Determining the Restaurant Acoustics
Speaks Clam Bar in Sarasota, Florida opened 2 months ago, and with the high-end marble finish and tile floor, noted that they were experiencing sound issues. Specifically, they had excessive reverberation in their restaurant that made it difficult for patrons to converse easily. Losing what we call “Speech Intelligibility“.
This is a very common issue Restaurants and other entertainment venues encounter when they have many flat, reflective surfaces and large, open spaces. When this occurs, restaurant patrons are often upset and experience difficulty having conversations with those at the same table. Excess reverberation makes it hard to distinguish reflected sounds from the initial sounds nearby, and noise buildup in a space will result in a loud dining experience.
By performing a basic reverberation assessment, and modeling, it’s easy to determine the exact issue in the space. In this case, the reverb time was just over 1.6 seconds, which is much longer than a fine dining establishment would usually prefer.
Learn More about Restaurant Acoustic Treatments
Acoustic Treatment for the Restaurant
After performing an initial site visit, Commercial Acoustics manufactured and installed custom acoustic panels per the client’s needs, and the reverberation time in the space decreased from 1.6 seconds to below 1 second. This is an ideal reverb time for restaurants that are looking for a lively, but intimate setting.
How Much Absorption is Needed in Your Restaurant?
