Why Those Sounds From Your Upstairs Neighbor Are So Annoying #ASA183

Why Those Sounds From Your Upstairs Neighbor Are So Annoying #ASA183

Laboratory experiments and online surveys seek to understand what characteristics make an impact noise irritating

Media Contact:
Ashley Piccone
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 6, 2022 – Most people have suffered through a noisy neighbor. Whether it’s the constant stomping of feet or the thump from dropping something, these sounds, known as “impact sounds”, are one of the main causes for complaints in multi-unit residential buildings and can negatively impact occupants’ health and work.

The team recorded impact sounds of objects dropping and people walking. Using different playback techniques and virtual reality, they presented the recordings to study participants to see what makes a sound annoying. Credit: Markus Müller-Trapet

In his presentation, “Noise from above: A summary of studies regarding the perceived annoyance due to impact sounds,” Markus Mueller-Trapet, of the National Research Council of Canada, will describe a series of experiments designed to simulate and measure the perceived annoyance experienced from a noisy neighbor. The presentation will take place on Dec. 6 at 11:05 a.m. Eastern U.S. in the Summit A room, as part of the 183rd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America running from Dec. 5-9 at the Grand Hyatt Nashville Hotel.

According to Mueller-Trapet, long-term exposure to such unwanted sounds may potentially lead to cardiovascular problems and sleep disturbance. With the increased population density of urban areas over the last decades and the rise of working from home in early 2020, he believes the topic has become even more relevant.

Mueller-Trapet and an international team of researchers wanted to find the connection between standardized laboratory measurements and the perceived annoyance of a sound from impact sources.

They provided a living room-like situation and recorded impact sounds of objects dropping and people walking. Using different playback techniques and virtual reality, they presented the recordings to study participants. In addition to laboratory experiments, the group created an online survey to expand their sample. The survey will run from November 21, 2022 until March 31, 2023.

Impact sounds are impulsive, meaning that they consist of one or more almost distinct sounds of short duration. This likely makes impact sounds more annoying in general than continuous sounds, such as music or speech. Results suggest that the thudding sounds created by people walking barefoot are not captured by the current standardized performance metrics that are used in building codes. The challenge facing the research team is to integrate this new information with the existing metrics.

By continuing this work, the international research team hopes to provide guidance to architects and building code developers and make progress toward a more livable built environment.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL22&proof=true

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are 300 to 500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org.  For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

Room Design Considerations for Optimal Podcasting

Madeline Didier – mdidier@jaffeholden.com

Jaffe Holden, 114-A Washington Street, Norwalk, CT, 06854, United States

Twitter: @JaffeHolden
Instagram: @jaffeholden

Popular version of 1aAA2-Podcast recording room design considerations and best practices, presented at the 183rd ASA Meeting.

Podcast popularity has been on the rise, with over two million active podcasts as of 2021. There are countless options when choosing a podcast to listen to, and unacceptable audio quality will cause a listener to quickly move on to another option. Poor acoustics in the space where a podcast was recorded are noticeable even by an untrained ear, and listeners may hear differences in room acoustics without even seeing a space. Podcasters use a variety of setups to record episodes, ranging from closets to professional recording spaces. One trend is recording spaces that feel comfortable and look aesthetically pleasing, more like living rooms rather than radio stations.

Figure 1: Podcast studio with a living room aesthetic. Image courtesy of The Qube.

A high-quality podcast recording is one that does not capture sounds other than the podcaster’s voice. Unwanted sounds include noise from mechanical systems, vocal reflections, or ambient noise such as exterior traffic or people in a neighboring room. Listen to the examples below.

More ideal recording conditions:
Media courtesy of Home Cooking Podcast, Episode: Kohlrabi – Turnip for What

Less ideal recording conditions:
Media courtesy of The Birding Life Podcast, Episode 15: Roberts Bird Guide Second Edition

The first example is a higher quality recording where the voices can be clearly heard. In the second example, the podcast guest is not recording in an acoustically suitable room. The voice reflects off the wall surfaces and detracts from the overall quality and listener experience.

Every room design project comes with its own challenges and considerations related to budget, adjacent spaces, and expected quality. Each room may have different design needs, but best practice recommendations for designing a podcasting room remain the same.

