, so more detailed information on it is not available.
Electronic jammers
Our musical preferences do not always coincide with the tastes of our neighbors. Loud music or a "screaming" TV is the scourge of many apartment buildings. One likes - everyone listens. And if the neighbors are also fans of karaoke, the problem becomes even more acute. Alas, unfortunately, these “musical” people do not always adequately respond to requests to “make it quieter”. Well, if it is not possible to agree “in a good way”, and the nerves are already at the limit, one has to take radical measures. And for this it is not necessary to involve law enforcement agencies.
Such a device can be either purchased or made by yourself. On the Internet you can find a lot of schemes, following which you can make these electronic jammers. Schemes can be both simple and quite complex, but the principle of their work is essentially the same.
Areas of application for sound masking systems
Sound masking systems can be used not only in noisy office environments. This solution helps some retail stores. The noise level in the trading floors often makes people feel uncomfortable, they try to leave the uncomfortable place as soon as possible and do not even make the purchases they planned. At a normal noise level, people, on the contrary, linger longer. Even for unique malls where stores attract customers with loud music and barkers (such malls are popular in Japan), there is a problem of a clear boundary between external advertising noise and a comfortable shopping area.
There are other enterprises where the installation of sound masking is necessary: banks, pharmacies, car dealerships, hospitals. In these places, privacy is important. Such systems are also relevant for hotels, spas.
One of the leaders in the global market for noise control in the office is Cambridge Sound Management. Through its distributors, the company offers in Russia some of the most advanced sound masking solutions for premises of various purposes and areas. For example, the Qt 100, Qt 300 and Qt 600 range of sound masking systems are designed to be placed in rooms with an area of 1115 sq. m, 3345 sq. m and 6689 sq. m respectively.
Dedicated Cambridge Sound Management app allows you to plan and adjust masking noise for different areas
The equipment is easy to mount, can be installed anywhere, provides many settings. Solutions differ in area coverage and the number of zones created with different settings. For example, there may be three zones with settings for the office and two guest zones. Thus, Cambridge Sound Management systems effectively suppress noise in rooms for various purposes.
There is a separate solution for conference rooms Qt Conference Room Edition. One of its main purposes is to create a private environment during meetings. Direct sound field technology adds low-level background sound outside the conference room. Background audio is optimized to mask human speech, making it less intelligible to unwanted listeners.
The Qt Conference Room system enables sound masking in the conference room at the push of a button
Sound masking installed in the office protects employees from unnecessary noise, increases their efficiency and, ultimately, improves the financial performance of the enterprise. Already today, such systems are becoming the standard in the modern workspace in the offices of American and European companies.
Sound masking noise in an open office
Modern office space is most often organized as an open space with several dozen employees in one office (open space). In such offices, it is rarely possible to maintain an acceptable noise level for work. Therefore, sound masking is needed, which adds a barely audible background noise to the room, similar to a breath of wind or the sound of foliage. The brain cannot localize such sounds, that is, they are part of the environment, hiding extraneous sounds and, of course, voices. To the human ear, masking noise appears to be a natural sound and does not cause discomfort.
Masking noise is propagated throughout the workspace through a network of loudspeakers, usually mounted under the ceiling. Once installed, the system must be set up by a technician who calibrates the performance of the speakers and controller depending on the condition of the room and the level of noise pollution. Incorrect installation can reduce system performance by 50%.
The main advantage of sound masking systems is the easy installation of ceiling speakers
Noise suppression device in Sono apartment
This system was developed by the Austrian industrial designer Rudolf Stefanich. Sono is based on the same technology that is used in headphones. This small device is attached to the window with special suction cups and absorbs most of the extraneous sounds coming from the street.
The set of the device consists of a microphone, speaker and built-in processor. Pressed against the glass, the speaker uses it as a resonator and reproduces sounds in antiphase.
Why is this needed? Very simple. You can, for example, block the noise of cars and municipal equipment, but set the device to skip the sounds of birds chirping and the rustling of leaves.
In addition, the Sono system itself will be able to reproduce a variety of pleasant sounds: the singing of whales, the rustle of the forest, the sound of the surf, and the like.
