Tampa Sound Masking Solution
When the headquarters of Tru Simulation + Training in Tampa Florida needed to improve sound privacy within the accounting and sales division of their office space, they contacted the experts at Commercial Acoustics to analyze the space and determine the most efficient way to solve their sound transmission issues. The parent company of Tru Simulation is a Fortune 500 company, Textron Inc., and they are known for developing, manufacturing and maintaining state-of-the-art flight training solutions for both the civil and defense industry. As its common for clients and guests to walk through the Tru Simulation offices, noise distractions were becoming more and more prevalent.
See other Sound Masking Projects
After an initial site visit, Commercial Acoustics determined that the executive office demising walls had been extended to the deck during construction, and were not a main area of concern. Thus that portion of the project scope was eliminated and the focus remained on the open office which had rows of cubicles throughout. Due to the nonexistent background noise throughout this area, almost all conversations were easily understood and voices were traveling to other cubicles and surrounding areas causing distractions.
The solution was to install a white noise sound masking system throughout the open office, with speakers out of sight and hidden above the Acoustic Ceiling Tile. After installation the entire system was balanced and tuned to 47 – 48 dBA, creating a ‘cover’ of background sound this was nearly unrecognizable to the ear, but highly effective.
Because of the shared HVAC returns in the space, the cost to effectively block sound transmission along that pathway with baffles and deflectors was unreasonably high. There were also other flanking paths, including ceiling tile grids and walls not going to deck – both clear signs that sound masking was the most effective treatment.
Two control panels were needed, one on each side of the building, to allow for control of the various speaker segments. Cat5 wire was run from each primary speaker to the “slaved” secondaries, and then tuned in the room to ensure proper sound masking spectrum and volume.
Commercial Acoustics continues to provide Sound Masking for clients from Tampa to Sarasota, and across the Southeast United States. Utilizing our Lencore-based Sound Masking system, we provide customized white noise solutions to clients with open office spaces, call centers, and other speech privacy needs.