Background noise: Mechanical noise should be controlled so that you cannot hear HVAC systems in a recording. Computers and audio interfaces should ideally be located remotely so that noises, such as computer fans, are not picked up on the recording.
Room shape: Square room proportions should be avoided as this can cause room modes, or buildup of sound energy in spots of the room, creating an uneven acoustic environment.
Room finishes: Carpet is ideal for flooring, and an acoustically absorptive material should be attached to the wall(s) in the same plane as the podcaster’s voice. Wall materials should be 1-2” thick. Ceiling materials should be acoustically absorptive, and window glass should be angled upward to reduce resonance within the room.
Sound isolation: Strategies for improving sound separation may include sound rated doors or standard doors with full perimeter gaskets, sound isolation ceilings, and full height wall constructions with insulation and multiple layers of gypsum wallboard.

In the example below, the podcast studio (circled) is strategically located at the back of a dedicated corridor for radio and podcasting. It is physically isolated from the main corridor, creating more acoustical separation. Absorptive ceiling tile (not shown) and 2” thick wall panels help limit vocal reflections, and background noise is controlled.

Podcast recording room within a radio and podcasting suite. Image courtesy of BWBR and RAMSA.Figure 2: Podcast recording room within a radio and podcasting suite. Image courtesy of BWBR and RAMSA.

While the challenges for any podcast room may differ, the acoustical goals remain the same. With thoughtful consideration of background noise, room shape, finishes, and sound isolation, any room can support high-quality podcast recording.

Making Racetrack Noise Bearable with Acoustics

Making Racetrack Noise Bearable with Acoustics

Best strategy for neighborhood harmony is diplomatic with mathematical modeling

Media Contact:
Larry Frum
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

DENVER, May 23, 2022 – Although racetracks can be fun for communities, they usually come with very high levels of noise that can sour nearby neighborhoods to the experience.

During the 182nd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Bonnie Schnitta, from SoundSense LLC, will discuss her efforts to reduce the noise in a Michigan neighborhood from a nearby raceway. The session, “Actions and mathematical modeling that will bring noise levels from a racetrack or raceway to a level the community will accept,” will take place May 23 at 11:05 a.m. Eastern U.S. at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.

Raceways can produce noise from many kinds of vehicles, such as race cars, street race cars, racing motorcycles, go-karts, monster trucks, and cheering spectators. Schnitta and her team examined several different types of barriers, including berms, acoustic barriers, or dense foliage, to block that noise from reaching surrounding houses and businesses.

“We have found that using a berm at a safe distance from the raceway track is the most economical method, although an acoustic collapsible barrier works well too,” said Schnitta. “It typically takes a 200-foot depth of foliage to equal one acoustic fence or berm.”

The team mathematically modeled a Michigan raceway, paying special attention to sections of the track where vehicles typically accelerate, producing the most noise. From there, the sound was mitigated with strategically placed berms. The goal was to reduce the sound heard in the surrounding neighborhood to at most 5 decibels above background levels.

Schnitta said the most effective solution to raceway noise might even be social in nature. The raceway made an agreement with a nearby church to suspend operations during the services in combination with acoustic treatment and said the best strategy is diplomatic with the mathematical-driven solution set used in the discussion.

“I have found that no matter what the noise problem is, if there is a civil conversation between the source of the noise and the receiver, an agreeable outcome comes more quickly,” said Schnitta. “Sometimes, a simple offer of free admission to see what all the ‘noise’ is about can make a difference.”

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
USEFUL LINKS
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eventpilotadmin.com/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING22
Press Room: https://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/

WORLDWIDE PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Worldwide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay language papers, which are 300 to 500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at https://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
We will grant free registration to credentialed journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, staff at media@aip.org can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

1pAA1 – Analysis and actions required to ensure raceway noise levels are acceptable to the surrounding community

Dr. Bonnie Schnitta, bonnie@soundsense.com
SoundSense, LLC
Wainscott, NY

Popular version of 1pAA1 – Actions and mathematical modeling that will bring noise levels from a racetrack or raceway to a level the community will accept
Presented Monday afternoon May 23, 2022
182nd ASA Meeting
Click here to read the abstract

Historically, new and existing racetracks and raceways, encounter conflict between owners, racecar drivers and the surrounding community. Racecar drivers enjoy the thrill of a raceway, but neighboring residents often complain about the noise negatively impacting the quiet enjoyment of their homes. This is true even when the homes are near a major highway or road. Raceways and neighboring communities are attempting to find workable solutions without compromise to the safety and enjoyment of the raceway. The presentation discusses objective information used to assist communities or town boards, nearby neighbors and track owners engage in productive dialogue of the outcome of the possible solution sets. Multiple solution sets are discussed which are typically acceptable to all parties, including various barriers and other innovative noise mitigation plans. The mathematical modeling and analysis of the topography around the track is presented to show how the local terrain can be used to help to achieve the required level of track noise reduction. The information will be presented through the lenses of three case studies. Two studies demonstrate solutions for specific raceways. The other case study is used to further emphasize the importance of incorporating the local terrain into the solution set.
raceway noise

raceway noise

Sounding Off on Seattle Space Needle Renovation

Sounding Off on Seattle Space Needle Renovation

Acoustic designers consulted to prevent noisy viewing deck, mechanics

Media Contact:
Larry Frum
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

SEATTLE, December 2, 2021 – The Seattle Space Needle, a city landmark for nearly 60 years, recently underwent a renovation to enhance the visitor experience. Acoustic designers were tasked with ensuring that the new design is a quiet one.