In 2013, this concept project made it to the finals of the James Dyson Award. Unfortunately, it is not possible to buy this device now, since Sono exists only as a prototype.
At the moment, the author of the system is looking for investors to launch the device into mass production.
How to silence an apartment
Replacement
doors and windows
This method is the most effective in eliminating street noise. In order not to hear the sounds of traffic, the voices of people or animals, replace your windows with double or triple glazing. Try to purchase high-quality windows of proven brands so as not to purchase fakes that will not help you eliminate the problem of excessive noise in the apartment.
Soundproof windows are now commercially available, which will also help you with soundproofing. Use the advice of relatives and friends or read reviews about the products of specific manufacturers before making a choice in favor of a particular one.
When replacing front doors, give preference to massive
views, and it is best to install double front doors. Thus, one of
you can upholster them with soundproofing material, which is an additional
means of soundproofing the apartment. Do not forget to also beat the threshold with a sealant along
the entire perimeter. Thus, you can protect your home from strangers.
sounds coming from the entrance.
Wall soundproofing
This method will help to greatly reduce the sounds coming from neighboring apartments. First of all, you need to eliminate all cracks and cracks, even the smallest ones, since they are excellent conductors of extraneous sounds. However, this stage is only a preparatory stage before the actual soundproofing of the walls, which may include:
- Self-adhesive membranes, which create a physical barrier to extraneous sounds, are a fairly thin, but at the same time durable canvas that can be applied to various wall coverings and in rooms of any type. The material is very easy to use and install, and does not require the use of additional tools. Due to its thinness, it is perfect for small spaces, as it does not take up space when applied to walls.
- Composite boards made of mineral or synthetic materials, or panels equipped with a layer of sound-absorbing material. Their application requires preliminary installation of a special metal frame. Installing this type of soundproofing requires special skills and tools. It should be noted that such materials occupy a much larger area of the room than soundproof membranes.
It is recommended to combine the above options
soundproofing walls to achieve maximum results in getting rid of
extraneous noise in the apartment.
Soundproofing the ceiling
The sounds coming from the ceiling from the neighbors are the most
loud noise. That is why mandatory sound insulation of the flow in
combinations with soundproofing walls. At the same time, preference should be given to
lighter materials so that they do not peel off under the weight
own weight. However, given the steppe loudness of the noise penetrating into
apartment through the ceiling, it is worth noting that for its effective absorption
requires the use of sufficiently dense materials that are mounted on the ceiling
using frame structures. This is also due to the security measures
as it prevents the falling of materials attached to the ceiling surface.
The most popular soundproofing board materials
ceiling is multi-layered cardboard and quartz sand, which have
large enough mass. For this reason, they are attached to a metal
frame, pre-installed on the ceiling, using self-tapping screws.
Fastening to the frame is also due to the fact that when installing the plates
directly to the ceiling with dowels, you will have to make holes in
the ceiling itself, the presence of which can only aggravate the situation with incoming
outside noise.
Deliverance
from noise in the apartment with the help of improvised means
As it became clear from the above material, in order to
in order to resist sounds penetrating into the apartment from the outside, it is required
increase in wall thickness. So, this can be done with cabinet furniture,
attached close to the walls. It can be wardrobes with clothes or racks with
books.
A large number of textiles in the apartment also
help to deal with noise. Carpets, carpeting, thick curtains and curtains on the windows,
soft headboards - all this will help you not only create comfort in the house,
but also to eliminate unwanted extraneous sounds in the apartment.
What determines the degree of noise absorption
The ability of silencers to effectively eliminate sound vibrations depends on several factors that must be considered when installing this equipment:
- From the size of the device. The standard dimensions that this fixture has can be 60 cm, 90 cm and 1m 20 cm, /
- From the thickness and location of the soundproofing layer.
- From the speed of air movement.The best performance in eliminating aerodynamic sound vibrations is shown at low airflow speeds.
- From the location of the noise suppressor. The closer it is to the fan, the better the sound insulation in the ducts.
