Restaurant Echo Problem
One problem many restaurants face is too much reverberation in their space, especially when there are live music performances or it’s a packed house during sporting events. Unlike office space or classrooms that have plush furniture and carpeting to help absorb sound waves, restaurants are filled with hard, reflective surfaces that cause sound issues to arise. This was the case at Yeoman’s Cask & Lion restaurant, where it was difficult to understand conversation during high-traffic times and during live performances. Our team of acoustical specialists conducted an acoustical assessment and reverberation tests on site to provide options to improve the acoustics in the space.
Reverberation Testing
2 reverberation tests were performed in the restaurant. A Nor131 Sound Pressure Level meter was used for all tests. A Nor1251 Sound Calibrator was used for sensitivity checks.
The 2 tests were performed, one in the main dining area and the second in the smaller private dining room at the back of the restaurant. The results were as follows:
- Back Room: 0.871 second Reverberation
- Center of Restaurant: 0.86 second Reverberation
Based on the reverberation test results, we recommended adding additional absorption material of at least 288 Square Feet to meet the .7 second Reverberation Time goal. This absorption material should have an NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) of at least 1.05.
After testing, our team arrived on-site to install ceiling-mounted acoustical clouds in the large dining area and the back room. The fabric-wrapped clouds were color matched to the black ceiling so they would remain hidden from guests, while being effective. By installing the ceiling-mounted acoustic panels and placing them evenly around the space, the reverberation time of the restaurant dropped significantly, allowing improved speech intelligibility during music and at maximum capacity.
Restaurant Sound Absorption