During the 181st Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which will be held Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, Daniel Bruck and Jaimie Penzell, from BRC Acoustics, will discuss how the Seattle Space Needle renovation incorporated acoustic designs targeted toward limiting unnecessary sound transmission. The talk, “The Seattle Space Needle renovation: Acoustical design considerations and challenges at 600 feet above ground level,” will take place Thursday, Dec. 2, at 12:55 p.m. Eastern U.S.

The Seattle Space Needle is one of the most recognizable landmarks in North America, having had 60 million visitors since it opened in 1962. In late 2017, a renovation project titled “The Century Project” began, developing the tower’s internal structure, while expanding and improving its views.

Bruck and his team developed the acoustical design criteria for the renovation project, enhancing future visitor experience.

The needle revamp has an improved observation deck with 360 degrees of uninterrupted views of Seattle and the surrounding area, as well as The Loupe – the world’s first and only rotating glass floor restaurant.

“Acoustical materials were selected to complement the architectural concept for the spaces and provide effective reverberant sound control,” said Bruck. “Particular areas for design were the observation levels, which was noisy during high visitor periods, and the restaurant. Sound isolation between the two was also an important component.”

Mechanical system noise control was an essential consideration, as the newly installed revolving floor mechanism requires 12 motors to operate 37 tons of weight.

“The original building from 1962 was not designed for modern equipment, and there was absolutely no room to expand the footprint of the mechanical rooms,” said Bruck. “The machinery and system were completely redesigned to provide an innovative approach to moving the rotating floor reliably into the future.”

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
USEFUL LINKS
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eventpilotadmin.com/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL21
Press Room: https://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/

WORLDWIDE PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Worldwide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay language papers, which are 300 to 500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at https://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
We will grant free registration to credentialed journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, staff at media@aip.org can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

Build Your Own Office Podcast Studio

Build Your Own Office Podcast Studio

How to convert existing office spaces into professional-sounding recording studios

Media Contact:
Larry Frum
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

SEATTLE, November 30, 2021 — Converting newly emptied office spaces into podcast studios poses noise challenges not previously realized before hybrid offices began. Experts recommend considering location, nearby noise sources, and ways to absorb sound to make a studio effective.

During the 181st Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which will be held Nov. 29-Dec. 3 at the Hyatt Regency Seattle, Indi Savitala, from the CSDA Design Group, will discuss how to optimize existing spaces for use as podcast recording studios. The talk, “Converting an Empty Office to a Podcast Studio,” will take place Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 1:25 p.m. Eastern U.S.

Thanks to hybrid working models, offices are less busy and less noisy, meaning recording spaces can be used more often, and newly empty private offices can become podcast studios.

But existing spaces present multiple acoustic challenges — single-glazed windows, nearby noise sources, and limited available surface area, to name a few. Offices with audio-visual components with frequent audio playback or speakerphone usage also impede recording.

To help, Savitala and his team offer criteria and recommendations for optimizing recording spaces.

“Since offices are being partially occupied, people have become more sensitive to noise,” said Savitala. “HVAC and sound masking noise that was previously deemed acceptable are now considered ‘noisy,’ and clients are requesting lower background noise levels.”

According to their criteria, the primary focus should be on potential noise sources. Converting an interior office may be beneficial if it is distanced from open-plan areas and the surrounding offices are not often used. Exterior offices may have less adjacent noise pollution but may be exposed to traffic noise.

“The addition of minimal absorptive treatments will make a huge difference for recording,” said Savitala. “Selecting podcast-friendly microphones and popfilters can make a huge difference and do not have to be expensive or high-end products.”

The team recommends considering the visual component of recording studios.

“It is popular for podcast shows to have accompanying video for social media posts,” said Savitala. “Therefore, providing aesthetically pleasing room finish treatment options is important.”

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
USEFUL LINKS
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eventpilotadmin.com/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL21
Press Room: https://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/

WORLDWIDE PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Worldwide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay language papers, which are 300 to 500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at https://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
We will grant free registration to credentialed journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, staff at media@aip.org can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.