Glossary of terms
These definitions are explanatory in nature, rather than technically detailed. If you require further information, please contact us.
Absorption
When a material reduces the energy of sound reflected off it. By absorbing sound energy, the volume of the reflected sound is reduced.
Acoustic Privacy
When you are able to conduct confidential conversations and are not able to overhear the conversations of others. There are different degrees of acoustic privacy,
ranging from none to complete.
Background Noise
Background noise is the noise present in an environment, other than the desired or foreground sound. Also referred to as Ambient Noise, it is the combination of
all sounds generated both near and far.
Decibel (dB)
The unit of measure for sound pressure level (volume).
Frequency
The number of cycles of sound waves per second.
Hertz (Hz)
The unit of measure for frequency.
Intelligibility
The degree to which a conversation can be understood or is comprehensible.
Loudness
A person's subjective perception of the volume of sound. A 3dB increase in sound energy is generally perceived as a doubling in loudness.
Masking
The effect of reducing or eliminating the ability to hear a sound due to the presence of a masking sound.
Noise
Any unwanted sound. Note that not all sound is considered noise.
Pink Noise
A broad-spectrum sound exhibiting equal sound energy per octave. In order to maintain equal energy, the volume is held constant throughout the entire output range.
Quiet
The absence of noise. Quiet can be distinctly different from "silence." Silence is the absence of all sound, while quiet is the absence of noise, i.e. unwanted
sound.
Random Sound
A sound signal with no repetitive pattern.
Reverberation
The persistence of a sound in a space due to many reflections of that sound from the surfaces in the space after the sound source has been stopped. Reverberation
can be compared to a multitude of indistinguishable echoes.
Silence
The absence of any sounds. Silence differs from "quiet," which is the absence of unwanted sounds. A space can be considered quiet even if an unobtrusive
background sound is present.
Sound Masking
See the definition for Masking.
Spectrum
The composition of a sound expressed in frequency and amplitude.
White Noise
A broad-spectrum sound exhibiting equal sound energy across the entire frequency range. In order to maintain equal energy, the volume must increase as the
frequency increases. The high volume at high frequencies results in a hissing sound.
