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Sound Advice

Wavelength and Frequency: Why Bass Is Hard to Block

Posted on August 12, 2026August 12, 2026 by Austin Peek
Illustration of long low-frequency bass sound waves passing through a wall, showing why bass is harder to block than high-frequency sound
12
Aug

Bass is hard to block because its wavelengths are physically huge — a 100 Hz kick drum is 11 feet long. Diffraction, mass law, and mass-air-mass resonance all conspire against low-frequency isolation. The numbers, the physics, and what to do about it.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

How to Soundproof a Pilates Studio

Posted on August 4, 2026August 4, 2026 by Austin Peek
Soundproofed pilates studio with reformers and acoustic wall panels.
04
Aug

Pilates reformers generate 65–75 dBA of impact noise that transmits straight through the floor to whoever sits below. 7 prioritized strategies for soundproofing a pilates studio—equipment, isolation, demising walls, and more.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

The Lombard Effect: Why People Get Louder in Loud Rooms

Posted on July 31, 2026July 31, 2026 by Austin Peek
The Lombard effect illustrated as people raising their voices to be heard over background noise in a loud, reverberant room
31
Jul

When background noise rises, talkers automatically raise their voice — about 0.3 to 0.6 dB per dB of added noise. The Lombard Effect explains why restaurants, gyms, and open offices spiral into noise, and what to do about it.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

How to Soundproof a Preschool

Posted on July 13, 2026July 13, 2026 by Austin Peek
Soundproofed preschool classroom with acoustic ceiling and wall panels.
13
Jul

Preschool acoustics directly affect learning outcomes—ANSI-compliant classrooms produce 12% higher test scores. 7 prioritized strategies for hitting ANSI/ASA S12.60: ceiling, HVAC, STC 50+ walls, and the all-important multipurpose room.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

IBC §1206 Sound Transmission Requirements Explained

Posted on June 23, 2026June 23, 2026 by Austin Peek
Diagram of IBC Section 1206 sound transmission requirements showing the STC 50 and IIC 50 minimums for dwelling unit separation
23
Jun

IBC Section 1206 requires STC 50 (lab) or NNIC 45 (field) for airborne sound and IIC 50 (lab) or AIIC 45 (field) for impact sound between dwelling and sleeping units. Here is what the code says, the ASTM standards behind it, and how to spec to land in compliance in the field.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

Octave Bands & 1/3-Octave Bands Explained

Posted on June 15, 2026July 23, 2026 by Austin Peek
Frequency spectrum chart explaining octave bands and one-third octave bands used in acoustic measurement and noise analysis
15
Jun

Octave bands and 1/3-octave bands group the audible range into standardized bins. Octaves give the broad shape of a spectrum; 1/3-octaves give the detail STC, NRC, and ordinance reporting require.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

How to Soundproof a Yoga Studio

Posted on June 12, 2026June 12, 2026 by Austin Peek
Soundproofed yoga studio with acoustic wall panels and floor isolation.
12
Jun

Yoga studios need silence as the product. 7 prioritized strategies—STC 50+ demising walls, sealed doors, ceiling clouds, NC 30 HVAC, and more—for blocking neighbor noise and creating a tranquil practice environment.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

Sound Power vs Sound Pressure: What’s the Difference?

Posted on June 11, 2026August 2, 2026 by Austin Peek
Diagram comparing sound power and sound pressure, showing a fixed sound power in watts versus sound pressure in decibels measured at a listening distance
11
Jun

Sound power is the energy a source emits; sound pressure is what a listener hears. Mix them up and you miss the spec by 10–20 dB. Here is the difference, the conversion, and where each one belongs.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

Staggered Stud Wall STC: How to Reach STC 55

Posted on June 10, 2026July 31, 2026 by Austin Peek
Staggered stud wall STC: how to reach STC 55
10
Jun

A staggered stud wall alternates studs on a single shared plate, so the two faces decouple without a double-stud’s depth. Here is how it reaches STC 55, where the plate caps it, and when it is the smart middle ground.

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Posted in Sound Advice
Sound Advice

Loudest Fanbases at the 2026 World Cup, Ranked by an Acoustical Engineer

Posted on June 9, 2026June 11, 2026 by Austin Peek
Loudest 2026 World Cup fanbases ranked by an acoustical engineer
09
Jun

Find out which 2026 World Cup fanbases are the top ranked by us using documented loudness, travel-to-North-America likelihood, and chant heritage.

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Posted in Sound Advice
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    • Membranes
      • Wall Blokker Lite
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      • Acoustic Ceiling Baffles
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      • STC Rules of Thumb
      • Sound Absorption Coefficients
      • STC Ratings for Walls
      • Explaining STC, IIC, & Delta IIC
      • Resilient Channel: Uses & Mistakes
      • MLV Sound Barrier
  • Resources
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