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Goals & Objectives
Room acoustics is the study of sound – primarily the production, control, transmission, reception and effects of sound waves inside a room.
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The room should be free from high-level, late arriving reflections
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The room should be free from audible flutter echoes
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The room should have the appropriate RT60 (see note below)
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The room should not undergo a radical change in acoustical parameters when nearly empty up to 80% full [of people]
Considerations
The acoustics of a room determines the performance level of any sound system. The acoustics of a room also determines the performance level of the piano, organ, choir, soloists, pastor (spoken word) – basically, anything that makes sound.
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Those involved with a new church design or construction project all want "Good Acoustics" in the new sanctuary, but it is usually the least understood, addressed and followed through on aspect of the project.
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For the listener, we are concerned with three main aspects: Direct Sound, Reflected Sound, and Noise.
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Direct and Reflected sounds can be beneficial or detrimental to good intelligibility, depending on their arrival time and amplitude.
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Reverberation is the audible persistence of sound in a room after the sound source has stopped.
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The rate at which the sound decays in a room is called the reverberation time. A single number cannot provide an accurate assesment of the RT60.
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Nearly every acoustical parameter in a space is affected by noise. Taking care of noise issues is one of the first steps in solving many room acoustical problems.
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Acoustical problems are rarely solved by absorption alone. Sometimes hard surfaces are the answer.
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Wall construction methods and materials affect the acoustics.
- Proper church acoustics starts in the sanctuary - but is also very important in the foyer, fellowship hall, offices, classrooms, kitchen, restrooms....
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