Meeting room acoustics

Improve communication and the quality of conference calls

Improving the acoustics in video conference rooms

In today’s professional landscape, the way we work has undergone a significant transformation. Video calls end up saving time and money for companies across all industries, and it’s the quality of these virtual meetings that is now crucial for doing business. The acoustics of meeting rooms are now under the spotlight.

The importance of meeting room acoustics

Hard, reflective surfaces in a meeting room can severely degrade the audio clarity of video conferencing systems. This results in poor speech intelligibility, straining to hear clients or colleagues. While it’s easy to blame audio-visual equipment for poor sound quality, the true culprit is often inadequate room acoustics.

Why acoustics matter on conference calls

Speech intelligibility: Clear communication is essential in meetings, especially when discussing critical business decisions. Hard surfaces cause sound waves to bounce around the room, leading to echoes and reverberations that make speech hard to understand.

Professionalism in communication: Good sound quality on conference calls projects a professional image and facilitates smoother communication with clients and team members.

Efficiency and productivity: Poor acoustics can lead to repeated explanations and misunderstandings, wasting valuable time. Effective acoustic design can minimise these issues and streamline meetings.

looking through glass partition to a meeting room with green acoustic baffles covering the ceiling and acoustic pendant lights above the table

meeting room with windows on two sides and a large 12 seater table has green linear acoustic baffles suspended from the ceiling

contemporary video conference room with long table in the centre, white walls and geometric cork acoustic tiles

Common acoustic issues in meeting rooms

Reverberation time (RT60)

One key metric in assessing acoustics is the reverberation time (RT60). This is the time it takes for sound to decay by 60 decibels after the source has stopped. Rooms with high RT60 values cause sound to linger, creating a muddled and echo-filled environment.

Soundproofing vs. sound absorption

While soundproofing prevents external noise from entering a room, sound absorption focuses on improving internal sound quality. Both are crucial for a professional meeting room.

Ready to transform your meeting room? Contact us today to learn more about our acoustic solutions and how we can help you create the perfect meeting environment.